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Heightened auditory sensitivity and atypical auditory processing are common in autism. Functional studies suggest abnormal neural response and hemispheric activation to auditory stimuli, yet the neurodevelopment underlying atypical auditory function in autism is unknown. In this study, we model longitudinal volumetric growth of Heschl's gyrus gray matter and white matter during childhood and adolescence in 40 individuals with autism and 17 typically developing participants. Up to three time points of magnetic resonance imaging data, collected on average every 2.5 years, were examined from individuals 3-12 years of age at the time of their first scan. Consistent with previous cross-sectional studies, no group differences were found in Heschl's gyrus gray matter volume or asymmetry. However, reduced longitudinal gray matter volumetric growth was found in the right Heschl's gyrus in autism. Reduced longitudinal white matter growth in the left hemisphere was found in the right-handed autism participants. Atypical Heschl's gyrus white matter volumetric growth was found bilaterally in the autism individuals with a history of delayed onset of spoken language. Heightened auditory sensitivity, obtained from the Sensory Profile, was associated with reduced volumetric gray matter growth in the right hemisphere. Our longitudinal analyses revealed dynamic gray and white matter changes in Heschl's gyrus throughout childhood and adolescence in both typical development and autism.

Heightened auditory sensitivity and atypical processing of sounds by the brain are common in autism. Functional studies that measure brain activity suggest abnormal neural response to sounds, yet the development underlying atypical sound processing in autism is unknown. We examined the growth of the first cortical area of the brain to process sound, the primary auditory cortex, also known as Heschl’s gyrus. Volume of Heschl’s gyrus gray and white matter was measured using structural MRI in 40 children and adolescents with autism and 17 typically developing participants. Up to three time points of volumetric brain data, collected on average every 2.5 years, were examined from individuals 3-12 years of age at their first scan. Our study is the first to examine volumetric changes during childhood and adolescence in Heschl’s gyrus longitudinally, or in the same individuals over time. Consistent with previous studies using only one time point of data, no differences between the participant groups were found in Heschl’s gyrus gray matter volume. However, reduced longitudinal growth of Heschl’s gyrus gray matter volume was found in the right hemisphere in autism. Reduced longitudinal white matter growth in the left hemisphere was found in the right-handed autism participants. Atypical growth of Heschl’s gyrus white matter volume was found bilaterally in the autism individuals with a history of delayed onset of spoken language. Heightened reported sensitivity to sounds, obtained from the Sensory Profile, was associated with reduced gray matter volume growth in the right hemisphere. Our longitudinal analyses revealed dynamic gray and white matter changes in Heschl’s gyrus throughout childhood and adolescence in both typical development and autism.