Abstract
The primary aim of this research was to determine how modulation of the visual mismatch negativity (vMMN) by emotionally laden faces is related to autism spectrum personality traits. Emotionally neutral faces served as the standard stimuli and happy and sad expressions served as vMMN-eliciting deviants. Consistent with prior research, it was anticipated that the amplitude of the vMMN would be increased for emotionally salient stimuli. Extending this finding, it was expected that this emotion-based amplitude sensitivity of the vMMN would be decreased in individuals with higher levels of autism spectrum personality traits as measured by the Adult Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Higher AQ scores were associated with smaller amplitudes of the vMMN in response to happy, but not sad emotional deviants. The fact that higher AQ scores were associated with less sensitivity only to happy emotional expressions is interpreted to be consistent with the negative experience of social interactions reported by individuals who are high on the autism spectrum. This research suggests that the vMMN elicited by deviant emotional expressions may be a useful indicator of affective reactivity and may thus be related to social competency in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Highlights
Autism is a group of pervasive development disorders, often appearing within the first three years of life, that are characterized by atypical development of social and communication skills
The grand average event-related brain potential (ERP) in response to standard and deviant stimuli is depicted in Figure 3 for electrode PO8
The overarching goal of this research was to determine how modulation of the visual mismatch negativity (vMMN) by emotional expression is related to autism spectrum personality traits as indicated by the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ)
Summary
Autism is a group of pervasive development disorders, often appearing within the first three years of life, that are characterized by atypical development of social and communication skills. There are three categories used to group individuals on the autism spectrum. These categories include autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, and pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), collectively referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (NIMH, 2011). ASD is typically accompanied by speech and learning difficulties as well as rigid, inflexible routines. These social and communication deficits are most often measured by eye contact, facial expressions and body language, and an evaluation of the child’s relationships with peers and family members, (American Psychiatric Association, 2000)
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