Summary: Researchers have performed an MRI study of people with a common form of genetic autism. They discovered those with abnormalities on 16p11.2 had structural abnormalities with the corpus callosum and white matter volume. Source: RSNA. In the first major study of its kind, researchers using MRI have identified structural abnormalities in the brains of people with one of the most common genetic causes of autism, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. The abnormalities visible on brain images corresponded to cognitive and behavioral impairments in the study group, suggesting a future role for imaging in identifying people with autism who are in most urgent need