Abstract
Background: Atypical neural processing of social visual information contributes to impaired social cognition in autism spectrum disorder. However, evidence for early developmental alterations in neural processing of social contingencies is scarce. Most studies in the literature have been conducted in older children and adults. Here, we aimed to investigate alterations in neural processing of social visual information in children with autism spectrum disorder compared to age-matched typically developing peers. Methods: We used a combination of 129-channel electroencephalography and high-resolution eye-tracking to study differences in the neural processing of dynamic cartoons containing human-like social interactions between 14 male children with autism spectrum disorder and 14 typically developing male children, aged 2–5 years. Using a microstate approach, we identified four prototypical maps in both groups and compared the temporal characteristics and inverse solutions (activation of neural sources) of these maps between groups. Results: Inverse solutions of the group maps that were most dominant during free viewing of the dynamic cartoons indicated decreased prefrontal and cingulate activation, impaired activation of the premotor cortex, and increased activation of parietal, temporal, occipital, and cerebellar regions in children with autism spectrum disorder compared to their typically developing peers. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that impairments in brain regions involved in processing social contingencies embedded in dynamic cartoons are present from an early age in autism spectrum disorder. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate neural processing of social interactions of children with autism spectrum disorder using dynamic semi-naturalistic stimuli.
Highlights
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests, with a prevalence of approximately 1 in 59 in the US [1]
Map 4 had significantly higher global explained variance (GEV) compared to Map 1 (P = 0.02), higher mean duration compared to Map 1 (P < 0.001) and Map 2 (P = 0.006), higher time coverage compared to Map 1 (P = 0.004) and Map 2 (P = 0.01), and higher frequency of occurrence compared to Map 1 (P = 0.004) and Map 2 (P = 0.01)
We found that our group of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the CD ASD subgroup, showed increased activation within the left anterior and posterior cerebellum, compared to the typically developing (TD) group, these findings should be interpreted with care
Summary
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests, with a prevalence of approximately 1 in 59 in the US [1]. Despite the heterogeneity in ASD symptoms, deficits in social cognition have consistently been reported in individuals on the spectrum at all ages and have been suggested to represent a core deficit in ASD [3]. These deficits start from a very early age and can lead to inadequate social experiences required for “social learning,” as well as insufficient “cognitive learning” [4, 5]. We aimed to investigate alterations in neural processing of social visual information in children with autism spectrum disorder compared to age-matched typically developing peers
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.