1
|
Hus Y. Detecting Time Concept Competence in Children with Autism Spectrum and Attention Disorders. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2022; 18:2323-2348. [PMID: 36276427 PMCID: PMC9579054 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s331985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of time concept in human existence is "ancient history" celebrated in the biblical book Ecclesiastes. Indeed, our time-sensitive mechanisms are literally carved into our biology and neurology on a molecular level, gifting us with neural clocks. However, time in human consciousness is not the time indicated by physical clocks: time is a subjective reality in our psychological makeup due to the nature of the temporal neural mechanisms and unique properties of physical time. Nonetheless, subjective time requires anchoring to physical time which permeates our language, endeavors, and entire existence, a process hinging on time-related skills such as estimates and measures of passage and duration of time. Moreover, accurate time reading, a critical adaptive life-skill, is imperative for effective function in all societal activities. Because it embodies the complexity of the time construct, it is central to instruction of time concept in primary education. It is often measured in children by clock drawings, a cognitive integrative skill with errors pointing to neuroanatomical differences impacting the integrity of executive function. Time competence in children with atypical neurobiological development and high prevalence, as in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and attention disorders (ADHD), is often compromised, calling for investigation of its function. This thematic review article aims to: 1) discuss the complexity of time concept and its underlying bio-neurological mechanisms, 2) elucidate difficulties children with ASD and those with ADHD exhibit in temporal development, and 3) demonstrate the use of a set of clinical tools in uncovering temporal competence and ecological executive function in two children with ASD, and a child with ADHD, using a clock drawing task and error analyses; children's time knowledge questionnaire; a behavior rating parent questionnaire examining ecological executive function, and parent open-ended questions related to their children's time difficulties. A discussion, directions, and a take-home message round out the article.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yvette Hus
- Cyprus University of Technology, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Theralab Research Collaborator Under Direction of Prof. Kakia Petinou, Limassol, Cyprus
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Girardi G, Fernandez LG, Leboyer M, Latimier A, Chokron S, Zalla T. Temporal preparation in adults with autistic spectrum disorder: The variable foreperiod effect. Autism Res 2021; 14:2393-2404. [PMID: 34223712 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Research suggested the possibility that temporal cognition may be different in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Although there are some empirical studies examining timing ability in these individuals, to our knowledge, no one directly assessed the ability to predict when an event will occur. Here, we report a study on implicit temporal preparation in individuals with ASD as indexed by the variable foreperiod (FP) effect. We compared a group of adult ASD participants to a group of typically-developed (TD) controls, for their respective abilities to utilize implicit temporal information in a simple detection task with three different preparatory intervals (FP, short, middle and long). Participants were given a warning tone to signal an imminent stimulus, and asked to press a key as quickly as they could upon detection of the stimulus. Both groups were able to use implicit temporal information, as revealed by both the variable-FP effect (i.e., faster response for targets appearing after a long FP) and asymmetric sequential effects (i.e., slower response in short-FP trials following a previous long-FP trial). The TD group exhibited a faster response in a long-FP trial that was preceded by short-FP one, whereas the ASD group did not, as reflected in their higher percentage of response omissions for a target that appeared later than in the previous trial. The reduced ability of ASD participants to modulate their responses under these conditions might reflect a difficulty in time-based monitoring of stimulus occurrence. LAY SUMMARY: Time-processing may be different in autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). This study addressed the ability to anticipate a relevant stimulus's onset according to predictable interstimulus intervals comparing adults with ASD and typically developed controls. We found that ASD participants did not benefit from temporal preparation when stimulus appeared later than previously attended. This suggests a reduced ability in detecting implicit temporal regularities between events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Girardi
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Département d'études cognitives, Institut Jean Nicod, CNRS UMR 8129, Paris, France.,Department of Psychology, University Sapienza of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Gabriela Fernandez
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Département d'études cognitives, Institut Jean Nicod, CNRS UMR 8129, Paris, France
| | - Marion Leboyer
- Department of Psychiatry, INSERM U 955, IMRB & University Paris Est Creteil, AP-HP, Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier Hospitals, Creteil, France.,Fondation FondaMental, French National Science Foundation, Créteil, France
| | - Alice Latimier
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Département d'études cognitives, Institut Jean Nicod, CNRS UMR 8129, Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Chokron
- Institut de Neuropsychologie, Neurovision et Neurocognition, Fondation Ophtalmologique Rothschild & INCC, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS UMR 8002 Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Tiziana Zalla
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Département d'études cognitives, Institut Jean Nicod, CNRS UMR 8129, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Poole D, Gowen E, Poliakoff E, Jones LA. 'No idea of time': Parents report differences in autistic children's behaviour relating to time in a mixed-methods study. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 25:1797-1808. [PMID: 33926273 PMCID: PMC8323338 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
An emerging body of research suggests that temporal processing may be
disrupted in autistic children, although little is known about
behaviours relating to time in daily life. In the present study, 113
parents of autistic and 201 parents of neurotypical children (aged
7–12 years) completed the It’s About Time
questionnaire and open-ended questions about their child’s behaviour
relating to time. The questionnaire scores were lower in the autistic
compared with the neurotypical group, suggesting that behaviours are
affected. Three key themes were identified using thematic analysis:
autistic children had problems with temporal
knowledge, learning about concepts relating to time,
such as how to use the clock and language around time. There were
differences in prospection with autistic children
having more difficulties with how they thought about the future and
prepared themselves for upcoming events. The final theme,
monotropism, described how autistic children
viewed their time as precious so they could maximise engagement in
their interests. The present study indicates that behaviours relating
to time can have a considerable impact on the daily lives of autistic
children and their families. Further work exploring the development of
temporal cognition in autism would be valuable for targeting effective
educational and clinical support.
Collapse
|
4
|
Salunkhe G, Weissbrodt K, Feige B, Saville CWN, Berger A, Dundon NM, Bender S, Smyrnis N, Beauducel A, Biscaldi M, Klein C. Examining the Overlap Between ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Using Candidate Endophenotypes of ADHD. J Atten Disord 2021; 25:217-232. [PMID: 29896994 DOI: 10.1177/1087054718778114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Objective: Recent discussions of aetiological overlap between ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) require comparative studying of these disorders. METHOD We examined performance of ASD patients with (ASD+) and without (ASD-) comorbid ADHD, ADHD patients, and controls for selected putative endophenotypes of ADHD: Intrasubject Variability (ISV) of reaction times, working memory (WM), inhibition, and temporal processing. RESULTS We found that patients with ADHD or ASD+, but not ASD-, had elevated ISV across the entire task battery and temporal processing deficits, and that none of the groups were impaired in WM or inhibition. High levels of ISV and generally poor performance in ASD+ patients were only partially due to additive effects of the pure disorders. CONCLUSION Overall, we conclude that, within our limited but heterogeneous task battery, ISV and temporal processing deficits are most sensitive to ADHD symptomatology and that controlling for ADHD comorbidity is mandatory when assessing ISV in autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G Salunkhe
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - K Weissbrodt
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - B Feige
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - A Berger
- Department of Psychology and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - N M Dundon
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - S Bender
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Germany
| | - N Smyrnis
- Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Greece
| | - A Beauducel
- Department for Research Methods, Diagnostics and Evaluation, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn, Germany
| | - M Biscaldi
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - C Klein
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rattat AC, Collié I. Duration judgments in children and adolescents with and without mild intellectual disability. Heliyon 2020; 6:e05514. [PMID: 33294668 PMCID: PMC7683311 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While the ability to measure time correctly is crucial for adaptation to the external physical and social environment, to date, research on timing ability and its development in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) is unfortunately remarkably scarce. AIMS In the present study, we investigated the ability of individuals with mild ID to estimate durations and the development of this ability from 11 to 19 years, in comparison to typically developing (TD) individuals. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Participants with mild ID and TD participants matched on chronological age completed two temporal tasks: (1) a temporal bisection of auditory stimuli, in which they had to decide whether arbitrary stimulus duration was more similar to the short (200 ms) or the long (800 ms) standard previously learned, and (2) a temporal categorization of familiar actions, in which short, medium or long target durations had to be paired with one of three comparison action durations. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Temporal performance was systematically impaired in participants with mild ID. Moreover, the temporal impairment increased with age in the bisection task but not in the categorization task. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS These findings suggest that the ability to estimate durations develops at a slower pace in individuals with mild ID compared to TD individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Claire Rattat
- Sciences of Cognition, Technology and Ergonomics (SCoTE) Laboratory, Champollion National University Institute, Toulouse University, Albi, France
| | - Isabelle Collié
- Medico-Educational Institute - Autan Val Fleuri, Toulouse, France
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
How did I get so late so soon? A review of time processing and management in autism. Behav Brain Res 2019; 374:112121. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
|
7
|
Casassus M, Poliakoff E, Gowen E, Poole D, Jones LA. Time perception and autistic spectrum condition: A systematic review. Autism Res 2019; 12:1440-1462. [PMID: 31336032 PMCID: PMC6852160 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Problems with timing and time perception have been suggested as key characteristics of autism spectrum condition (ASC). Studies and personal accounts from clinicians, parents, caregivers, and self‐reports from autistic people themselves often refer to problems with time. Although a number of empirical studies have examined aspects relating to time in autistic individuals, there remains no clear consensus on whether or how timing mechanisms may be affected in autism. A key reason for this lack of clarity is the wide range of timing processes that exist and subsequently the wide range of methodologies, research paradigms, and samples that time‐based studies have used with autism populations. In order to summarize and organize the available literature on this issue, a systematic review was conducted. Five electronic databases were consulted. From an initial 597 records (after duplicates were removed), 45 papers were selected and reviewed. The studies are reviewed within different sections based on the different types of timing ability that have been explored in the neurotypical (NT) population: time sensitivity, interval timing, and higher‐order time perception. Within each section cognitive models, methodologies, possible clinical implications, and research results are discussed. The results show different consistency across studies between the three types of timing ability. The highest consistency of results showing atypical time perception abilities is found in high‐level time perception studies. It remains unclear if autism is characterized by a fundamental time perception impairment. Suggestions for future research are discussed. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1440–1462. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary This systematic review examines the different types of timing and time perception behavior that have been investigated in autism. Overall, there are a number of studies that show differences between autistic and non‐autistic individuals, but some studies do not find such differences. Group differences are more consistent across studies using complex tasks rather than simpler more fundamental timing tasks. We suggest that experiments across a range of timing tasks would be fruitful to address gaps in our knowledge.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Casassus
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ellen Poliakoff
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Gowen
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Poole
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Anthony Jones
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Interrupted Time Experience in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Empirical Evidence from Content Analysis. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:22-33. [PMID: 30284137 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3771-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Although the experience of time is of central relevance for psychopathology, qualitative approaches to study the inner experience of time have been largely neglected in autism research. We present results from qualitative data acquired from 26 adults with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Employing inductive content analysis we identified a distinct pattern of interrupted time experience in ASD. Individuals with ASD seemed to implement structured and routine behavior by future planning to guarantee that the present passed uninterrupted. We reason that the success of corresponding compensatory mechanisms determines the development of distress and noticeable symptoms. Considering recent theories on Bayesian perceptual inference we relate the syndrome of interrupted time experience to the putative neuronal mechanisms underlying time experience.
Collapse
|
9
|
Overweg J, Hartman CA, Hendriks P. Temporarily Out of Order: Temporal Perspective Taking in Language in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1663. [PMID: 30233475 PMCID: PMC6134024 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical reports suggest that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) struggle with time perception, but few studies have investigated this. This is the first study to examine these children's understanding of before and after. These temporal conjunctions have been argued to require additional cognitive effort when conjoining two events in a clause order that is incongruent with their order in time. Given the suggested time perception impairment and well-established cognitive deficits of children with ASD, we expected them to have difficulties interpreting temporal conjunctions, especially in an incongruent order. To investigate this, the interpretation of before and after in congruent and incongruent orders was examined in 48 children with ASD and 43 typically developing (TD) children (age 6-12). Additional tasks were administered to measure Theory of Mind (ToM), working memory (WM), cognitive inhibition, cognitive flexibility, IQ, and verbal ability. We found that children with ASD were less accurate in their interpretation of temporal conjunctions than their TD peers. Contrary to our expectations, they did not have particular difficulties in an incongruent order. Furthermore, older children showed better overall performance than younger children. The difference between children with ASD and TD children was explained by WM, ToM, IQ, and verbal ability, but not by cognitive inhibition and flexibility. These cognitive functions are more likely to be impaired in children with ASD than in TD children, which could account for their poorer performance. Thus, the cognitive factors found to affect the interpretation of temporal language in children with ASD are likely to apply in typical development as well. Sufficient WM capacity and verbal ability may help children to process complex sentences conjoined by a temporal conjunction. Additionally, ToM understanding was found to be related to children's interpretation of temporal conjunctions in an incongruent order, indicating that perspective taking is required when events are presented out of order. We conclude from this that perspective-taking abilities are needed for the interpretation of temporal conjunctions, either to shift one's own perspective as a hearer to another point in time, or to shift to the perspective of the speaker to consider the speaker's linguistic choices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Overweg
- Center for Language and Cognition Groningen (CLCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Catharina A Hartman
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Petra Hendriks
- Center for Language and Cognition Groningen (CLCG), University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Edey R, Brewer R, Bird G, Press C. Brief Report: Typical Auditory-Motor and Enhanced Visual-Motor Temporal Synchronization in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 49:788-793. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3725-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
11
|
Isaksson S, Salomäki S, Tuominen J, Arstila V, Falter-Wagner CM, Noreika V. Is there a generalized timing impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorders across time scales and paradigms? J Psychiatr Res 2018; 99:111-121. [PMID: 29438910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2017] [Revised: 12/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with ASD have abnormal motor and perceptual functions that do not currently form diagnostic criteria of ASD, but nevertheless may affect everyday behaviour. Temporal processing seems to be one of such non-diagnostic yet impaired domains, although the lack of systematic studies testing different aspects of timing in the same sample of participants prevents a conclusive assessment of whether there is a generalized temporal deficit in ASD associated with diagnostic symptoms. 17 children diagnosed with ASD and 18 typically developing age- and IQ-matched controls carried out a set of motor and perceptual timing tasks: free tapping, simultaneity judgment, auditory duration discrimination, and verbal duration estimation. Parents of participants filled in a questionnaire assessing the sense and management of time. Children with ASD showed faster and more variable free tapping than controls. Auditory duration discrimination thresholds were higher in the ASD group than controls in a sub-second version of the task, while there were no group differences in a supra-second discrimination of intervals. Children with ASD showed more variable thresholds of simultaneity judgment, and they received lower parental scores for their sense and management of time. No group differences were observed in the verbal duration estimation task in the minute-range. Different timing functions were correlated in the ASD group but not among controls, whilst several timing measures correlated with ASD symptoms. We conclude that children with ASD show a broad range of abnormalities in temporal processing tasks including motor timing, perceptual timing, and temporal perspective.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Isaksson
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Susanna Salomäki
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jarno Tuominen
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Valtteri Arstila
- Department of Philosophy, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Christine M Falter-Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; Institute of Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Valdas Noreika
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Jones CRG, Lambrechts A, Gaigg SB. Using Time Perception to Explore Implicit Sensitivity to Emotional Stimuli in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 47:2054-2066. [PMID: 28429189 PMCID: PMC5487748 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3120-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Establishing whether implicit responses to emotional cues are intact in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is fundamental to ascertaining why their emotional understanding is compromised. We used a temporal bisection task to assess for responsiveness to face and wildlife images that varied in emotional salience. There were no significant differences between an adult ASD and comparison group, with both showing implicit overestimation of emotional stimuli. Further, there was no correlation between overestimation of emotional stimuli and autistic traits in undergraduate students. These data do not suggest a fundamental insensitivity to the arousing content of emotional images in ASD, or in individuals with a high degree of autistic traits. The findings have implications for understanding how emotional stimuli are processed in ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine R G Jones
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
| | - Anna Lambrechts
- Department of Psychology, City University London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK
| | - Sebastian B Gaigg
- Department of Psychology, City University London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Frontal evoked γ activity modulates behavioural performance in Autism Spectrum Disorders in a perceptual simultaneity task. Neurosci Lett 2017; 665:86-91. [PMID: 29191694 PMCID: PMC5821698 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.11.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) demonstrate superior performance in a perceptual simultaneity task. The properties of the neurophysiological γ-response (30–85 Hz) in this task are not known. In 16 ASD individuals, we identify a complex left antero-posterior γ-oscillatory network associated with the perception of simultaneity. Frontal γ oscillatory synchrony modulates simultaneity perception in ASD.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are associated with anomalies in time perception. In a perceptual simultaneity task, individuals with ASD demonstrate superior performance compared to typically developing (TD) controls. γ-activity, a robust marker of visual processing, is reportedly altered in ASD in response to a wide variety of tasks and these differences may be related to superior performance in perceptual simultaneity. Using time-frequency analysis, we assessed evoked γ-band phase-locking in magnetoencephalographic recordings of 16 ASD individuals and 17 age-matched TD controls. Individuals judged whether presented visual stimuli were simultaneous or asynchronous. We identified left frontal γ-activity in ASD, which was associated with a reduced perception of simultaneity. Where feature binding was observed at a neurophysiological level in parieto-occipital cortices in ASD in apparent simultaneity (asynchronous stimuli with short delay between them), this did not predict the correct behavioural outcome. These findings suggest distinct γ profiles in ASD associated with the perception of simultaneity.
Collapse
|
14
|
Lambrechts A, Falter-Wagner CM, van Wassenhove V. Diminished neural resources allocation to time processing in Autism Spectrum Disorders. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2017; 17:124-136. [PMID: 29085774 PMCID: PMC5650680 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Background Interval timing, the ability to judge the duration of short events, has been shown to be compromised in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Timing abilities are ubiquitous and underlie behaviours as varied as sensory integration, motor coordination or communication. It has been suggested that atypical temporal processing in ASD could contribute to some of the disorder's symptoms, in particular motor clumsiness and difficulties in social interaction and communication. Recent behavioural investigations have suggested that interval timing in ASD is characterised by intact sensitivity but reduced precision in duration judgements. Methods In this study we investigated the processing of duration as compared to pitch in a group of high-functioning individuals with ASD using magnetoencephalography (MEG). 18 adolescents and adults with ASD and 18 age- and IQ-matched typically-developing control (TDC) individuals compared two consecutive tones according to their duration or pitch in separate experimental blocks. The analysis was carried out exclusively on physically identical stimuli (500 Hz tones lasting 600 ms), which served, according to instruction, as standard or probe in a Duration or Pitch task respectively. Results Our results suggest that compared to TDC individuals, individuals with ASD are less able to predict the duration of the standard tone accurately, affecting the sensitivity of the comparison process. In addition, contrary to TDC individuals who allocate resources at different times depending on the nature of the task (pitch or duration discrimination), individuals with ASD seem to engage less resources for the Duration task than for the Pitch task regardless of the context. Although individuals with ASD showed top-down adaptation to the context of the task, this neuronal strategy reflects a bias in the readiness to perform different types of tasks, and in particular a diminished allocation of resources to duration processing which could have cascading effect on learning and development of other cognitive functions. We investigated MEG response associated with duration or pitch comparison in ASD. We found lower sensitivity for duration discrimination behaviourally in ASD. ASD adults are less able to predict the offset of a standard tone. ASD adults engage less neural resources in duration than pitch discrimination task.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lambrechts
- Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, City University London, United Kingdom.
| | - Christine M Falter-Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Virginie van Wassenhove
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, CEA DRF/Joliot/NeuroSpin, INSERM, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91191 Gif/Yvette, France.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Allman MJ, Penney TB, Meck WH. A Brief History of “The Psychology of Time Perception”. TIMING & TIME PERCEPTION 2016. [DOI: 10.1163/22134468-00002071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Basic mechanisms of interval timing and associative learning are shared by many animal species, and develop quickly in early life, particularly across infancy, and childhood. Indeed, John Wearden in his book “The Psychology of Time Perception”, which is based on decades of his own research with colleagues, and which our commentary serves to primarily review, has been instrumental in implementing animal models and methods in children and adults, and has revealed important similarities (and differences) between human timing (and that of animals) when considered within the context of scalar timing theory. These seminal studies provide a firm foundation upon which the contemporary multifaceted field of timing and time perception has since advanced. The contents of the book are arguably one piece of a larger puzzle, and as Wearden cautions, “The reader is warned that my own contribution to the field has been exaggerated here, but if you are not interested in your own work, why would anyone else be?” Surely there will be many interested readers, however the book is noticeably lacking in it neurobiological perspective. The mind (however it is conceived) needs a brain (even if behaviorists tend to say “the brain behaves”, and most neuroscientists currently have a tenuous grasp on the neural mechanisms of temporal cognition), and to truly understand the psychology of time, brain and behavior must go hand in hand regardless of the twists, turns, and detours along the way.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Trevor B. Penney
- Department of Psychology, National University of SingaporeSingapore
| | - Warren H. Meck
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke UniversityUSA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Karaminis T, Cicchini GM, Neil L, Cappagli G, Aagten-Murphy D, Burr D, Pellicano E. Central tendency effects in time interval reproduction in autism. Sci Rep 2016; 6:28570. [PMID: 27349722 PMCID: PMC4923867 DOI: 10.1038/srep28570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Central tendency, the tendency of judgements of quantities (lengths, durations etc.) to gravitate towards their mean, is one of the most robust perceptual effects. A Bayesian account has recently suggested that central tendency reflects the integration of noisy sensory estimates with prior knowledge representations of a mean stimulus, serving to improve performance. The process is flexible, so prior knowledge is weighted more heavily when sensory estimates are imprecise, requiring more integration to reduce noise. In this study we measure central tendency in autism to evaluate a recent theoretical hypothesis suggesting that autistic perception relies less on prior knowledge representations than typical perception. If true, autistic children should show reduced central tendency than theoretically predicted from their temporal resolution. We tested autistic and age- and ability-matched typical children in two child-friendly tasks: (1) a time interval reproduction task, measuring central tendency in the temporal domain; and (2) a time discrimination task, assessing temporal resolution. Central tendency reduced with age in typical development, while temporal resolution improved. Autistic children performed far worse in temporal discrimination than the matched controls. Computational simulations suggested that central tendency was much less in autistic children than predicted by theoretical modelling, given their poor temporal resolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Themelis Karaminis
- Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, WC1H 0NU, UK.,School of Psychology, Plymouth University, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | | | - Louise Neil
- Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, WC1H 0NU, UK
| | - Giulia Cappagli
- Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, WC1H 0NU, UK.,Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, 16163, Italy
| | - David Aagten-Murphy
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Münich, 80802, Germany
| | - David Burr
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, 56124, Italy.,School of Psychology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Pellicano
- Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE), Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, WC1H 0NU, UK.,School of Psychology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
|
18
|
Systematic Underreproduction of Time Is Independent of Judgment Certainty. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:6890674. [PMID: 26881127 PMCID: PMC4736992 DOI: 10.1155/2016/6890674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently proposed that systematic underreproduction of time is caused by a general judgment bias towards earlier responses, instead of reflecting a genuine misperception of temporal intervals. Here we tested whether this bias can be explained by the uncertainty associated with temporal judgments. We applied transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to inhibit neuronal processes in the right posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and tested its effects on time discrimination and reproduction tasks. The results show increased certainty for discriminative time judgments after PPC inhibition. They suggest that the right PPC plays an inhibitory role for time perception, possibly by mediating the multisensory integration between temporal stimuli and other quantities. Importantly, this increased judgment certainty had no influence on the degree of temporal underreproduction. We conclude that the systematic underreproduction of time is not caused by uncertainty for temporal judgments.
Collapse
|
19
|
Psychophysics and the anisotropy of time. Conscious Cogn 2015; 38:191-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2015.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
|
20
|
Ogden RS, Wearden JH, Montgomery C. The differential contribution of executive functions to temporal generalisation, reproduction and verbal estimation. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2014; 152:84-94. [PMID: 25146598 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2013] [Revised: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence from dual-task studies suggests that executive resources are recruited during timing. However, there has been little exploration of whether executive recruitment is universal across temporal tasks, or whether different temporal tasks recruit different executive resources. The current study explored this further by examining how individual differences in updating, switching, inhibition and access affected performance on temporal generalisation, reproduction and verbal estimation tasks. It was found that temporal tasks differentially loaded onto different executive resources. Temporal generalisation performance was related to updating and access ability. Reproduction performance was related to updating, access and switching. Verbal estimation performance was only related to access. The results suggest that executive resources may be recruited when monitoring and maintaining multiple durations in memory at the same time, and when retrieving duration representations from long-term memory. The findings emphasise the need to consider timing behaviour as the product of a wide range of complex, integrated, cognitive systems, rather than as the output of a clock in isolation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruth S Ogden
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, UK.
| | - John H Wearden
- School of Psychology, Keele University, UK; School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Brenner LA, Shih VH, Colich NL, Sugar CA, Bearden CE, Dapretto M. Time reproduction performance is associated with age and working memory in high-functioning youth with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2014; 8:29-37. [PMID: 25078724 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Impaired temporal processing has historically been viewed as a hallmark feature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Recent evidence suggests temporal processing deficits may also be characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about the factors that impact temporal processing in children with ASD. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of co-morbid attention problems, working memory (WM), age, and their interactions, on time reproduction in youth with and without ASD. Twenty-seven high-functioning individuals with ASD and 25 demographically comparable typically developing individuals (ages 9-17; 85% male) were assessed on measures of time reproduction, auditory WM, and inattention/hyperactivity. The time reproduction task required depression of a computer key to mimic interval durations of 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 sec. Mixed effects regression analyses were used to model accuracy and variability of time reproduction as functions of diagnostic group, interval duration, age, WM, and inattention/hyperactivity. A significant group by age interaction was detected for accuracy, with the deficit in the ASD group being greater in younger children. There was a significant group by WM interaction for consistency, with the effects of poor WM on performance consistency being more pronounced in youth with ASD. All participants tended to underestimate longer interval durations and to be less consistent for shorter interval durations; these effects appeared more pronounced in those who were younger or who had poorer WM performance. Inattention/hyperactivity symptoms in the ASD group were not related to either accuracy or consistency. This study highlights the potential value of temporal processing as an intermediate trait of relevance to multiple neurodevelopmental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurie A Brenner
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California; University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Sperduti M, Pieron M, Leboyer M, Zalla T. Altered Pre-reflective Sense of Agency in Autism Spectrum Disorders as Revealed by Reduced Intentional Binding. J Autism Dev Disord 2013; 44:343-52. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-013-1891-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|