1-A-D-17. The influence of spatial frequency and autistic traits on the perception of change in facial expression: An event-related potential study

Abstract

We studied visual information process of dynamic facial expressions in autism spectrum condition. Our aim was to investigate how P1 and N170 ERP components are affected by an interaction with the spatial frequencies and autistic traits. We filtered low spatial frequency information or high spatial frequency information from grayscale face pictures. These face stimuli consisted of neutral, happy and angry expressions. Sixteen healthy participants observed the change in facial expression (Miyoshi et al., 2004). They were assessed autistic traits by Autism-Spectrum Quotient Japanese version (AQ, Baron-Cohen et al., 2001; Wakabayashi et al., 2004). When participants viewed the change in low spatial frequency facial expression, P1 amplitude from parieto-occipital electrode was attenuated in participants with high AQ group. In the high spatial frequency condition, participants with greater autistic trait showed more smaller N170 amplitude to the change in facial expression at the posterior temporal site. Our findings suggest that individuals with high autistic traits may have aberrant visual processing of spatial frequency information.