Female children with autism spectrum disorder: An insight from mass-univariate and pattern classification analyses

► We investigate the anatomic brain structures of female children with autism (ASDf). ► We compare 38 patients to 38 female age and non verbal IQ matched controls. ► VBM reveals an increase of gray matter in the left superior frontal gyrus in ASDf. ► SVM-RFE identifies a more complex circuit of increased cortical volume in ASDf. ► The circuit includes bilaterally the SFG and the right temporo-parietal junction.