Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by impairments in social/communication abilities and restricted behaviors. The present study aims to examine color vision discrimination in ASD children and adolescents without intellectual disability. The participants were also subdivided in order to compare color vision thresholds of autistic participants and those who achieved diagnostic criteria for Asperger Syndrome (AS). Nine subjects with autism, 11 participants with AS and 36 typically developing children and adolescents participated in the study. Color vision was assessed by the Cambridge Color Test (CCT). The Trivector protocol was administered to determine color discrimination thresholds along the protan, deutan, and tritan color confusion lines. Data from ASD participants were compared to tolerance limits for 90% of the population with 90% probability obtained from controls thresholds. Of the 20 ASD individuals examined, 6 (30%) showed color vision losses. Elevated color discrimination thresholds were found in 3/9 participants with autism and in 3/11 AS participants. Diffuse and tritan deficits were found. Mechanisms for chromatic losses may be either at the retinal level and/or reflect reduced cortical integration.
Highlights
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and social communication besides restrictive and/or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities (American Psychiatric Association, 2013)
Mild forms without intellectual disability have been known as high-functioning autism (HFA) (Klin and Volkmar, 1995), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the manual of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) do not provide its formal description (Montgomery et al, 2016)
Asperger Syndrome (AS) was incorporated in the former 4th edition of the DSM (DSM-4; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and in the current edition of ICD (ICD-10; World Health Organization, 1994) as a diagnostic category, which is distinguished from autism without intellectual disability (ID) by the absence of significant delays in receptive language or speech, cognitive development, self-help capabilities, and exploration of the environment in early stages of development (Klin, 2006)
Summary
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and social communication besides restrictive and/or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The intensity of ASD symptoms is highly variable ranging from very severe to mild forms It includes a variability of intellectual functioning profiles ranging from high intelligence to intellectual disability (ID) (Klin, 2006; Crespi, 2016). Mild forms without intellectual disability have been known as high-functioning autism (HFA) (Klin and Volkmar, 1995), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the manual of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) do not provide its formal description (Montgomery et al, 2016). Individuals with AS exhibit average or superior intellectual quotient IQ, huge vocabulary and good grammar ability (Wing et al, 2011)
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