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Glickman M, Sela T, Usher M, Levy DJ. The effect of perceptual organization on numerical and preference-based decisions shows inter-subject correlation. Psychon Bull Rev 2023; 30:1410-1421. [PMID: 36625990 PMCID: PMC10482786 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-022-02234-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Individual differences in cognitive processing have been the subject of intensive research. One important type of such individual differences is the tendency for global versus local processing, which was shown to correlate with a wide range of processing differences in fields such as decision making, social judgments and creativity. Yet, whether these global/local processing tendencies are correlated within a subject across different domains is still an open question. To address this question, we develop and test a novel method to quantify global/local processing tendencies, in which we directly set in opposition the local and global information instead of instructing subjects to specifically attend to one processing level. We apply our novel method to two different domains: (1) a numerical cognition task, and (2) a preference task. Using computational modeling, we accounted for classical effects in choice and numerical-cognition. Global/local tendencies in both tasks were quantified using a salience parameter. Critically, the salience parameters extracted from the numerical cognition and preference tasks were highly correlated, providing support for robust perceptual organization tendencies within an individual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moshe Glickman
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, UK
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tal Sela
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Kinneret Academic College, Tzemach, Israel
| | - Marius Usher
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dino J. Levy
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Coller School of Management, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Thérien VD, Degré-Pelletier J, Barbeau EB, Samson F, Soulières I. Different levels of visuospatial abilities linked to differential brain correlates underlying visual mental segmentation processes in autism. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9186-9211. [PMID: 37317036 PMCID: PMC10350832 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural underpinnings of enhanced locally oriented visual processing that are specific to autistics with a Wechsler's Block Design (BD) peak are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the brain correlates underlying visual segmentation associated with the well-established autistic superior visuospatial abilities in distinct subgroups using functional magnetic resonance imaging. This study included 31 male autistic adults (15 with (AUTp) and 16 without (AUTnp) a BD peak) and 28 male adults with typical development (TYP). Participants completed a computerized adapted BD task with models having low and high perceptual cohesiveness (PC). Despite similar behavioral performances, AUTp and AUTnp showed generally higher occipital activation compared with TYP participants. Compared with both AUTnp and TYP participants, the AUTp group showed enhanced task-related functional connectivity within posterior visuoperceptual regions and decreased functional connectivity between frontal and occipital-temporal regions. A diminished modulation in frontal and parietal regions in response to increased PC was also found in AUTp participants, suggesting heavier reliance on low-level processing of global figures. This study demonstrates that enhanced visual functioning is specific to a cognitive phenotypic subgroup of autistics with superior visuospatial abilities and reinforces the need to address autistic heterogeneity by good cognitive characterization of samples in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique D Thérien
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montreal, 7070, Boulevard Perras, Montréal (Québec) H1E 1A4, Canada
| | - Janie Degré-Pelletier
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montreal, 7070, Boulevard Perras, Montréal (Québec) H1E 1A4, Canada
| | - Elise B Barbeau
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Fabienne Samson
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Isabelle Soulières
- Laboratory on Intelligence and Development in Autism, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Montreal Cognitive Neuroscience Autism Research Group, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’île-de-Montreal, 7070, Boulevard Perras, Montréal (Québec) H1E 1A4, Canada
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Retzler C, Retzler J. Brief Report: Local-Global Processing and Co-occurrence of Anxiety, Autistic and Obsessive-Compulsive Traits in a Non-clinical Sample. J Autism Dev Disord 2023:10.1007/s10803-022-05886-4. [PMID: 36738422 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05886-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Increased local-to-global interference has been found in those with ASD, AD and OCD, and as such, may represent a transdiagnostic marker. As a first step to investigating this, we aimed to assess the overlap in traits of these disorders in a non-clinical sample, and whether local-global processing relates to the traits of the three conditions. METHODS Participants (n = 149) completed questionnaires including the Autism Quotient (AQ), the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (OCI-R) and the Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and an online version of the Navon task. Behavioural metrics of interference and precedence were extracted from the task and correlated with trait scores. RESULTS We found moderate to strong correlations between the total scores for ASD, anxiety and OCD. Most local-global processing indices did not relate to traits. CONCLUSION The study found evidence for an overlap in autism, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive traits in a non-clinical sample. However, local-global processing, as measured by the Navon task, did not appear to underpin symptomatology in the sample and could not be considered a transdiagnostic marker. Future research should investigate the value of alternate metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Retzler
- Department of Psychology, School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
| | - Jenny Retzler
- Department of Psychology, School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
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Riddiford JA, Enticott PG, Lavale A, Gurvich C. Gaze and social functioning associations in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Autism Res 2022; 15:1380-1446. [PMID: 35593039 PMCID: PMC9543973 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by significant social functioning impairments, including (but not limited to) emotion recognition, mentalizing, and joint attention. Despite extensive investigation into the correlates of social functioning in ASD, only recently has there been focus on the role of low‐level sensory input, particularly visual processing. Extensive gaze deficits have been described in ASD, from basic saccadic function through to social attention and the processing of complex biological motion. Given that social functioning often relies on accurately processing visual information, inefficient visual processing may contribute to the emergence and sustainment of social functioning difficulties in ASD. To explore the association between measures of gaze and social functioning in ASD, a systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted. A total of 95 studies were identified from a search of CINAHL Plus, Embase, OVID Medline, and psycINFO databases in July 2021. Findings support associations between increased gaze to the face/head and eye regions with improved social functioning and reduced autism symptom severity. However, gaze allocation to the mouth appears dependent on social and emotional content of scenes and the cognitive profile of participants. This review supports the investigation of gaze variables as potential biomarkers of ASD, although future longitudinal studies are required to investigate the developmental progression of this relationship and to explore the influence of heterogeneity in ASD clinical characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline A Riddiford
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria
| | - Peter G Enticott
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Alex Lavale
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria
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Nayar K, Shic F, Winston M, Losh M. A constellation of eye-tracking measures reveals social attention differences in ASD and the broad autism phenotype. Mol Autism 2022; 13:18. [PMID: 35509089 PMCID: PMC9069739 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-022-00490-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Social attention differences, expressed through gaze patterns, have been documented in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with subtle differences also reported among first-degree relatives, suggesting a shared genetic link. Findings have mostly been derived from standard eye-tracking methods (total fixation count or total fixation duration). Given the dynamics of visual attention, these standard methods may obscure subtle, yet core, differences in visual attention mechanisms, particularly those presenting sub-clinically. This study applied a constellation of eye-tracking analyses to gaze data from individuals with ASD and their parents. Methods This study included n = 156 participants across groups, including ASD (n = 24) and control (n = 32) groups, and parents of individuals with ASD (n = 61) and control parents (n = 39). A complex scene with social/non-social elements was displayed and gaze tracked via an eye tracker. Eleven analytic methods from the following categories were analyzed: (1) standard variables, (2) temporal dynamics (e.g., gaze over time), (3) fixation patterns (e.g., perseverative or regressive fixations), (4) first fixations, and (5) distribution patterns. MANOVAs, growth curve analyses, and Chi-squared tests were applied to examine group differences. Finally, group differences were examined on component scores derived from a principal component analysis (PCA) that reduced variables to distinct dimensions. Results No group differences emerged among standard, first fixation, and distribution pattern variables. Both the ASD and ASD parent groups demonstrated on average reduced social attention over time and atypical perseverative fixations. Lower social attention factor scores derived from PCA strongly differentiated the ASD and ASD parent groups from controls, with parent findings driven by the subset of parents demonstrating the broad autism phenotype. Limitations To generalize these findings, larger sample sizes, extended viewing contexts (e.g., dynamic stimuli), and even more eye-tracking analytical methods are needed. Conclusions Fixations over time and perseverative fixations differentiated ASD and the ASD parent groups from controls, with the PCA most robustly capturing social attention differences. Findings highlight their methodological utility in studies of the (broad) autism spectrum to capture nuanced visual attention differences that may relate to clinical symptoms in ASD, and reflect genetic liability in clinically unaffected relatives. This proof-of-concept study may inform future studies using eye tracking across populations where social attention is impacted. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13229-022-00490-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kritika Nayar
- Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Lab, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Frederick Shic
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Molly Winston
- Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Lab, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Molly Losh
- Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Lab, Roxelyn and Richard Pepper, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
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Savickaite S, McNaughton K, Gaillard E, Amaya J, McDonnell N, Millington E, Simmons DR. Exploratory study on the use of HMD virtual reality to investigate individual differences in visual processing styles. JOURNAL OF ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.1108/jet-06-2021-0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
PurposeGlobal and local processing is part of human perceptual organisation, where global processing helps extract the “gist” of the visual information and local processing helps perceive the details. Individual differences in these two types of visual processing have been found in autism and ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Virtual reality (VR) has become a more available method of research in the last few decades. No previous research has investigated perceptual differences using this technology.Design/methodology/approachThe objective of the research is to threefold: (1) identify if there is association between ADHD and autistic traits and the performance on the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF) task, (2) investigate practical effects of using VR drawing tools for research on perceptual experiences and (3) explore any perceptual differences brought out by the three-dimensional nature of the VR. The standard ROCF test was used as a baseline task to investigate the practical utility of using VR as an experimental platform. A total of 94 participants were tested.FindingsAttention-to-detail, attention switching and imagination subscales of autism quotient (AQ) questionnaire were found to be predictors of organisational ROCF scores, whereas only the attention-to-detail subscale was predictive of perceptual ROCF scores.Originality/valueThe current study is an example of how classic psychological paradigms can be transferred into the virtual world. Further investigation of the distinct individual preferences in drawing tasks in VR could lead to a better understanding of individual differences in the processing of visuospatial information.
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The use of a tablet-based app for investigating the influence of autistic and ADHD traits on performance in a complex drawing task. Behav Res Methods 2022; 54:2479-2501. [PMID: 35018608 PMCID: PMC9579087 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-021-01746-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes a smart tablet-based drawing app to digitally record participants’ engagement with the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure (ROCF) task, a well-characterised perceptual memory task that assesses local and global memory. Digitisation of the tasks allows for improved ecological validity, especially in children attracted to tablet devices. Further, digital translation of the tasks affords new measures, including accuracy and computation of the fine motor control kinematics employed to carry out the drawing Here, we report a feasibility study to test the relationship between two neurodevelopmental conditions: autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The smart tablet app was employed with 39 adult participants (18-35) characterised for autistic and ADHD traits, and scored using the ROCF perceptual and organisational scoring systems. Trait scores and conditions were predictor variables in linear regression models. Positive correlations were found between the attention-to-detail, attention-switching and communication subscales of the autistic trait questionnaire and organisational scores on the ROCF task. These findings suggest that autistic traits might be linked to differential performance on the ROCF task. Novelty and future applications of the app are discussed.
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Canu D, Ioannou C, Müller K, Martin B, Fleischhaker C, Biscaldi M, Beauducel A, Smyrnis N, van Elst LT, Klein C. Visual search in neurodevelopmental disorders: evidence towards a continuum of impairment. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 31:1-18. [PMID: 33751240 PMCID: PMC9343296 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-021-01756-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Disorders with neurodevelopmental aetiology such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Schizophrenia share commonalities at many levels of investigation despite phenotypic differences. Evidence of genetic overlap has led to the concept of a continuum of neurodevelopmental impairment along which these disorders can be positioned in aetiological, pathophysiological and developmental features. This concept requires their simultaneous comparison at different levels, which has not been accomplished so far. Given that cognitive impairments are core to the pathophysiology of these disorders, we provide for the first time differentiated head-to-head comparisons in a complex cognitive function, visual search, decomposing the task with eye movement-based process analyses. N = 103 late-adolescents with schizophrenia, ADHD, ASD and healthy controls took a serial visual search task, while their eye movements were recorded. Patients with schizophrenia presented the greatest level of impairment across different phases of search, followed by patients with ADHD, who shared with patients with schizophrenia elevated intra-subject variability in the pre-search stage. ASD was the least impaired group, but similar to schizophrenia in post-search processes and to schizophrenia and ADHD in pre-search processes and fixation duration while scanning the items. Importantly, the profiles of deviancy from controls were highly correlated between all three clinical groups, in line with the continuum idea. Findings suggest the existence of one common neurodevelopmental continuum of performance for the three disorders, while quantitative differences appear in the level of impairment. Given the relevance of cognitive impairments in these three disorders, we argue in favour of overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Canu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Chara Ioannou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katarina Müller
- Psychotherapeutisches Wohnheim für junge Menschen Leppermühle, Buseck, Germany
| | - Berthold Martin
- Psychotherapeutisches Wohnheim für junge Menschen Leppermühle, Buseck, Germany
| | - Christian Fleischhaker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Monica Biscaldi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Nikolaos Smyrnis
- 2nd Psychiatry Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, University General Hospital "ATTIKON", Athens, Greece
| | - Ludger Tebartz van Elst
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Klein
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
- 2nd Psychiatry Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, University General Hospital "ATTIKON", Athens, Greece.
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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Mihaylova MS, Bocheva NB, Stefanova MD, Genova BZ, Totev TT, Racheva KI, Shtereva KA, Staykova SN. Visual noise effect on reading in three developmental disorders: ASD, ADHD, and DD. AUTISM & DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS 2022; 7:23969415221106119. [PMID: 36382080 PMCID: PMC9620686 DOI: 10.1177/23969415221106119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Developmental disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Developmental Dyslexia (DD) are reported to have more visual problems, oral language difficulties, and diminished reading skills in addition to their different diagnostic features. Moreover, these conditions also have increased internal noise and probably an impaired ability of external noise filtering. The aim of the present study was to compare the reading performance of these groups in the presence of external visual noise which disrupts the automatic reading processes through the degradation of letters. METHODS Sixty-four children and adolescents in four groups, ASD, ADHD, DD, and TD, participated in the study. Two types of stimuli were used - unrelated words and pseudowords. The noise was generated by exchanging a fixed number of pixels between the black symbols and the white background distorting the letters. The task of the participants was to read aloud the words or pseudowords. The reading time for a single letter string, word or pseudoword, was calculated, and the proportion of errors was assessed in order to describe the reading performance. RESULTS The results obtained showed that the reading of unrelated words and pseudowords differs in the separate groups of participants and is affected differently by the added visual noise. In the no-noise condition, the group with TD had the shortest time for reading words and short pseudowords, followed by the group with ASD, while their reading of long pseudowords was slightly slower than that of the ASD group. The noise increase evoked variations in the reading of groups with ASD and ADHD, which differed from the no-noise condition and the control group with TD. The lowest proportion of errors was observed in readers with TD. The reading performance of the DD group was the worst at all noise levels, with the most prolonged reading time and the highest proportion of errors. At the highest noise level, the participants from all groups read the words and pseudowords with similar reading speed and accuracy. CONCLUSIONS In reading words and pseudowords, the ASD, ADHD, and DD groups show difficulties specific for each disorder revealed in a prolonged reading time and a higher proportion of errors. The dissimilarity in reading abilities of the groups with different development is most evident when the accuracy and reading speed are linked together. IMPLICATIONS The use of noise that degrades the letter structure in the present study allowed us to separate the groups with ASD, ADHD, and DD and disclose specifics in the reading process of each disorder. Error type analysis may provide a basis to improve the educational strategies by appropriately structuring the learning process of children with TD, ASD, ADHD, and DD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Slavcheva Mihaylova
- Milena Slavcheva Mihaylova, Institute of
Neurobiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 23 Academic Georgi Bonchev Street,
Sofia 1113, Bulgaria.
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Lian F, Northoff G. The Lost Neural Hierarchy of the Autistic Self-Locked-Out of the Mental Self and Its Default-Mode Network. Brain Sci 2021; 11:574. [PMID: 33946964 PMCID: PMC8145974 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by a fundamental change in self-awareness including seemingly paradoxical features like increased ego-centeredness and weakened self-referentiality. What is the neural basis of this so-called "self-paradox"? Conducting a meta-analytic review of fMRI rest and task studies, we show that ASD exhibits consistent hypofunction in anterior and posterior midline regions of the default-mode network (DMN) in both rest and task with decreased self-non-self differentiation. Relying on a multilayered nested hierarchical model of self, as recently established (Qin et al. 2020), we propose that ASD subjects cannot access the most upper layer of their self, the DMN-based mental self-they are locked-out of their own DMN and its mental self. This, in turn, results in strong weakening of their self-referentiality with decreases in both self-awareness and self-other distinction. Moreover, this blocks the extension of non-DMN cortical and subcortical regions at the lower layers of the physical self to the DMN-based upper layer of the mental self, including self-other distinction. The ASD subjects remain stuck and restricted to their intero- and exteroceptive selves as manifested in a relative increase in ego-centeredness (as compared to self-referentiality). This amounts to what we describe as "Hierarchical Model of Autistic Self" (HAS), which, characterizing the autistic self in hierarchical and spatiotemporal terms, aligns well with and extends current theories of ASD including predictive coding and weak central coherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuxin Lian
- Institute of Psychological Sciences, School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China;
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
| | - Georg Northoff
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
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11
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Rosello R, Martinez-Raga J, Mira A, Girela B, Cortese S. Developmental outcomes in adolescence of children with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability: A systematic review of prospective studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 126:590-603. [PMID: 33872683 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability (ID) represent approximately two-thirds of the ASD population. Here we focused on prospective research assessing different areas of functioning of children with ASD, without ID, until adolescence. Based on a pre-registered protocol (PROSPERO CRD42020189029), a systematic review of prospective studies (published between 01.01.2010 and 01.01.2020) was conducted. Twenty-eight studies met eligibility criteria. Findings indicated that ASD diagnosis and the Intelligence Quotient were highly stable over time across studies. Executive Functioning, Theory of Mind and Central Coherence processes tended to improve, although deficits remained when compared to typically developed controls. Adaptive difficulties and psychiatric comorbidity were relatively stable over time. We discuss potential implications of the findings for clinicians and educators and suggest recommendations for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocio Rosello
- Division of Psychiatry, Imperial College London, UK.
| | - Jose Martinez-Raga
- Psychiatry Department, University Hospital Doctor Peset of Valencia & University of Valencia, Spain
| | - Alvaro Mira
- Division of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Samuele Cortese
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health (CIMH), School of Psychology, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, UK; Clinical and Experimental Sciences (CNS and Psychiatry), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Solent NHS Trust, Southampton, UK; Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, New York University Child Study Center, New York City, New York, USA; Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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12
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Wang A, Hu X, Wu B, Chen L, Luo W. Low-spatial-frequency priming potentiates the high-level mechanisms of contextual influence. Vision Res 2020; 177:1-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2020.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Kim SY, Song DY, Kim YA, Bong G, Kim JM, Kim JH, Yoo HJ. How Do Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Encode and Reproduce Visuospatial Stimuli?: Investigation into Visuospatial Processing Abilities and Styles. Psychiatry Investig 2020; 17:1105-1107. [PMID: 33198438 PMCID: PMC7711121 DOI: 10.30773/pi.2020.0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the visuospatial processing abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF). METHODS One-hundred thirty-four children with ASD [mean age (MA)=113.56 months], 150 siblings of children with ASD (MA= 111.67 months), and 55 typically developing (TD) children (MA=109.02 months) were included in this study. During their one-time visit, participants completed the ROCF, various autism diagnostic assessments, and the Korean-Leiter International Performance ScaleRevised. Repeated-measures Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and post-hoc Tukey-Kramer comparisons were computed to compare the ROCF scores. Partial correlations and multiple regressions were computed to examine the association between ROCF scores and the severity of autistic symptoms, as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) among children with ASD. RESULTS There were significant main effects of the analysis group in Structural and Incidental Accuracy, Error, and Style. More siblings than TD children drew in a part-oriented way, but the performance of the sibling group was comparable or superior to that of the TD group in all parameters. Social Interaction scores of children with ASD were significantly associated with Organization scores in Copy condition. Whether or not a child drew in the Part-Oriented style significantly predicted his/her repetitive and restricted behavior scores. CONCLUSION The findings add to the evidence for altered visuospatial processing patterns of ASD as a potential inherent and genetic trait and suggest that this particular cognitive style should not be considered as a deficit. Educational and theoretical implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Yoon Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Yea Song
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Ah Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Guiyoung Bong
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-myeong Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Hyun Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Jeong Yoo
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Yu Y, Wang X, Yang J, Qiu J. The role of the MTG in negative emotional processing in young adults with autistic-like traits: A fMRI task study. J Affect Disord 2020; 276:890-897. [PMID: 32739707 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few previous studies explored negative emotion processing in autistic-like traits people using task-based fMRI. In this study, we applied task fMRI to determine the relationship between negative emotion processing and social skill within autistic-like traits people. aimed to find which brain areas specificity play a key role in emotional processing. METHODS 106 of Chinese individuals measured with AQ. Then applied emotion regulation task to explore the difference in brain activation and functional connectivity in individuals with autistic traits. RESULTS The results showed increased activation in the right middle temporal gyrus (MTG). The mediation analysis showed the right MTG mediates the relationship between autistic-like traits and negative emotion. Generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analysis also suggested that the right MTG shows significant functional connectivity with the left parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) and left precuneus cortex. LIMITATIONS Our sample are university students, there may have a bias in the sample compared to sub-average and have no differences between the gender, we will broaden the sample size and take the gender into account. We use two conditions as our focused theme, we want to use a more specific task to explore negative emotion in autistic-like traits people. CONCLUSIONS The results showed that the right MTG was an important brain region in individuals with autistic-like traits, and our study provides a wider discussion about autism brain activation and functional connectivity patterns and the use the MTG as a hallmark in individuals with autistic-like traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxu Yu
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Junyi Yang
- School of education science, Xinyang Normal University, Henan, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; Southwest University Branch, Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality at Beijing Normal University, China.
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15
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Seernani D, Ioannou C, Damania K, Spindler K, Hill H, Foulsham T, Smyrnis N, Bender S, Fleischhaker C, Biscaldi M, Ebner-Priemer U, Klein C. Studying global processing in autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with gaze movements: The example of a copying task. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0224186. [PMID: 32497045 PMCID: PMC7272031 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent discussions in the literature, along with the revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) (American Psychiatric Association 2013), suggest aetiological commonalities between the highly comorbid Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Addressing this discussion requires studying these disorders together by comparing constructs typical to each of them. In the present study, we investigate global processing, known to be difficult for participants with ASD, and Intra-Subject Variability (ISV), known to be consistently increased in participants with ADHD, in groups, aged 10–13 years, with ADHD (n = 25), ASD without comorbid ADHD (ASD-) (n = 13) and ASD with ADHD (ASD+) (n = 18) in comparison with a typically developing group (n = 22). A Copying task, typically requiring global processing and in this case particularly designed using equally complex stimuli to also measure ISV across trials, was selected. Oculomotor measures in this task proved to be particularly sensitive to group differences. While increased ISV was not observed in the present task in participants with ADHD, both ASD groups looked longer on the figure to be drawn, indicating that global processing takes longer in ASD. However, the ASD+ group fixated on the figure only between drawing movements, whereas the ASD- group did this throughout the drawing process. The present study provides evidence towards ASD and ADHD being separate, not-overlapping, disorders. Since the pure ASD- group was affected more by central coherence problems than the ASD+ group, it may suggest that neuropsychological constructs interact differently in different clinical groups and sub-groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Seernani
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - C. Ioannou
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - K. Damania
- Independent Researcher, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - K. Spindler
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - H. Hill
- Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - T. Foulsham
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, England, United Kingdom
| | - N. Smyrnis
- Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - S. Bender
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
| | - C. Fleischhaker
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - M. Biscaldi
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - U. Ebner-Priemer
- Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - C. Klein
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany
- * E-mail:
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16
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Skripkauskaite S, Slade L, Mayer J. Typical hierarchical processing in autistic adults. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2020.1749061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simona Skripkauskaite
- University of Roehampton, London, UK
- School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Lance Slade
- University of Roehampton, London, UK
- School of Psychology, Politics and Sociology, Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent, UK
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Yaxu Y, Ren Z, Ward J, Jiang Q. Atypical Brain Structures as a Function of Gray Matter Volume (GMV) and Gray Matter Density (GMD) in Young Adults Relating to Autism Spectrum Traits. Front Psychol 2020; 11:523. [PMID: 32322224 PMCID: PMC7158890 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autistic traits are those who present in the normal population with characteristics of social, communication, personality, and cognitive impairments but do not meet the clinical threshold for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most studies have focused on the abnormalities in ASD patients rather than on individuals with autistic traits. In this study, we focused on the behaviors of a large sample (N = 401) of Chinese individuals with different levels of autistic traits, measured using the Autism Spectrum Quotient, and applied voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to determine their association to differences in brain structure. The results mainly showed that the correlation between gray matter volume (GMV) and gray matter density of the brain and the Autism Spectrum Quotient was significant in these regions: the right middle frontal gyrus, which are involved in social processing and social reasoning; the left parahippocampal gyrus, which is involved in socioemotional behaviors and unconscious relational memory encoding; and the right superior parietal lobule, which are involved in cognitive control and the ability to show attention to detail. These findings reveal that people with autistic traits in the normal population have atypical development in GMV and gray matter density, which may affect their social functioning and communication ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Yaxu
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhiting Ren
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
| | - Jamie Ward
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
- Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Qiu Jiang
- School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
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18
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Neufeld J, Hagström A, Van't Westeinde A, Lundin K, Cauvet É, Willfors C, Isaksson J, Lichtenstein P, Bölte S. Global and local visual processing in autism - a co-twin-control study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:470-479. [PMID: 31452200 PMCID: PMC7155117 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with altered global and local visual processing. However, the nature of these alterations remains controversial, with contradictory findings and notions ranging from a reduced drive to integrate information into a coherent 'gestalt' ("weak central coherence" = WCC) to an enhanced perceptual functioning (EPF) in local processing. METHODS This study assessed the association between autism and global/local visual processing, using a large sample of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins (N = 290, 48% females, age = 8-31 years). The Fragmented Pictures Test (FPT) assessed global processing, whereas local processing was estimated with the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) and the Block Design Test (BDT). Autism was assessed both categorically (clinical diagnosis), and dimensionally (autistic traits). Associations between visual tasks and autism were estimated both across the cohort and within-twin pairs where all factors shared between twins are implicitly controlled. RESULTS Clinical diagnosis and autistic traits predicted a need for more visual information for gestalt processing in the FPT across the cohort. For clinical diagnosis, this association remained within-pairs and at trend-level even within MZ twin pairs alone. ASD and higher autistic traits predicted lower EFT and BDT performance across the cohort, but these associations were lost within-pairs. CONCLUSIONS In line with the WCC account, our findings indicate an association between autism and reduced global visual processing in children, adolescents and young adults (but no evidence for EPF). Observing a similar association within MZ twins suggests a non-shared environmental contribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Neufeld
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden
| | - A. Hagström
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden
| | - A. Van't Westeinde
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden,Department of Women's and Children's HealthUnit of Pediatric EndocrinologyKarolinska University HospitalKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - K. Lundin
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden
| | - É. Cauvet
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden
| | - C. Willfors
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden,Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Rare DiseasesKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - J. Isaksson
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden,Department of Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry UnitUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - P. Lichtenstein
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and BiostatisticsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - S. Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND)Centre for Psychiatry ResearchDepartment of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholm Health Care Services, Region StockholmStockholmSweden,Curtin Autism Research GroupEssential Partner Autism CRCSchool of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech PathologyCurtin UniversityPerthWAAustralia
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19
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Lee KS, Chang DHF. Biological motion perception is differentially predicted by Autistic trait domains. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11029. [PMID: 31363154 PMCID: PMC6667460 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47377-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We tested the relationship between biological motion perception and the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. In three experiments, we indexed observers' performance on a classic left-right discrimination task in which participants were asked to report the facing direction of walkers containing solely structural or kinematics information, a motion discrimination task in which participants were asked to indicate the apparent motion of a (non-biological) random-dot stimulus, and a novel naturalness discrimination task. In the naturalness discrimination task, we systematically manipulated the degree of natural acceleration contained in the stimulus by parametrically morphing between a fully veridical stimulus and one where acceleration was removed. Participants were asked to discriminate the more natural stimulus (i.e., acceleration-containing stimulus) from the constant velocity stimulus. Although we found no reliable associations between overall AQ scores nor subdomain scores with performance on the direction-related tasks, we found a robust association between performance on the biological motion naturalness task and attention switching domain scores. Our findings suggest that understanding the relationship between the Autism Spectrum and perception is a far more intricate problem than previously suggested. While it has been shown that the AQ can be used as a proxy to tap into perceptual endophenotypes in Autism, the eventual diagnostic value of the perceptual task depends on the task's consideration of biological content and demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Shu Lee
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dorita H F Chang
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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20
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Avraam R, Binur N, Hadad BS. Typical perceptual organization in autism: Perceptual grouping and spatial distortion. Autism Res 2019; 12:1623-1635. [PMID: 31190377 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The extensive literature on global-local processing in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has recently shifted from arguing for a processing impairment among those with ASD to positing an attenuated preference for global processing. One suggestion is that the fast extraction of the global gist is less efficient in ASD, in contrast to the superior attention-driven processing of local elements. To examine this claim of attenuated global processing, the present study tested how perceptual grouping affected the global organization of visual scenes, specifically testing the claim of less mandatory, more optional global processing in ASD. Participants judged the distance between grouped and ungrouped elements in displays in which illusory distortions were inherent in configurations exemplifying the Gestalt principles of organization. Results from six experiments manipulating different Gestalt cues showed a consistent pattern, indicating that for individuals with ASD, as for typically developed (TD) individuals, grouping processes are organizational in nature, incorporating the grouping of related elements while parsing these from other unrelated elements. This parsing is accompanied by distortions in the spatial relationships perceived in the visual scene. ASD participants exhibited an overall larger tendency to overestimate the distances, but they also demonstrated typical perceptual organization processes that were robust and mandatory and, as in neurotypicals, affected the perception of the whole scene. Autism Res 2019. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: It is known that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceive the world in a different way than their typically developed (TD) peers. While TD individuals exhibit strong bias toward processing the global structure of visual scenes, individuals with ASD exhibit enhanced perception of the local elements. We showed that when the local and global levels are not competing, individuals with autism demonstrate robust global organization that operates even when not directly instructed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravit Avraam
- Department of Special Education, Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nahal Binur
- Department of Special Education, Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Bat-Sheva Hadad
- Department of Special Education, Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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21
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Abirami S, Kousalya G, Karthick R. Identification and exploration of facial expression in children with ASD in a contact less environment. JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT & FUZZY SYSTEMS 2019. [DOI: 10.3233/jifs-169915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S.P. Abirami
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, India
| | - G. Kousalya
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, India
| | - R. Karthick
- Occupational Therapist, Steps Rehabilitation Center (I), Steps groups, Coimbatore, India
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22
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An investigation of global-local processing bias in a large sample of typical individuals varying in autism traits. Conscious Cogn 2018; 65:271-279. [PMID: 30245409 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Although individuals with an autism spectrum disorder display impaired function across several social and behavioral domains, they possess intact, and often superior visual processing abilities for local relative to global aspects of their visual environment. To address whether differences in visual processing similarly vary within typical individuals as a function of their level of social competence, using the Navon hierarchical figures task, here we examined the relationship between global-local visual processing style and the number of autism-like traits in a large sample of 434 typically developed persons. In line with the existing literature, our data indicated an overall global processing bias. However, this overall visual processing style did not vary with participants' number of autism-like traits. These results suggest that the visual processing of Navon figures may be different in typical individuals vs. those with an autism spectrum disorder, with those differences potentially reflecting specific stimulus and task settings.
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23
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Nilsson Jobs E, Falck-Ytter T, Bölte S. Local and Global Visual Processing in 3-Year-Olds With and Without Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:2249-2257. [PMID: 29411217 PMCID: PMC5948270 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3470-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Research on visual local and global perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is incomplete in young children. We investigated 35 three-year-old siblings of children with ASD, either diagnosed (n = 12) or not diagnosed (n = 23) with ASD as well as 14 controls with typical development and with no family history of ASD. Data from the local tasks Children's Embedded Figures Test, Hidden Pictures, Figure-Ground and the global tasks Closure and Fragmented Picture Test were collected. Enhanced performance on the local task Hidden Pictures differentiated children with ASD from the other groups. Implications of these results are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Nilsson Jobs
- Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, 751 42, Uppsala, Sweden.
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's & Children's Health, Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Center of Psychiatry Research, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Terje Falck-Ytter
- Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, 751 42, Uppsala, Sweden
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's & Children's Health, Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center of Psychiatry Research, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sven Bölte
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's & Children's Health, Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center of Psychiatry Research, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
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Tei S, Fujino J, Hashimoto RI, Itahashi T, Ohta H, Kanai C, Kubota M, Nakamura M, Kato N, Takahashi H. Inflexible daily behaviour is associated with the ability to control an automatic reaction in autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8082. [PMID: 29795394 PMCID: PMC5967343 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26465-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflexible behaviours in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) broadly obstruct social communication. Meanwhile, flexibility implicates cognitive control to resolve socially conflicting situations; however, it remains unclear how people with ASD behave in the face of these conflicts in this respect. We used the ultimatum game (UG) and the implicit-association test (IAT) to examine goal-directed/economic flexibility, both of which involve conflict and cognitive control. In addition, we used the Detail and Flexibility Questionnaire (DFlex) to measure inflexible everyday behaviour with diminished cognitive control and attention shifting. We observed the decreased flexibility in participants with ASD (DFlex and IAT); further, their IAT scores positively correlated with DFlex. However, in the UG, contrary to our prediction, participants with ASD accepted unfair offers more frequently than TD. These results suggest that assessing the automatic/attention processing level with the IAT could be a useful approach to study behavioural flexibility among ASD compared with the UG, which might comprise multiple response strategies besides economic rationality. Overall, the severity of inflexible daily behaviours in people with ASD may be associated with a reduced flexible attitude at an automatic level, altered attention processing and decreased cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shisei Tei
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- School of Human and Social Sciences, Tokyo International University, 2509 Matoba, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
- Institute of Applied Brain Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Junya Fujino
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ryu-Ichiro Hashimoto
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Itahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhisa Ohta
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chieko Kanai
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Manabu Kubota
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging Research, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba, Japan
| | - Motoaki Nakamura
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Kanagawa Psychiatric Center, 2-5-1 Serigaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Nobumasa Kato
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidehiko Takahashi
- Medical Institute of Developmental Disabilities Research, Showa University, 6-11-11 Kita-karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
- Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaracho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
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Boets B, Van Eylen L, Sitek K, Moors P, Noens I, Steyaert J, Sunaert S, Wagemans J. Alterations in the inferior longitudinal fasciculus in autism and associations with visual processing: a diffusion-weighted MRI study. Mol Autism 2018; 9:10. [PMID: 29449909 PMCID: PMC5806238 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0188-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background One of the most reported neural features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the alteration of multiple long-range white matter fiber tracts, as assessed by diffusion-weighted imaging and indexed by reduced fractional anisotropy (FA). Recent methodological advances, however, have shown that this same pattern of reduced FA may be an artifact resulting from excessive head motion and poorer data quality and that aberrant structural connectivity in children with ASD is confined to the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). This study aimed at replicating the observation of reduced FA along the right ILF in ASD, while controlling for group differences in head motion and data quality. In addition, we explored associations between reduced FA in the right ILF and quantitative ASD characteristics, and the involvement of the right ILF in visual processing, which is known to be altered in ASD. Method Global probabilistic tractography was performed on diffusion-weighted imaging data of 17 adolescent boys with ASD and 17 typically developing boys, matched for age, performance IQ, handedness, and data quality. Four tasks were administered to measure various aspects of visual information processing, together with questionnaires assessing ASD characteristics. Group differences were examined and the neural data were integrated with previously published findings using Bayesian statistics to quantify evidence for replication and to pool data and thus increase statistical power. (Partial) correlations were calculated to investigate associations between measures. Results The ASD group showed consistently reduced FA only in the right ILF and slower performance on the visual search task. Bayesian statistics pooling data across studies confirmed that group differences in FA were confined to the right ILF only, with the evidence for altered FA in the left ILF being indecisive. Lower FA in the right ILF tended to covary with slower visual search and a more fragmented part-oriented processing style. Individual differences in FA of the right ILF were not reliably associated with the severity of ASD traits after controlling for clinical status. Conclusion Our findings support the growing evidence for reduced FA along a specific fiber tract in ASD, the right ILF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Boets
- 1Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7h, PB 7001, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,2Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,3Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Lien Van Eylen
- 1Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7h, PB 7001, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,2Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kevin Sitek
- 3Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA.,4Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Pieter Moors
- 5Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Noens
- 6Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- 1Center for Developmental Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7h, PB 7001, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,2Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Johan Wagemans
- 2Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,5Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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27
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Li T, Wang X, Pan J, Feng S, Gong M, Wu Y, Li G, Li S, Yi L. Reward learning modulates the attentional processing of faces in children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2017; 10:1797-1807. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.1823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tianbi Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health; Peking University; Beijing China
| | - Xueqin Wang
- Department of Statistical Science, School of Mathematics and Computational Science; Sun Yat-sen University; Guangzhou China
- Southern China Research Center of Statistical Science, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangzhou China
| | - Junhao Pan
- Department of Psychology; Sun Yat-sen University; Guangzhou China
| | - Shuyuan Feng
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health; Peking University; Beijing China
| | - Mengyuan Gong
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health; Peking University; Beijing China
| | - Yaxue Wu
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health; Peking University; Beijing China
| | - Guoxiang Li
- Qingdao Autism Research Institute; Qingdao China
| | - Sheng Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health; Peking University; Beijing China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University; Beijing China
- Key Laboratory of Machine Perception (Ministry of Education); Peking University; Beijing China
| | - Li Yi
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health; Peking University; Beijing China
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Van Eylen L, Plasschaert E, Wagemans J, Boets B, Legius E, Steyaert J, Noens I. Visuoperceptual processing in children with neurofibromatosis type 1: True deficit or artefact? Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2017; 174:342-358. [PMID: 28512747 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Impairments in visuoperceptual processing have long been considered a hallmark deficit of individuals with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). However, it is unclear which specific visuoperceptual subprocesses are impaired and whether impairments on these tasks really result from visuoperceptual impairments or rather from confounding factors like Executive Functioning (EF) impairments, lower intelligence (IQ) and/or co-occurring symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). To answer these questions, we administered four visuoperceptual tasks and two control tasks in 39 children with NF1, 52 typically developing children and 52 children with ASD (8-18 years), all matched for age and gender. Furthermore, EF, IQ, and symptoms of ASD were assessed. Children with NF1 displayed intact visual form discrimination and intact information integration along the dorsal visual pathway. Moreover, their reduced performance on a task requiring integration of information along the ventral visual stream and their more detail-oriented processing style appeared to result from confounding EF impairments and not from visuoperceptual impairments per se. The co-occurring ASD symptoms and lower IQ of the children with NF1 did not impact substantially upon their visuoperceptual performance. These findings point to the large impact of EF impairments on the performance of visuoperceptual task and suggest that individuals with NF1 show intact visual form discrimination, intact visual integration, and typical visual processing style when potential confounding factors are controlled for. This may have large repercussions for the interpretation of other findings on visuoperceptual processing in individuals with NF1. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien Van Eylen
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Research Group Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ellen Plasschaert
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Human Genetics, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Wagemans
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Research Group Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eric Legius
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Human Genetics, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Child Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Clinical Genetics, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Ilse Noens
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Van Eylen L, Boets B, Cosemans N, Peeters H, Steyaert J, Wagemans J, Noens I. Executive functioning and local-global visual processing: candidate endophenotypes for autism spectrum disorder? J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2017; 58:258-269. [PMID: 27804132 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heterogeneity within autism spectrum disorder (ASD) hampers insight in the etiology and stimulates the search for endophenotypes. Endophenotypes should meet several criteria, the most important being the association with ASD and the higher occurrence rate in unaffected ASD relatives than in the general population. We evaluated these criteria for executive functioning (EF) and local-global (L-G) visual processing. METHODS By administering an extensive cognitive battery which increases the validity of the measures, we examined which of the cognitive anomalies shown by ASD probands also occur in their unaffected relatives (n = 113) compared to typically developing (TD) controls (n = 100). Microarrays were performed, so we could exclude relatives from probands with a de novo mutation in a known ASD susceptibility copy number variant, thus increasing the probability that genetic risk variants are shared by the ASD relatives. An overview of studies investigating EF and L-G processing in ASD relatives was also provided. RESULTS For EF, ASD relatives - like ASD probands - showed impairments in response inhibition, cognitive flexibility and generativity (specifically, ideational fluency), and EF impairments in daily life. For L-G visual processing, the ASD relatives showed no anomalies on the tasks, but they reported more attention to detail in daily life. Group differences were similar for siblings and for parents of ASD probands, and yielded larger effect sizes in a multiplex subsample. The group effect sizes for the comparison between ASD probands and TD individuals were generally larger than those of the ASD relatives compared to TD individuals. CONCLUSIONS Impaired cognitive flexibility, ideational fluency and response inhibition are strong candidate endophenotypes for ASD. They could help to delineate etiologically more homogeneous subgroups, which is clinically important to allow assigning ASD probands to different, more targeted, interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien Van Eylen
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nele Cosemans
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Human Genetics, University Hospital Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hilde Peeters
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Center for Human Genetics, University Hospital Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Wagemans
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Brain & Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Noens
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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30
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Sabatos-DeVito M, Schipul SE, Bulluck JC, Belger A, Baranek GT. Eye Tracking Reveals Impaired Attentional Disengagement Associated with Sensory Response Patterns in Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46:1319-33. [PMID: 26816345 PMCID: PMC5359772 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2681-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This study used a gap-overlap paradigm to examine the impact of distractor salience and temporal overlap on the ability to disengage and orient attention in 50 children (4-13 years) with ASD, DD and TD, and associations between attention and sensory response patterns. Results revealed impaired disengagement and orienting accuracy in ASD. Disengagement was impaired across all groups during temporal overlap for dynamic stimuli compared to static, but only ASD showed slower disengagement from multimodal relative to unimodal dynamic stimuli. Attentional disengagement had differential associations with distinct sensory response patterns in ASD and DD. Atypical sensory processing and temporal binding appear to be intertwined with development of disengagement in ASD, but longitudinal studies are needed to unravel causal pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura Sabatos-DeVito
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Sarah E Schipul
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - John C Bulluck
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Aysenil Belger
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Grace T Baranek
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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