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Dwyer P, Sillas A, Prieto M, Camp E, Nordahl CW, Rivera SM. Hyper-focus, sticky attention, and springy attention in young autistic children: Associations with sensory behaviors and cognitive ability. Autism Res 2024; 17:1677-1695. [PMID: 38840328 PMCID: PMC11341259 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3174] [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: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The autistic-developed monotropism account suggests that atypical, domain-general attentional hyper-focus on interests is a central aspect of autism, but domain-general attention differences in autism can manifest differently. Prior research suggests autistic children are often slow to disengage attention from stimuli-a pattern often called "sticky attention"-and that they can show reduced novelty preference. These attentional patterns could influence sensory experiences and learning. We used eye-tracking to investigate novelty preference and "sticky attention" in young autistic children; we also examined whether attentional patterns were related to cognitive abilities and caregiver-reported sensory responsiveness. A total of 46 autistic and 28 nonautistic participants, aged between 2 and 4 years, provided usable data. We found no evidence that autistic children exhibited greater "sticky attention" than nonautistics, but "sticky attention" in autism was associated with more caregiver-reported sensory hyper-responsiveness, seeking/interests, and enhanced perception. Autistic children also nonsignificantly trended toward exhibiting reduced novelty preference. Unexpectedly, the time-course of this trending novelty preference difference implied it was not driven by reduced orienting to novelty, but increased returning to already-familiarized stimuli: what we call "springy attention." Exploratory analyses of data from the attentional disengagement task suggest autistic participants may have exhibited greater "springy attention," though further research with paradigms optimized for measuring this construct should confirm this. Importantly, "springy attention" was robustly related to reduced cognitive abilities and greater caregiver-reported hypo-responsiveness. Thus, this study illuminates two distinct domain-general attentional patterns, each with distinct correlates in young autistic children, which could have important implications for understanding autistic children's learning, development, and experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Dwyer
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Andre Sillas
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Melanie Prieto
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Emily Camp
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Christine Wu Nordahl
- MIND Institute, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Susan M. Rivera
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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2
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Ronconi L, Cantiani C, Riva V, Franchin L, Bettoni R, Gori S, Bulf H, Valenza E, Facoetti A. Infants' reorienting efficiency depends on parental autistic traits and predicts future socio-communicative behaviors. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:40-49. [PMID: 38696607 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae089] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Attentional reorienting is dysfunctional not only in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but also in infants who will develop ASD, thus constituting a potential causal factor of future social interaction and communication abilities. Following the research domain criteria framework, we hypothesized that the presence of subclinical autistic traits in parents should lead to atypical infants' attentional reorienting, which in turn should impact on their future socio-communication behavior in toddlerhood. During an attentional cueing task, we measured the saccadic latencies in a large sample (total enrolled n = 89; final sample n = 71) of 8-month-old infants from the general population as a proxy for their stimulus-driven attention. Infants were grouped in a high parental traits (HPT; n = 23) or in a low parental traits (LPT; n = 48) group, according to the degree of autistic traits self-reported by their parents. Infants (n = 33) were then longitudinally followed to test their socio-communicative behaviors at 21 months. Results show a sluggish reorienting system, which was a longitudinal predictor of future socio-communicative skills at 21 months. Our combined transgenerational and longitudinal findings suggest that the early functionality of the stimulus-driven attentional network-redirecting attention from one event to another-could be directly connected to future social and communication development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ronconi
- School of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina, 58, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Cantiani
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Via Don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Lecco, Italy
| | - Valentina Riva
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Via Don Luigi Monza, 20, 23842 Lecco, Italy
| | - Laura Franchin
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Corso Bettini, 84, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Roberta Bettoni
- Department of Psychology, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Simone Gori
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Piazzale Sant'Agostino, 2, 24129 Bergamo, Italy
| | - Herman Bulf
- Department of Psychology, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Eloisa Valenza
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Via Venezia 8, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Facoetti
- Developmental and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of General Psychology, Via Venezia 8, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
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Heo MQ, English MCW, Maybery MT, Visser TAW. Visuospatial cueing differences as a function of autistic traits. Atten Percept Psychophys 2024; 86:1342-1359. [PMID: 38561567 PMCID: PMC11093807 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-024-02871-0] [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] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Atypical orienting of visuospatial attention in autistic individuals or individuals with a high level of autistic-like traits (ALTs) has been well documented and viewed as a core feature underlying the development of autism. However, there has been limited testing of three alternative theoretical positions advanced to explain atypical orienting - difficulty in disengagement, cue indifference, and delay in orienting. Moreover, research commonly has not separated facilitation (reaction time difference between neutral and valid cues) and cost effects (reaction time difference between invalid and neutral cues) in orienting tasks. We addressed these limitations in two experiments that compared groups selected for Low- and High-ALT levels on exogenous and endogenous versions of the Posner cueing paradigm. Experiment 1 showed that High-ALT participants exhibited a significantly reduced cost effect compared to Low-ALT participants in the endogenous cueing task, although the overall orienting effect remained small. In Experiment 2, we increased task difficulty of the endogenous task to augment cueing effects. Results were comparable to Experiment 1 regarding the finding of a reduced cost effect for High-ALT participants on the endogenous cueing task and additionally demonstrated a reduced facilitation effect in High-ALT participants on the same task. No ALT group differences were observed on an exogenous cueing task included in Experiment 2. These findings suggest atypical orienting in High-ALT individuals may be attributable to general cue indifference, which implicates differences in top-down attentional processes between Low- and High-ALT individuals. We discuss how indifference to endogenous cues may contribute to social cognitive differences in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Quan Heo
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
| | - Michael C W English
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Murray T Maybery
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Troy A W Visser
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
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Li S, Machida K, Burrows EL, Johnson KA. Quicker Exogenous Orienting and Slower Endogenous Orienting in Autistic People. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06311-8. [PMID: 38446266 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06311-8] [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: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Research is equivocal on whether attention orienting is atypical in autism. This study investigated two types of attention orienting in autistic people and accounted for the potential confounders of alerting level, co-occurring symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety, age, and sex. Twenty-seven autistic participants (14 males; 9-43 years) and 22 age- and sex-matched non-autistic participants (13 males; 9-42 years) completed the exogenous and endogenous Posner tasks. Response time and pupillometric data were recorded. Autistic participants were faster at orienting attention to valid cues in the exogenous task and slower at disengaging from invalid cues in the endogenous task compared to non-autistic participants. With increasing age, autistic participants showed faster exogenous and endogenous orienting, whereas non-autistic participants showed faster exogenous orienting but stable speed of endogenous orienting. Higher ADHD symptoms were associated with slower exogenous orienting in both groups, whereas higher anxiety symptoms were associated with faster exogenous orienting only in autistic participants. No group differences were noted for alerting levels, sex, or pupillary responses. This study provides new evidence of superior exogenous orienting and inefficient endogenous orienting in autistic people and suggests that age and co-occurring symptoms are important to consider when assessing attention orienting in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Li
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
| | - Keitaro Machida
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Emma L Burrows
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Katherine A Johnson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
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Li S, May C, Pang TY, Churilov L, Hannan AJ, Johnson KA, Burrows EL. Mice with an autism-associated R451C mutation in neuroligin-3 show intact attention orienting but atypical responses to methylphenidate and atomoxetine in the mouse-Posner task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:555-567. [PMID: 38170320 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06520-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Atypical attention orienting has been associated with some autistic symptoms, but the neural mechanisms remain unclear. The human Posner task, a classic attention orienting paradigm, was recently adapted for use with mice, supporting the investigation of the neurobiological underpinnings of atypical attention orienting in preclinical mouse models. OBJECTIVE The current study tested mice expressing the autism-associated R451C gene mutation in neuroligin-3 (NL3) on the mouse-Posner (mPosner) task. METHODS NL3R451C and wild-type (WT) mice were trained to respond to a validly or invalidly cued target on a touchscreen. The cue was a peripheral non-predictive flash in the exogenous task and a central spatially predictive image in the endogenous task. The effects of dopaminergic- and noradrenergic-modulating drugs, methylphenidate and atomoxetine, on task performance were assessed. RESULTS In both tasks, mice were quicker and more accurate in the validly versus invalidly cued trials, consistent with results in the human Posner task. NL3R451C and WT mice showed similar response times and accuracy but responded differently when treated with methylphenidate and atomoxetine. Methylphenidate impaired exogenous attention disengagement in NL3R451C mice but did not significantly affect WT mice. Atomoxetine impaired endogenous orienting in WT mice but did not significantly affect NL3R451C mice. CONCLUSIONS NL3R451C mice demonstrated intact attention orienting but altered responses to the pharmacological manipulation of the dopaminergic and noradrenergic networks. These findings expand our understanding of the NL3R451C mutation by suggesting that this mutation may lead to selective alterations in attentional processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Li
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
| | - Carlos May
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Terence Y Pang
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Leonid Churilov
- Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Katherine A Johnson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Emma L Burrows
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
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Wall CA, Shic F, Will EA, Wang Q, Roberts JE. Similar Gap-Overlap Profiles in Children with Fragile X Syndrome and IQ-Matched Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06245-1. [PMID: 38246961 PMCID: PMC11260273 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06245-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a single-gene disorder characterized by moderate to severe cognitive impairment and a high association with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Atypical visual attention is a feature of FXS, ASD, and ADHD. Thus, studying early attentional patterns in young children with FXS can offer insight into early emerging neurocognitive processes underlying challenges and contribute to our understanding of common and unique features of ASD and ADHD in FXS. METHODS The present study examined visual attention indexed by the gap-overlap paradigm in children with FXS (n = 39) compared to children with ASD matched on intellectual ability and age (n = 40) and age-matched neurotypical controls (n = 34). The relationship between gap-overlap performance and intellectual ability, ASD, and ADHD across groups was characterized. Saccadic reaction times (RT) were collected across baseline, gap, and overlap conditions. RESULTS Results indicate no group differences in RT for any conditions. However, RT of the ASD and NT groups became slower throughout the experiment whereas RT of the FXS group did not change, suggesting difficulties in habituation for the FXS group. There was no relationship between RT and intellectual ability, ADHD, or ASD symptoms in the FXS and ASD groups. In the NT group, slower RT was related to elevated ADHD symptoms only. CONCLUSION Taken together, findings suggest that the social attention differences documented in FXS and ASD may be due to other cognitive factors, such as reward or motivation, rather than oculomotor control of visual attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla A Wall
- Duke University Medical Center, Center for Autism and Brain Development, 2424 Erwin Road, Suite 501, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.
| | - Frederick Shic
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, 1920 Terry Ave CURE-3, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, 1920 Terry Ave CURE-3, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Will
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, 6311 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC, 29209, USA
| | - Quan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Spectral Imaging Technology, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710119, China
| | - Jane E Roberts
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, 6311 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC, 29209, USA
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Zhou R, Xie X, Wang J, Ma B, Hao X. Why do children with autism spectrum disorder have abnormal visual perception? Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1087122. [PMID: 37255685 PMCID: PMC10225551 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1087122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with severe impairment in social functioning. Visual information processing provides nonverbal cues that support social interactions. ASD children exhibit abnormalities in visual orientation, continuous visual exploration, and visual-spatial perception, causing social dysfunction, and mechanisms underlying these abnormalities remain unclear. Transmission of visual information depends on the retina-lateral geniculate nucleus-visual cortex pathway. In ASD, developmental abnormalities occur in rapid expansion of the visual cortex surface area with constant thickness during early life, causing abnormal transmission of the peak of the visual evoked potential (P100). We hypothesized that abnormal visual perception in ASD are related to the abnormal visual information transmission and abnormal development of visual cortex in early life, what's more, explored the mechanisms of abnormal visual symptoms to provide suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongyi Zhou
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xinyue Xie
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jiaojiao Wang
- Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Henan Institute of Ophthalmology, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Bingxiang Ma
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xin Hao
- Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
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Atypical Arousal Regulation in Children With Autism but Not With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder as Indicated by Pupillometric Measures of Locus Coeruleus Activity. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023; 8:11-20. [PMID: 33930603 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atypical arousal regulation may explain slower mean reaction time (MRT) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder compared with typical development. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system (LC-NE) underlies arousal regulation and adapts its activity to the utility of a task. LC-NE tonic and phasic activity are indexed by baseline pupil size (BPS) and stimulus-evoked pupillary response (SEPR). METHODS The study assessed pupillometry in ASD (n = 31, 3 female/28 male), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (n = 28, 3 female/25 male), and typically developing control subjects (n = 31, 16 female/15 male) during a visuospatial reaction-time task that manipulates arousal by conditions with low and high task utility. We estimated linear mixed models of BPS, SEPR, and MRT in a per-trial analysis to investigate arousal regulation of task performance. RESULTS Slower MRT occurred in the ASD group compared with the typically developing control group during low-utility conditions while controlling for dimensional ASD and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. In low-utility conditions, BPS and SEPR were inversely related and both were associated with faster MRT. Increased ASD symptoms across groups were associated with higher BPS during low-utility conditions. Changes in BPS and SEPR between task-utility conditions were smaller in the ASD group. CONCLUSIONS Slower visuospatial task performance in ASD is specific to low task utility. Arousal was associated with task performance and showed altered activity in ASD. Increased BPS during low-utility conditions suggested increased LC-NE tonic activity as an ASD symptom marker in children. Smaller changes in BPS and SEPR in ASD indicated attenuated LC-NE activity adaptation in response to high-utility conditions. Slower performance and atypical arousal regulation are probably associated with attenuated LC-NE activity adaptation.
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Boxhoorn S, Schütz M, Mühlherr AM, Mössinger H, Luckhardt C, Freitag CM. The effect of perceptual expectation on processing gain, attention and the perceptual decision bias in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Sci Rep 2022; 12:21688. [PMID: 36522414 PMCID: PMC9755142 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25971-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Perceptual expectations influence perception, attention and the perceptual decision bias during visuospatial orienting, which is impaired in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this study, we investigated whether during visuospatial orienting, perceptual expectations in ASD differentially influence perception, attention and the perceptual decision bias relative to neurotypical controls (NT). Twenty-three children and adolescents with ASD and 23 NT completed a visuospatial orienting task, which compared the effect of a valid relative to an invalid perceptual expectation on target detection (cue validity effect). Group differences were calculated regarding the cue validity effect on neural correlates of processing gain (N1a amplitude) and attention (N1pc amplitude), the perceptual decision bias and mean reaction time (RT). In ASD relative to NT, findings showed a reduced processing gain for validly relative to invalidly cued targets and increased attentional response following invalidly relative to validly cued targets. Increased attention correlated with faster performance across groups. Increased processing correlated with a higher perceptual decision bias and faster mean RT in NT, but not in ASD. Results suggest that during visuospatial orienting, perceptual expectations in ASD may drive changes in sensory processing and stimulus-driven attention, which may differentially guide behavioural responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Boxhoorn
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstraße 50, 60487, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Magdalena Schütz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstraße 50, 60487, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas M Mühlherr
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstraße 50, 60487, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hannah Mössinger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstraße 50, 60487, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christina Luckhardt
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstraße 50, 60487, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Deutschordenstraße 50, 60487, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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10
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Bast N, Gaigg SB, Bowler DM, Roessner V, Freitag CM, Ring M. Arousal-modulated memory encoding and retrieval in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2022; 15:1609-1620. [PMID: 35906845 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Recently, we have shown that pupil dilation during a recognition memory task can serve as an index of memory retrieval difficulties in autism. At the time of publication, we were unaware of specific data-analysis methods that can be used to shed further light on the origins of such memory related pupil dilation. Specifically, by distinguishing "tonic" from "phasic" changes in pupil dilation and considering their temporal progression, it is possible to draw inferences about the functional integrity of a locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system (LC-NE) that is known to play a key role in regulating memory encoding and retrieval processes. We therefore apply these analyses to our previously published eye-tracking data of adults with ASD (N = 24) and neurotypical development (TD, N = 30) during the recognition memory task. In this re-analysis, we related pupil dilation during encoding and retrieval to recognition accuracy in a per-trial analysis of linear mixed models. In ASD, we replicated attenuated recognition accuracy, which was accompanied by attenuated pupil dilation during encoding and retrieval. Group differences in pupil dilation during retrieval occurred late during the trial (after 1.75 s) and indicated an altered top-down processing like attenuated attribution of semantic salience in response to previously encoded stimuli. In addition, only in the ASD group were higher pupil dilation during encoding and lower pupil dilation during retrieval associated with decreased recognition accuracy. This supports altered modulation of memory encoding and retrieval in ASD, with LC-NE phasic activity as promising underlying mechanism. LAY SUMMARY: We investigated the changes of pupil size during memory testing in autism spectrum disorder. Adults with ASD remembered fewer items correctly than neurotypical individuals (TD). This reduced memory was related to increased pupillary responses at study and decreased pupil dilation at test only for adults with ASD indicating a different modulation of memory by the locus coeruleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Bast
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sebastian B Gaigg
- Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, London, UK
| | - Dermot M Bowler
- Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, London, UK
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Melanie Ring
- Autism Research Group, Department of Psychology, City, University of London, London, UK.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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11
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Pudło M, Pisula E. Efficiency of attentional processes in attention network theory and autistic symptoms in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:950245. [PMID: 36311533 PMCID: PMC9614655 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.950245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attentional impairments in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been studied extensively, particularly in toddlers and young children. Attentional processes in teenagers with ASD are not fully understood, nor are the relationships between attentional deficits and ASD symptoms in this group. METHOD The aim of this study was to measure the attentional characteristics that attention network theory posits as being related to attention processes: alerting, orientating, and executive attention. We included 37 adolescents (aged 12-20) with ASD and Wechsler IQ in the normal range (≥70) and 37 neurotypical counterparts (NT) matched in terms of age, gender, and IQ. Symptoms of ASD were measured using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - Second Edition (ADOS-2) and Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R). RESULTS The adolescents with ASD reacted more slowly in all task conditions of the Attention Network Test and committed more errors in six of seven task conditions of this test. There were no group differences in the effects of alerting, orienting, and executive attention. We found moderate correlations of the effect of executive attention with three scales of ADOS-2 (communication, social functioning, and restricted behavior), as well as with the social scale and restricted behavior of ADI-R. CONCLUSION The results indicate that adolescents with ASD performed tasks requiring alerting and orienting attention less efficiently than their counterparts in terms of correctness and reaction time. The relationships between executive attention measures and communication and social affect is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Pudło
- Department of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Pisula
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Amestoy A, Guillaud E, Bucchioni G, Zalla T, Umbricht D, Chatham C, Murtagh L, Houenou J, Delorme R, Moal MLL, Leboyer M, Bouvard M, Cazalets JR. Visual attention and inhibitory control in children, teenagers and adults with autism without intellectual disability: results of oculomotor tasks from a 2-year longitudinal follow-up study (InFoR). Mol Autism 2021; 12:71. [PMID: 34774105 PMCID: PMC8590241 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00474-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inhibitory control and attention processing atypicalities are implicated in various diseases, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). These cognitive functions can be tested by using visually guided saccade-based paradigms in children, adolescents and adults to determine the time course of such disorders. METHODS In this study, using Gap, Step, Overlap and Antisaccade tasks, we analyzed the oculomotor behavior of 82 children, teenagers and adults with high functioning ASD and their peer typically developing (TD) controls in a two-year follow-up study under the auspices of the InFoR-Autism project. Analysis of correlations between oculomotors task measurements and diagnostic assessment of attentional (ADHD-RS and ADHD comorbidity indices) and executive functioning (BRIEF scales) were conducted in order to evaluate their relationship with the oculomotor performance of participants with ASD. RESULTS As indicated by the presence of a Gap and Overlap effects in all age groups, the oculomotor performances of ASD participants showed a preserved capability in overt attention switching. In contrast, the difference in performances of ASD participants in the Antisaccade task, compared to their TD peers, indicated an atypical development of inhibition and executive functions. From correlation analysis between our oculomotor data and ADHD comorbidity index, and scores of attention and executive function difficulties, our findings support the hypothesis that a specific dysfunction of inhibition skills occurs in ASD participants that is independent of the presence of ADHD comorbidity. LIMITATIONS These include the relatively small sample size of the ASD group over the study's two-year period, the absence of an ADHD-only control group and the evaluation of a TD control group solely at the study's inception. CONCLUSIONS Children and teenagers with ASD have greater difficulty in attention switching and inhibiting prepotent stimuli. Adults with ASD can overcome these difficulties, but, similar to teenagers and children with ASD, they make more erroneous and anticipatory saccades and display a greater trial-to-trial variability in all oculomotor tasks compared to their peers. Our results are indicative of a developmental delay in the maturation of executive and attentional functioning in ASD and of a specific impairment in inhibitory control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouck Amestoy
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France. .,Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France. .,centre hospitalier Charles-Perrens, Pôle universitaire de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, 121, rue de la Béchade, CS 81285, 33076, Bordeaux Cedex, France.
| | - Etienne Guillaud
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Giulia Bucchioni
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France.,iBrain, UMR 1253 Inserm, Université de Tours, 2 Boulevard Tonnellé, 37044, Tours Cedex, France
| | | | - Daniel Umbricht
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christopher Chatham
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lorraine Murtagh
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Josselin Houenou
- Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,NeuroSpin, UNIACT Lab, Equipe de psychiatrie, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.,AP-HP, DMU IMPACT, Psychiatry and Addictology Department, Mondor University Hospital, Université Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Myriam Ly-Le Moal
- Institut Roche, Tour horizons- Bureau 18M3, Roche S.A.S., 30, cours de l'île Seguin, 92650, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Marion Leboyer
- Laboratoire de NeuroPsychiatrie translationnelle, INSERM, U955, IMRB, Créteil, France.,Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,AP-HP, DMU IMPACT, Psychiatry and Addictology Department, Mondor University Hospital, Université Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Manuel Bouvard
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France.,Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,centre hospitalier Charles-Perrens, Pôle universitaire de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, 121, rue de la Béchade, CS 81285, 33076, Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | - Jean-René Cazalets
- CNRS, Aquitaine Institute for Cognitive and Integrative Neuroscience, INCIA, UMR 5287, Université de Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France
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13
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Valenza E, Calignano G. Attentional shift within and between faces: Evidence from children with and without a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251475. [PMID: 33989332 PMCID: PMC8121363 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence of attentional atypicalities for faces in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are far from being confirmed. Using eye-tracking technology we compared space-based and object-based attention in children with, and without, a diagnosis of ASD. By capitalizing on Egly's paradigm, we presented two objects (2 faces and their phase-scrambled equivalent) and cued a location in one of the two objects. Then, a target appeared at the same location as the cue (Valid condition), or at a different location within the same object (Same Object condition), or at a different location in another object (Different Object condition). The attentional benefit/cost in terms of time for target detection in each of the three conditions was computed. The findings revealed that target detection was always faster in the valid condition than in the invalid condition, regardless of the type of stimulus and the group of children. Thus, no difference emerged between the two groups in terms of space-based attention. Conversely the two groups differed in object-based attention. Children without a diagnosis of ASD showed attentional shift cost with phase-scrambled stimuli, but not with faces. Instead, children with a diagnosis of ASD deployed similar attentional strategies to focus on faces and their phase-scrambled version.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloisa Valenza
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Calignano
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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14
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Bast N, Mason L, Freitag CM, Smith T, Portugal AM, Poustka L, Banaschewski T, Johnson M. Saccade dysmetria indicates attenuated visual exploration in autism spectrum disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2021; 62:149-159. [PMID: 32449956 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visual exploration in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by attenuated social attention. The underlying oculomotor function during visual exploration is understudied, whereas oculomotor function during restricted viewing suggested saccade dysmetria in ASD by altered pontocerebellar motor modulation. METHODS Oculomotor function was recorded using remote eye tracking in 142 ASD participants and 142 matched neurotypical controls during free viewing of naturalistic videos with and without human content. The sample was heterogenous concerning age (6-30 years), cognitive ability (60-140 IQ), and male/female ratio (3:1). Oculomotor function was defined as saccade, fixation, and pupil-dilation features that were compared between groups in linear mixed models. Oculomotor function was investigated as ASD classifier and features were correlated with clinical measures. RESULTS We observed decreased saccade duration (∆M = -0.50, CI [-0.21, -0.78]) and amplitude (∆M = -0.42, CI [-0.12, -0.72]), which was independent of human video content. We observed null findings concerning fixation and pupil-dilation features (POWER = .81). Oculomotor function is a valid ASD classifier comparable to social attention concerning discriminative power. Within ASD, saccade features correlated with measures of restricted and repetitive behavior. CONCLUSIONS We conclude saccade dysmetria as ASD oculomotor phenotype relevant to visual exploration. Decreased saccade amplitude and duration indicate spatially clustered fixations that attenuate visual exploration and emphasize endogenous over exogenous attention. We propose altered pontocerebellar motor modulation as underlying mechanism that contributes to atypical (oculo-)motor coordination and attention function in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Bast
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Luke Mason
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Tim Smith
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK
| | - Ana Maria Portugal
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen, Medical University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mark Johnson
- Center for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK.,Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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15
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de Araújo MF, de Castro WA, Nishimaru H, Urakawa S, Ono T, Nishijo H. Performance in a gaze-cueing task is associated with autistic traits. AIMS Neurosci 2021; 8:148-160. [PMID: 33490376 PMCID: PMC7815477 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2021007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show impairments in processing social cues such as facial expressions and gaze direction. Several researchers have proposed that autistic traits form a continuum that may be distributed within the general, typically developed, population. Accordingly, several studies have indicated that typically developed individuals with high levels of self-reported autistic traits have autistic-like performance in a variety of paradigms. Here, we designed a gaze-cueing task to examine whether gaze-triggered orienting is related to the extent of typically developed (TD) individuals' autistic traits (determined by their AQ test scores) and whether it is modulated by previous eye contact and different facial expressions. At each trial, TD subjects observed faces with or without eye contact. This facial stimulus then gazed toward the left or right side. Finally, a target appeared on the left or right side of the display and reaction time (RT) to the target was measured. RTs were modulated by congruency between gazing directions and target locations, and by prior eye contact in the congruent trials. In addition, individuals with higher AQ scores were slower at detecting the target when the cue was a happy face. Furthermore, faster RTs in congruent trials were associated with one specific autistic trait (attention switching deficits). Together, these results indicate that autistic traits may influence performance in a gaze cueing task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Fp de Araújo
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria-ES, Brazil
| | - Wagner A de Castro
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nishimaru
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Susumu Urakawa
- Department of Musculoskeletal Functional Research and Regeneration, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Taketoshi Ono
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Hisao Nishijo
- System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
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16
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Mallory C, Keehn B. Implications of Sensory Processing and Attentional Differences Associated With Autism in Academic Settings: An Integrative Review. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:695825. [PMID: 34512416 PMCID: PMC8430329 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.695825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of classroom environments on student engagement and academic performance is well-documented. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with atypical sensory processing and attentional impairments, which may lead to challenges in successfully accessing educational material within these settings. These symptoms may help explain why students with ASD show discrepancies between intellectual ability and academic performance. Given the increasing number of students with ASD present in classrooms, understanding strengths and weaknesses in sensory processing and attention is necessary in order to design better classroom environments and develop more efficacious accommodations and interventions to support optimal student success. Therefore, the objectives of this review are to provide a brief review of the current literature on sensory processing and attention in ASD, survey how sensory and attentional functions affect academic outcomes in both neurotypical and ASD learners, and suggest potential accommodations/interventions for students with ASD based on these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Mallory
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Brandon Keehn
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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17
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Begum Ali J, Charman T, Johnson MH, Jones EJH. Early Motor Differences in Infants at Elevated Likelihood of Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 50:4367-4384. [PMID: 32328858 PMCID: PMC7677154 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04489-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
We investigated infant's manual motor behaviour; specifically behaviours crossing the body midline. Infants at elevated likelihood of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) produced fewer manual behaviours that cross the midline compared to infants with a typical likelihood of developing these disorders; however this effect was limited to 10-month-olds and not apparent at age 5 and 14 months. Although, midline crossing did not predict ASD traits, it was related to ADHD traits at 2 years of age. We rule out motor ability and hand dominance as possible explanations for this pattern of behaviour, positing that these results may be a consequence of multisensory integration abilities, and the neurobehavioural shift period, in the first year of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannath Begum Ali
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Henry Wellcome Building, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, UK.
| | - Tony Charman
- Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mark H Johnson
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Henry Wellcome Building, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emily J H Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, Henry Wellcome Building, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, UK
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18
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Procacci NM, Allen KM, Robb GE, Ijekah R, Lynam H, Hoy JL. Context-dependent modulation of natural approach behaviour in mice. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201189. [PMID: 32873203 PMCID: PMC7542797 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Specific features of visual objects innately draw approach responses in animals, and provide natural signals of potential reward. However, visual sampling behaviours and the detection of salient, rewarding stimuli are context and behavioural state-dependent and it remains unclear how visual perception and orienting responses change with specific expectations. To start to address this question, we employed a virtual stimulus orienting paradigm based on prey capture to quantify the conditional expression of visual stimulus-evoked innate approaches in freely moving mice. We found that specific combinations of stimulus features selectively evoked innate approach or freezing responses when stimuli were unexpected. We discovered that prey capture experience, and therefore the expectation of prey in the environment, selectively modified approach frequency, as well as altered those visual features that evoked approach. Thus, we found that mice exhibit robust and selective orienting responses to parameterized visual stimuli that can be robustly and specifically modified via natural experience. This work provides critical insight into how natural appetitive behaviours are driven by both specific features of visual motion and internal states that alter stimulus salience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelsey M. Allen
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Gael E. Robb
- Department of Neuroscience, University of St Thomas, St Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Rebecca Ijekah
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Hudson Lynam
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Jennifer L. Hoy
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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19
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Freeth M, Morgan E, Bugembe P, Brown A. How accurate are autistic adults and those high in autistic traits at making face-to-face line-of-sight judgements? AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2020; 24:1482-1493. [PMID: 32169016 PMCID: PMC7441332 DOI: 10.1177/1362361320909176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT In order to effectively understand and consider what others are talking about, we sometimes need to follow their line-of-sight to the location at which they are looking, as this can provide important contextual information regarding what they are saying. If we are not able to follow other people's line-of-sight, this could result in social communication difficulties. Here we tested how effectively autistic and neurotypical adults are at following a social partner's line-of-sight during a face-to-face task. In a first study, completed by 14 autistic adult participants of average to above-average verbal ability and 14 neurotypical adult participants, we found that all participants were able to effectively follow the social partner's line-of-sight. We also found that participants tended to be as effective at making these judgements from both a brief, 1s, glance or a long, 5s, stare. However, autistic adults were less accurate, on average, than neurotypical adults overall. In a second study, a separate group of 65 neurotypical adults completed the same line-of-sight judgement task to investigate whether task performance was related to individual variation in self-reported autistic traits. This found that the amount of self-reported autistic traits was not at all related to people's ability to accurately make line-of-sight judgements. This research isolates and furthers our understanding of an important component part of the social communication process and assesses it in a real-world context.
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20
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Boxhoorn S, Bast N, Supèr H, Polzer L, Cholemkery H, Freitag CM. Pupil dilation during visuospatial orienting differentiates between autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 61:614-624. [PMID: 31853987 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research demonstrated atypical attention in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Regarding visual orienting, findings suggest a differential impairment: Atypical orienting to relatively unexpected targets in ASD, and atypical processing of alerting cues in ADHD. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system plays an important role in exploiting alerting cues to increase attention and task performance. The present study's aim was to examine differential subcortical processes underlying visual orienting in ASD and ADHD with pupil dilation (PD) as index of LC activity. METHODS Pupil dilation (PD) progression metrics during visual orienting were calculated for task-evoked PD locked to cue, stimulus onset, and behavioral response. Group differences in PD and reaction time (RT) were compared between children with ASD without ADHD (ASD-) (N = 18), ADHD without ASD (ADHD-) (N = 28), both disorders (ASD + ADHD) (N = 14), and typically developing children (TD) (N = 31) using linear mixed models (LMM). To further explore the modulatory role of the LC-NE system group differences in the effect of task-evoked PD metrics on RT were examined exploratively. RESULTS ASD (+ADHD) showed slower orienting responses to relatively unexpected spatial target stimuli as compared to TD, which was accompanied by higher PD amplitudes relative to ADHD- and TD. In ADHD-, shorter cue-evoked PD latencies relative to ASD-, ASD + ADHD, and TD were found. Group differences in the effect of cue- and stimulus-evoked PD amplitudes on RT were found in ASD- relative to TD. CONCLUSIONS Study findings provide new evidence for a specific role of the LC-NE system in impaired reflexive orienting responses in ASD, and atypical visual processing of alerting cues in ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Boxhoorn
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nico Bast
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hans Supèr
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leonie Polzer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hannah Cholemkery
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Autism Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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21
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Xie R, Sun X, Yang L, Guo Y. Characteristic Executive Dysfunction for High-Functioning Autism Sustained to Adulthood. Autism Res 2020; 13:2102-2121. [PMID: 32298047 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The comprehensiveness and severity of executive dysfunction in high-functioning autism (HFA) spectrum disorder have not reached a unified conclusion especially in patients in adulthood. Clarifying this issue is critical for guiding clinical diagnosis and targeted intervention. The primary objective of the present meta-analysis was to study the characteristics of executive function (EF) in adults with HFA compared to typically developing (TD) adults, by taking five key components into consideration, including inhibition, working memory, flexibility, planning, and fluency. The PubMed and Embase databases were searched to identify peer-reviewed studies that compared EF in adults with and without HFA from 1980 to November 2018. Hedges' g effect sizes were computed to measure the primary outcome. Moderators like age, sex, and diagnostic tools were controlled using meta-regressions. Forty-two studies satisfying the selection criteria were included, which resulted in a large sample size of 2419 participants. A moderate overall effect size for reduced EF across domains was found in adults with HFA, compared with TD (g = 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.47-0.66). Subsequently, a broad executive dysfunction was found in adults with HFA in this study (flexibility [g = 0.69], planning [g = 0.64], inhibition [g = 0.61], working memory [g = 0.48], fluency [g = 0.42]), with the predominated impairment on flexibility and planning. Taken together, these results provide evidence for the executive dysfunction hypothesis and may assist in the clinical diagnosis and targeted intervention, suggesting the necessity of sustained intervention on EF for individuals with HFA from childhood to adulthood. LAY SUMMARY: The meta-analysis explored the characteristics of EF in adults with high-functioning autism (HFA) comparing to typically developing controls. Moderate effect sizes for reduced EF across domains were found in adults with HFA, with the flexibility and planning being the most predominately impaired. A comprehensive measurement of EF in adults with HFA has important clinical implications for the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and a fundamental understanding for developmental trajectory of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rao Xie
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Li Yang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Yanqing Guo
- Peking University Sixth Hospital (Institute of Mental Health), National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health, (Peking University), Beijing, China
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Song H, Kwon MK, Park M, Chung H. Basic auditory processing in the children with autistic features. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2020; 9:106-115. [PMID: 30583704 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2018.1532293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed inhibition mechanisms of auditory processing in the group with autistic features. Thirty-two children (autistic group = 16, typically developing [TD] group = 16) received neuropsychological tests, IQ test and experimental tasks. Both groups showed similar performances except the processing speed index. The results showed that the group with autistic features had less inhibition of return (IOR) than the TD group. However, we did not get a statistically significant group difference in the auditory Go-NoGo task. These results might be attributed to a ceiling effect due to an adjustment failure of a difficulty level instead of showing that the group with autistic features would have intact inhibitory or pitch discriminative function problems. In conclusion, this study showed that the group with autistic features could have an inhibitory processing difficulty in both auditory and visual IOR tasks even when their general cognitive functions are relatively intact. This study presented a possibility that the group with autistic features might have a basic inhibitory function problem, but these findings should be investigated in the further study with enough samples. In addition, we are going to revise the auditory Go-NoGo task and verify the feasibility as a tool to detect ASD in an early stage in the following study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunjoo Song
- Department of Psychotherapy, Graduate School of Professional Therapeutic Technology, Seoul Woman's University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Mee-Kyoung Kwon
- Division of General Studies; Department of General Studies, UNIST, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Minkyoung Park
- Department of Psychotherapy, Graduate School of Professional Therapeutic Technology, Seoul Woman's University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - HeeJung Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, South Korea
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23
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López Pérez D, Ramotowska S, Malinowska-Korczak A, Haman M, Tomalski P. Working together to orient faster: The combined effects of alerting and orienting networks on pupillary responses at 8 months of age. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 42:100763. [PMID: 32072936 PMCID: PMC7242507 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple visual attention mechanisms are active already in infancy, most notably one supporting orienting towards stimuli and another, maintaining appropriate levels of alertness, when exploring the environment. They are thought to depend on separate brain networks, but their effects are difficult to isolate in existing behavioural paradigms. Better understanding of the contribution of each network to individual differences in visual orienting may help to explain their role in attention development. Here, we tested whether alerting and spatial cues differentially modulate pupil dilation in 8-month-old infants in a visual orienting paradigm. We found differential effects in the time course of these responses depending on the cue type. Moreover, using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) we identified two main components of pupillary response, which may reflect the alerting and orienting network activity. In a regression analysis, these components together explained nearly 40 % of variance in saccadic latencies in the spatial cueing condition of the task. These results likely demonstrate that both networks work together in 8-month-old infants and that their activity can be indexed with pupil dilation combined with PCA, but not with raw changes in pupil diameter.
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Affiliation(s)
- David López Pérez
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Sonia Ramotowska
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; Institute for Logic, Language and Computation, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Maciej Haman
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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24
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Ridderinkhof A, de Bruin EI, van den Driesschen S, Bögels SM. Attention in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Program. J Atten Disord 2020; 24:681-692. [PMID: 30222027 PMCID: PMC7003152 DOI: 10.1177/1087054718797428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show atypical attention. Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs), with self-regulation of attention as a basic component, could benefit these children. Method: We investigated how 49 children with ASD differed from 51 typically developing (TD) children in their attention systems; and whether their attention systems were improved by an MBP for children and their parents (MYmind), using a cognitive measure of attention, the Attention Network Test. Results: Children with ASD did not differ from TD children in the speed of the attention systems, but were somewhat less accurate in their orienting and executive attention. Also, MYmind did not significantly improve attention, although trend effects indicated improved orienting and executive attention. Robustness checks supported these improvements. Conclusion: Trend effects of the MBP on the attention systems of children with ASD were revealed, as well as minor differences between children with ASD and TD children in their attention systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ridderinkhof
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands,Anna Ridderinkhof, Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Esther I. de Bruin
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Susan M. Bögels
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands,Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands,UvA minds, The Netherlands
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25
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Van der Hallen R, Manning C, Evers K, Wagemans J. Global Motion Perception in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:4901-4918. [PMID: 31489542 PMCID: PMC6841654 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04194-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Visual perception in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often debated in terms of enhanced local and impaired global perception. Deficits in global motion perception seem to support this characterization, although the evidence is inconsistent. We conducted a large meta-analysis on global motion, combining 48 articles on biological and coherent motion. Results provide evidence for a small global motion processing deficit in individuals with ASD compared to controls in both biological and coherent motion. This deficit appears to be present independent of the paradigm, task, dependent variable, age or IQ of the groups. Results indicate that individuals with ASD are less sensitive to these types of global motion, although the difference in neural mechanisms underlying this behavioral difference remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Van der Hallen
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Department of Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Catherine Manning
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK
| | - Kris Evers
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Department of Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Johan Wagemans
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Department of Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
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26
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Keehn B, Kadlaskar G, McNally Keehn R, Francis AL. Auditory Attentional Disengagement in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:3999-4008. [PMID: 31201579 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04111-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite early differences in orienting to sounds, no study to date has investigated whether children with ASD demonstrate impairments in attentional disengagement in the auditory modality. Twenty-one 9-15-year-old children with ASD and 20 age- and IQ-matched TD children were presented with an auditory gap-overlap paradigm. Evidence of impaired disengagement in ASD was mixed. Differences in saccadic reaction time for overlap and gap conditions did not differ between groups. However, children with ASD did show increased no-shift trials in the overlap condition, as well as reduced disengagement efficiency compared to their TD peers. These results provide further support for disengagement impairments in ASD, and suggest that these deficits include disengaging from and shifting to unimodal auditory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Keehn
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, 715 Clinic Drive, Lyles-Porter Hall, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA. .,Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| | - Girija Kadlaskar
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, 715 Clinic Drive, Lyles-Porter Hall, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Rebecca McNally Keehn
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Alexander L Francis
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, 715 Clinic Drive, Lyles-Porter Hall, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
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27
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London EB. Neuromodulation and a Reconceptualization of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Using the Locus Coeruleus Functioning as an Exemplar. Front Neurol 2018; 9:1120. [PMID: 30619071 PMCID: PMC6305710 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a heterogeneous group of developmental disorders. Although, ASD can be reliably diagnosed, the etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment targets remain poorly characterized. While there are many atypical findings in anatomy, genetics, connectivity, and other biologic parameters, there remains no discreet hypothesis to explain the core signs as well as the very frequent comorbidities. Due to this, designing targets for treatments can only be done by assuming each symptom is a result of a discreet abnormality which is likely not the case. Neuronal circuity remains a major focus of research but rarely taking into account the functioning of the brain is highly dependent on various systems, including the neuromodulatory substances originating in the midbrain. A hypothesis is presented which explores the possibility of explaining many of the symptoms found in ASD in terms of inefficient neuromodulation using the functioning of the locus coeruleus and norepinephrine (LC/NE) as exemplars. The basic science of LC/NE is reviewed. Several functions found to be impaired in ASD including learning, attention, sensory processing, emotional regulation, autonomic functioning, adaptive and repetitive behaviors, sleep, language acquisition, initiation, and prompt dependency are examined in terms of the functioning of the LC/NE system. Suggestions about possible treatment directions are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric B. London
- Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, United States
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28
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Chouinard PA, Royals KA, Landry O, Sperandio I. The Shepard Illusion Is Reduced in Children With an Autism Spectrum Disorder Because of Perceptual Rather Than Attentional Mechanisms. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2452. [PMID: 30568622 PMCID: PMC6290349 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Earlier studies demonstrate reduced illusion strength in the Shepard illusion in adults and adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and in typically developing (TD) adults with high levels of autistic traits. We measured the strength of the Shepard illusion in ASD and TD children and tested if ten different eye-tracking measurements could predict group differences in illusion strength. The ASD children demonstrated reduced illusion strength relative to the TD group. Despite this, there were no mean differences on any of the eye-tracking measurements between groups. Even though none of the eye-tracking measurements revealed mean differences between the two groups, the degree to which spatial attention was directed toward the standard stimulus, as indexed by the number of saccades within and toward this stimulus, predicted the strength of the illusion in the overall sample. Furthermore, this active scanning of the standard stimulus was found to enhance illusion strength more strongly in the ASD than the TD group. Together, we conclude that scan patterns and the degree to which participants are able to shift between different locations in a visual scene did not account for group differences in illusion strength. Thus, the reduced strength of the Shepard illusion in ASD does not appear to be driven by how attention shifts or is spatially allocated. Rather, differences may relate instead to perceptual mechanisms that integrate visual information. Strategies that may aid ASD individuals to see this illusion more strongly could have them make even more eye movements within and between the stimuli presented in the illusion display.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe A Chouinard
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kayla A Royals
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Oriane Landry
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Irene Sperandio
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
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29
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Boxhoorn S, Lopez E, Schmidt C, Schulze D, Hänig S, Freitag CM. Attention profiles in autism spectrum disorder and subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018; 27:1433-1447. [PMID: 29511887 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-018-1138-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Attention problems are observed in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Most neuropsychological studies that compared both disorders focused on complex executive functions (EF), but missed to contrast basic attention functions, as well as ASD- and ADHD subtypes. The present study compared EF as well as basic attention functioning of children with the combined subtype (ADHD-C), the predominantly inattentive subtype (ADHD-I), and autism spectrum disorder without ADHD (ASD-) with typically developing controls (TD). Basic attention functions and EF profiles were analysed by testing the comprehensive attention function model of van Zomeren and Brouwer using profile analysis. Additionally, neurocognitive impairments in ASD- and ADHD were regressed on dimensional measures of attention- and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms across and within groups. ADHD-C revealed a strong impairment across measures of EF compared to ASD- and TD. The ADHD-C profile furthermore showed disorder specific impairments in interference control, whereas the ASD- profile showed a disorder specific impairment in basic attention component divided attention. Attention- and hyperactive-impulsive symptom severity did not predict neurocognitive impairments across- or within groups. Study findings thus support disorder and subtype specific attention/EF profiles, which refute the idea of a continuum of ADHD-I, ADHD-C, and ASD with increasing neurocognitive impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Boxhoorn
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eva Lopez
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Catharina Schmidt
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Diana Schulze
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Susann Hänig
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Germany
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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30
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Pirrone A, Wen W, Li S, Baker DH, Milne E. Autistic Traits in the Neurotypical Population do not Predict Increased Response Conservativeness in Perceptual Decision Making. Perception 2018; 47:1081-1096. [DOI: 10.1177/0301006618802689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Recent research has shown that adults and children with autism spectrum disorders have a more conservative decision criterion in perceptual decision making compared to neurotypical individuals, meaning that autistic participants prioritise accuracy over speed of a decision. Here, we test whether autistic traits in the neurotypical population correlate with increased response conservativeness. We employed three different tasks; for two tasks we recruited participants from China ( N = 39) and for one task from the United Kingdom ( N = 37). Our results show that autistic traits in the neurotypical population do not predict variation in response criterion. We also failed to replicate previous work showing a relationship between autistic traits and sensitivity to coherent motion and static orientation. Following the argument proposed by Gregory and Plaisted-Grant, we discuss why perceptual differences between autistic and neurotypical participants do not necessarily predict perceptual differences between neurotypical participants with high and low autistic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Pirrone
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; 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
| | - Wen Wen
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; 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
| | - Sheng Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; 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
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31
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Morrisey MN, Reed CL, McIntosh DN, Rutherford MD. Brief Report: Attentional Cueing to Images of Social Interactions is Automatic for Neurotypical Individuals But Not Those with ASC. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 48:3233-3243. [PMID: 29696525 PMCID: PMC6096788 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3592-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Human actions induce attentional orienting toward the target of the action. We examined the influence of action cueing in social (man throwing toward a human) and non-social (man throwing toward a tree) contexts in observers with and without autism spectrum condition (ASC). Results suggested that a social interaction enhanced the cueing effect for neurotypical participants. Participants with ASC did not benefit from non-predictive cues and were slower in social contexts, although they benefitted from reliably predictive cues. Social orienting appears to be automatic in the context of an implied social interaction for neurotypical observers, but not those with ASC. Neurotypical participants’ behavior may be driven by automatic processing, while participants with ASC use an alternative, effortful strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Neil Morrisey
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Catherine L Reed
- Department of Psychology, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, USA
| | | | - M D Rutherford
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.
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32
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Bast N, Poustka L, Freitag CM. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system as pacemaker of attention - a developmental mechanism of derailed attentional function in autism spectrum disorder. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 47:115-125. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nico Bast
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy; University Hospital; Goethe University Frankfurt am Main; Deutschordenstraße 50 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Medical Faculty Mannheim; Central Institute of Mental Health; Heidelberg University; Heidelberg Germany
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Medical Faculty Mannheim; Central Institute of Mental Health; Heidelberg University; Heidelberg Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychotherapy; University Medical Center Göttingen; Medical University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Christine M. Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy; University Hospital; Goethe University Frankfurt am Main; Deutschordenstraße 50 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany
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33
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Garg S, Green J. Studying child development in genetic models of ASD. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 241:159-192. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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34
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Atypical Processing of Gaze Cues and Faces Explains Comorbidity between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:1496-1509. [PMID: 28255758 PMCID: PMC5385202 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3078-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the neurobiological basis of comorbidity between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We compared children with ASD, ADHD or ADHD+ASD and typically developing controls (CTRL) on behavioural and electrophysiological correlates of gaze cue and face processing. We measured effects of ASD, ADHD and their interaction on the EDAN, an ERP marker of orienting visual attention towards a spatially cued location and the N170, a right-hemisphere lateralised ERP linked to face processing. We identified atypical gaze cue and face processing in children with ASD and ADHD+ASD compared with the ADHD and CTRL groups. The findings indicate a neurobiological basis for the presence of comorbid ASD symptoms in ADHD. Further research using larger samples is needed.
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35
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Sperandio I, Unwin KL, Landry O, Chouinard PA. Size Constancy is Preserved but Afterimages are Prolonged in Typical Individuals with Higher Degrees of Self-Reported Autistic Traits. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:447-459. [PMID: 27878738 PMCID: PMC5309324 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2971-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in perceptual constancies from early infancy have been proposed to contribute to autism and exacerbate its symptoms (Hellendoorn et al., Frontiers in Psychology 6:1–16, 2015). Here, we examined size constancy in adults from the general population (N = 106) with different levels of self-reported autistic traits using an approach based on negative afterimages. The afterimage strength, as indexed by duration and vividness, was also quantified. In opposition to the Hellendoorn and colleagues’ model, we were unable to demonstrate any kind of relationship between abilities in size constancy and autistic traits. However, our results demonstrated that individuals with higher degrees of autistic traits experienced more persistent afterimages. We discuss possible retinal and post-retinal explanations for prolonged afterimages in people with higher levels of autistic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Sperandio
- School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Katy L Unwin
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Oriane Landry
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Philippe A Chouinard
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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36
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Sato W, Kochiyama T, Uono S, Yoshimura S, Toichi M. Neural Mechanisms Underlying Conscious and Unconscious Gaze-Triggered Attentional Orienting in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:339. [PMID: 28701942 PMCID: PMC5487428 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired joint attention represents the core clinical feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Behavioral studies have suggested that gaze-triggered attentional orienting is intact in response to supraliminally presented eyes but impaired in response to subliminally presented eyes in individuals with ASD. However, the neural mechanisms underlying conscious and unconscious gaze-triggered attentional orienting remain unclear. We investigated this issue in ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. The participants viewed cue stimuli of averted or straight eye gaze direction presented either supraliminally or subliminally and then localized a target. Reaction times were shorter when eye-gaze cues were directionally valid compared with when they were neutral under the supraliminal condition in both groups; the same pattern was found in the TD group but not the ASD group under the subliminal condition. The temporo–parieto–frontal regions showed stronger activation in response to averted eyes than to straight eyes in both groups under the supraliminal condition. The left amygdala was more activated while viewing averted vs. straight eyes in the TD group than in the ASD group under the subliminal condition. These findings provide an explanation for the neural mechanisms underlying the impairment in unconscious but not conscious gaze-triggered attentional orienting in individuals with ASD and suggest possible neurological and behavioral interventions to facilitate their joint attention behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Sato
- Department of Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry, Habilitation and Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityKyoto, Japan
| | - Takanori Kochiyama
- Brain Activity Imaging Center, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute InternationalKyoto, Japan
| | - Shota Uono
- Department of Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry, Habilitation and Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityKyoto, Japan
| | - Sayaka Yoshimura
- Department of Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry, Habilitation and Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityKyoto, Japan
| | - Motomi Toichi
- Faculty of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityKyoto, Japan.,The Organization for Promoting Neurodevelopmental Disorder ResearchKyoto, Japan
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37
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Laycock R, Chan D, Crewther SG. Attention Orienting in Response to Non-conscious Hierarchical Arrows: Individuals with Higher Autistic Traits Differ in Their Global/Local Bias. Front Psychol 2017; 8:23. [PMID: 28149288 PMCID: PMC5241281 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
One aspect of the social communication impairments that characterize autism spectrum disorder (ASD) include reduced use of often subtle non-verbal social cues. People with ASD, and those with self-reported sub-threshold autistic traits, also show impairments in rapid visual processing of stimuli unrelated to social or emotional properties. Hence, this study sought to investigate whether perceptually non-conscious visual processing is related to autistic traits. A neurotypical sample of thirty young adults completed the Subthreshold Autism Trait Questionnaire and a Posner-like attention cueing task. Continuous Flash Suppression (CFS) was employed to render incongruous hierarchical arrow cues perceptually invisible prior to consciously presented targets. This was achieved via a 10 Hz masking stimulus presented to the dominant eye that suppressed information presented to the non-dominant eye. Non-conscious arrows consisted of local arrow elements pointing in one direction, and forming a global arrow shape pointing in the opposite direction. On each trial, the cue provided either a valid or invalid cue for the spatial location of the subsequent target, depending on which level (global or local) received privileged attention. A significant autism-trait group by global cue validity interaction indicated a difference in the extent of non-conscious local/global cueing between groups. Simple effect analyses revealed that whilst participants with lower autistic traits showed a global arrow cueing effect, those with higher autistic traits demonstrated a small local arrow cueing effect. These results suggest that non-conscious processing biases in local/global attention may be related to individual differences in autistic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Laycock
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel Chan
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne VIC, Australia
| | - Sheila G Crewther
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne VIC, Australia
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Abstract
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often demonstrate deficient attentional ability, but the specific nature of the deficit is unclear. The Attention Networks model provides a useful approach to deconstruct this attentional deficit into its component parts. METHOD Fifty-two neurotypical (NT) children and 14 children with ASD performed the child version of the Attention Network Test (ANT). The latter requires participants to indicate the direction of a centre target stimulus, which is presented above/below fixation and sometimes flanked by either congruent or incongruent distractor stimuli. RESULTS Relative to NT children, those with ASD were: (1) slower to react to spatially cued trials and (2) more error prone on executive (conflict) attention trials. CONCLUSIONS Young children with ASD have intact alerting attention, but less-efficient orienting and executive attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachna Mutreja
- a Department of Human Development and Family Studies , College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University , Lubbock , TX , USA and
| | - Curtis Craig
- b Department of Psychology , College of Arts and Sciences, Texas Tech University , Lubbock , TX , USA
| | - Michael W O'Boyle
- a Department of Human Development and Family Studies , College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University , Lubbock , TX , USA and
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Tajmirriyahi M, Nejati V, Pouretemad H. Reflexive Social Orienting in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Evidence from Gaze Cueing Paradigm. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-016-9476-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Fischer J, Smith H, Martinez-Pedraza F, Carter AS, Kanwisher N, Kaldy Z. Unimpaired attentional disengagement in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder. Dev Sci 2015; 19:1095-1103. [PMID: 26690733 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A prominent hypothesis holds that 'sticky' attention early in life in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) limits their ability to explore and learn about the world. Under this hypothesis, the core clinical symptoms of ASD - restricted interests, repetitive behaviors and impaired social/communication abilities - could all result from impaired attentional disengagement during development. However, the existence of disengagement deficits in children with ASD is controversial, and a recent study found no deficit in 5- to 12-year-olds with ASD. Nonetheless, the possibility remains that disengagement is impaired earlier in development in children with ASD, altering their developmental trajectory even if the attentional deficit itself is remediated or compensated for by the time children with ASD reach school age. Here, we tested this possibility by characterizing attentional disengagement in a group of toddlers just diagnosed with ASD (age 21 to 37 months). We found strikingly similar performance between the ASD and age-matched typically developing (TD) toddlers, and no evidence of impaired attentional disengagement. These results show that even at a young age when the clinical symptoms of ASD are first emerging, disengagement abilities are intact. Sticky attention is not a fundamental characteristic of ASD, and probably does not play a causal role in its etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Fischer
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Hayley Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Alice S Carter
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nancy Kanwisher
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zsuzsa Kaldy
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Kirchgessner MA, Chuang AZ, Patel SS, Sereno AB. Intact Reflexive but Deficient Voluntary Social Orienting in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:453. [PMID: 26648841 PMCID: PMC4665260 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Impairment in social interactions is a primary characteristic of people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although these individuals tend to orient less to naturalistic social cues than do typically developing (TD) individuals, laboratory experiments testing social orienting in ASD have been inconclusive, possibly because of a failure to fully isolate reflexive (stimulus-driven) and voluntary (goal-directed) social orienting processes. The purpose of the present study was to separately examine potential reflexive and/or voluntary social orienting differences in individuals with ASD relative to TD controls. Subjects (ages 7–14) with high-functioning ASD and a matched control group completed three gaze cueing tasks on an iPad in which individuals briefly saw a face with averted gaze followed by a target after a variable delay. Two tasks were 100% predictive with either all congruent (target appears in gaze direction) or all incongruent (target appears opposite from gaze direction) trials, respectively. Another task was non-predictive with these same trials (half congruent and half incongruent) intermixed randomly. Response times (RTs) to the target were used to calculate reflexive (incongruent condition RT—congruent condition RT) and voluntary (non-predictive condition RT—predictive condition RT) gaze cueing effects. Subjects also completed two additional non-social orienting tasks (ProPoint and AntiPoint). Subjects with ASD demonstrate intact reflexive but deficient voluntary gaze following. Similar results were found in a separate test of non-social orienting. This suggests problems with using social cues, but only in a goal-directed fashion, in our sample of high-functioning individuals with ASD. Such findings may not only explain inconclusive previous findings but more importantly be critical for understanding social dysfunctions in ASD and for developing future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A Kirchgessner
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, Rice University Houston, TX, USA ; Department of Psychology, Rice University Houston, TX, USA ; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alice Z Chuang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - Saumil S Patel
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anne B Sereno
- Department of Psychology, Rice University Houston, TX, USA ; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
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Sacrey LAR, Armstrong VL, Bryson SE, Zwaigenbaum L. Impairments to visual disengagement in autism spectrum disorder: a review of experimental studies from infancy to adulthood. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 47:559-77. [PMID: 25454358 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2014] [Revised: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Impairments in visual disengagement are a current focus of research in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and may play a key role in the early expression of social-emotional deficits associated with the disorder. This review summarizes current knowledge of visual disengagement and orienting in ASD. Convergent reports from infancy to adulthood indicate that (1) impairments to visual disengagement are apparent on Gap-Overlap tasks, spatial orienting tasks, and tasks involving social stimuli; and (2) these impairments emerge in the first year of life and continue into adulthood. The relationships between visual disengagement, orienting, joint attention, emotional regulation, and IQ are discussed in relation to ASD.
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Flanagan T, Brodeur DA, Burack JA. A Point of Departure in the Comparison of Social and Nonsocial Visual Orienting Among Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Autism Res 2015; 8:575-82. [PMID: 25755149 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous visual orienting among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and among typically developing (TD) children was examined using a Posner-type task that was modified to include social and nonsocial cues and targets to test hypotheses regarding information (social or nonsocial) and cue processing (long or short stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs)). The findings suggest intact endogenous orienting to face and mixed face targets using hand and arrow cues among children with ASDs who were matched to typically developing children (TDC) on the basis of nonverbal mental age (MA) at approximately 8.5 years. The findings from this study challenge the notions of a social orienting impairment and of mechanical social orienting as the children with ASDs in this study demonstrated strong orienting effects in all conditions and social sensitivity in the long stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Flanagan
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (T.F., J.A.B.)
| | - Darlene A Brodeur
- Hôspital Rivière-des-Prairies (J.A.B) Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada (D.B.)
| | - Jacob A Burack
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (T.F., J.A.B.)
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Johnson MH, Gliga T, Jones E, Charman T. Annual research review: Infant development, autism, and ADHD--early pathways to emerging disorders. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2015; 56:228-47. [PMID: 25266278 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, with a high degree of co-occurrence. METHODS Prospective longitudinal studies of infants who later meet criteria for ASD or ADHD offer the opportunity to determine whether the two disorders share developmental pathways. RESULTS Prospective studies of younger siblings of children with autism have revealed a range of infant behavioral and neural markers associated with later diagnosis of ASD. Research on infants with later ADHD is less developed, but emerging evidence reveals a number of relations between infant measures and later symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity. CONCLUSIONS We review this literature, highlighting points of convergence and divergence in the early pathways to ASD and ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark H Johnson
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK
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Berger I, Remington A, Leitner Y, Leviton A. Brain development and the attention spectrum. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 9:23. [PMID: 25698956 PMCID: PMC4318270 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2014] [Accepted: 01/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Itai Berger
- The Neuro-Cognitive Center, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Anna Remington
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Centre for Research in Autism and Education, Institute of Education, University College London London, UK
| | - Yael Leitner
- Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Dana-Dwek Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv, Israel
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Krall SC, Rottschy C, Oberwelland E, Bzdok D, Fox PT, Eickhoff SB, Fink GR, Konrad K. The role of the right temporoparietal junction in attention and social interaction as revealed by ALE meta-analysis. Brain Struct Funct 2014; 220:587-604. [PMID: 24915964 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0803-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) is frequently associated with different capacities that to shift attention to unexpected stimuli (reorienting of attention) and to understand others' (false) mental state [theory of mind (ToM), typically represented by false belief tasks]. Competing hypotheses either suggest the rTPJ representing a unitary region involved in separate cognitive functions or consisting of subregions subserving distinct processes. We conducted activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analyses to test these hypotheses. A conjunction analysis across ALE meta-analyses delineating regions consistently recruited by reorienting of attention and false belief studies revealed the anterior rTPJ, suggesting an overarching role of this specific region. Moreover, the anatomical difference analysis unravelled the posterior rTPJ as higher converging in false belief compared with reorienting of attention tasks. This supports the concept of an exclusive role of the posterior rTPJ in the social domain. These results were complemented by meta-analytic connectivity mapping (MACM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analysis to investigate whole-brain connectivity patterns in task-constrained and task-free brain states. This allowed for detailing the functional separation of the anterior and posterior rTPJ. The combination of MACM and RSFC mapping showed that the posterior rTPJ has connectivity patterns with typical ToM regions, whereas the anterior part of rTPJ co-activates with the attentional network. Taken together, our data suggest that rTPJ contains two functionally fractionated subregions: while posterior rTPJ seems exclusively involved in the social domain, anterior rTPJ is involved in both, attention and ToM, conceivably indicating an attentional shifting role of this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- S C Krall
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Jülich Research Center, Jülich, Germany,
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Lack of automatic attentional orienting by gaze cues following a bilateral loss of visual cortex. Neuropsychologia 2014; 58:75-80. [PMID: 24732381 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2014.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2014] [Revised: 03/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In social interactions, the location of relevant stimuli is often indicated by the orientation of gaze. It has been proposed that the direction of gaze might produce an automatic cueing of attention, similar to what is observed with exogenous cues. However, several reports have challenged this claim by demonstrating that the behavioral gain that arises with gaze cueing could be explained by shifts of attention, which are intentional and not automatic. We reasoned that if cueing by gaze was truly automatic, it should occur without awareness and should be sustained by subcortical circuits, including the amygdalae, independently of the main geniculo-striate visual pathway. We presented a cross-modal version of the Posner cueing paradigm to a patient (TN) with bilateral lesions of occipital cortex (Burra et al., 2013; Pegna, Khateb, Lazeyras, & Seghier, 2005). TN was asked to localize a sound using a key press. The location of the sound was congruent or incongruent with the direction of gaze of a face-cue. In groups of healthy young and age-matched participants, we observed significantly longer response times for incongruent than congruent sounds, suggesting that gaze direction interfered with processing of localized sounds. By contrast, TN׳s performance was not affected by sound-gaze congruence. The results suggest that the processing of gaze orientation cannot occur in the absence of geniculo-striate processing, suggesting that it is not automatic.
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