Final answer:
The statement about autism being related to more active brain cells involved in empathy may be false, as autism is associated with 'incorrect' brain wiring. In some studies, accelerated neuronal growth and synaptic density in individuals with ASD could impact the brain's information processing. Yet, the precise causes of autism remain largely unknown.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that autism is related to more activity in brain cells involved in empathy is not clearly supported by the consensus in scientific research and could be considered false. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) research suggests that it could be more accurately described as a condition of 'incorrect' wiring within the brain. When neuronal stem cells from sons with autism and their unaffected fathers were compared, those from the sons demonstrated accelerated growth with a higher number of synapses. If such accelerated synaptic growth also occurs in vivo (within a living organism), this could impact the integration of information in the brain.
Brains with too many synapses may have difficulty in efficient information processing, which could contribute to the cognitive and social challenges characteristic of ASD. Differences in synaptic pruning, among other elements, such as genetic mutations, have been correlated with the presence of ASD. However, it's important to note that causes of ASD are largely unknown, and while there are correlations, these do not confer direct causality.