Abstract
BackgroundFace processing has been found to be impaired in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). One hypothesis is that individuals with ASD engage in piecemeal compared to holistic face processing strategies. To investigate the role of possible impairments in holistic face processing in individuals with autism, the current study investigated behavioral and electroencephalography (EEG) correlates of face processing (P1/N170 and gamma-band activity) in adolescents with ASD and sex-, age-, and IQ-matched neurotypical controls.MethodsParticipants were presented with upright and inverted Mooney stimuli; black and white low information faces that are only perceived as faces when processed holistically. Participants indicated behaviorally the detection of a face. EEG was collected time-locked to the presentation of the stimuli.ResultsAdolescents with ASD perceived Mooney stimuli as faces suggesting ability to use holistic processing but displayed a lower face detection rate and slower response times. ERP components suggest slowed temporal processing of Mooney stimuli in the ASD compared to control group for P1 latency but no differences between groups for P1 amplitude and at the N170. Increases in gamma-band activity was similar during the perception of the Mooney images by group, but the ASD group showed prolonged temporal elevation in activity.ConclusionOverall, our results suggest that adolescents with ASD were able to utilize holistic processing to perceive a face within the Mooney stimuli. Delays in early processing, marked by the P1, and elongated elevation in gamma activity indicate that the neural systems supporting holistic processing are slightly altered suggesting a less automatic and less efficient facial processing system.Trial registrationNon-applicable.
Highlights
Face processing has been found to be impaired in autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
Adolescents with ASD met research diagnostic criteria based on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) [49], criteria on the social and communication domains of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) [50], and DSM-IV criteria based on expert clinical diagnostic judgment [51]
Detection rate As hypothesized, Controls detected significantly more Mooney stimuli as faces compared to participants with ASD (F(1, 36) = 6.272, p < .05, ηp2 = .148)
Summary
Face processing has been found to be impaired in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). One hypothesis is that individuals with ASD engage in piecemeal compared to holistic face processing strategies. Further interest in face processing is fueled by neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), which are characterized by early and pervasive social communication and interaction impairments [9]. Holistic and configural strategies may work together, which contributes to higher accuracy rates, whereas a stronger reliance on first-order features is necessary for inverted faces, which contributes to lower accuracy levels. Individuals with ASD displayed similar detection rates for upright and inverted faces [18]. This pattern of results supports the idea of a part-based processing strategy in which individuals with ASD predominantly rely on first-order information for upright and inverted face stimuli. A recent systematic review suggested an intact face inversion effect for the ASD group in most studies [22]
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