How do ASDs affect the brain differently?

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I know that autism affects several brain structures/regions such as the amyglada, frontal lobe, cerebellum, brain stem, and parietal lobe, but how exactly does the brain of someone with a high functioning form of autism differ from someone with a low functioning form of autism? For example, how does Asperger's syndrome affect the brain differently than classic Kanner autism? And even more in depth, how does mild Asperger's syndrome affect the brain as opposed to moderate Asperger's, or even high functioning autism? Are there significant differences or subtle differences in neural connections and or/ratios of grey matter to white matter?

I thought the answer to that was yet unknown...?

Yeah, don't think it's known yet. Be interesting if there are differences though.

I don't think it effects the brain all that differently per say, but more to different degrees....like varying severity levels. But I don't think low functioning autism vs. aspergers for instance would show up as being different disorders caused by different mechanisms. I doubt there is any simple cause of autism so different cases of autism could have differing factors but it wouldn't depend on if they are low or high functioning.

The sad answer is that people would rather have lower taxes than to have government fund the research necessary to find out the answer to those questions. It has been a very tough time to be a pure scientist in the USA--someone who is interested in finding out answers without regard to how it can be used to make money or kill people (military engineering).

I don't know how accurate or significant this is- but I remember reading a study that said that the brains of those with autism without mental retardation showed more abnormality in the amygdala than those with LFA. Those with LFA on the other hand, had more abnormality in the hippocampus-but less in the amygdala. The study used brains of deceased individuals rather than MRI scans.