Abstract
We tested the hypothesis of an atypical scalp distribution of electroencephalography (EEG) activity during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep in young autistic adults. EEG spectral activity and ratios along the anteroposterior axis and across hemispheres were compared in 16 neurotypical (NT) young adults and 17 individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). EEG spectral power was lower in the ASD group over the bilateral central and right parietal (beta activity) as well as bilateral occipital (beta, theta, and total activity) recording sites. The NT group displayed a significant posterior polarity of intra-hemispheric EEG activity while EEG activity was more evenly or anteriorly distributed in ASD participants. No significant inter-hemispheric EEG lateralization was found. Correlations between EEG distribution and ASD symptoms using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) showed that a higher posterior ratio was associated with a better ADI-R score on communication skills, whereas a higher anterior ratio was related to more restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. EEG activity thus appears to be atypically distributed over the scalp surface in young adults with autism during REM sleep within cerebral hemispheres, and this correlates with some ASD symptoms. These suggests the existence in autism of a common substrate between some of the symptoms of ASD and an atypical organization and/or functioning of the thalamo-cortical loop during REM sleep.
Highlights
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments of social communication and restrictive/repetitive behaviors [1]
We found significantly longer sleep latency and a trend for less Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep periods in the ASD group compared to the NT group (Table 2)
The NT group generally showed higher ratios on posterior EEG distribution compared to ASD and the ASD group displayed smaller antero-posterior electrodes differences compared to the NT group
Summary
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments of social communication and restrictive/repetitive behaviors [1]. Using the same eyes-closed recording protocol, Mathewson et al [5] found no REM Sleep EEG in Autism group differences between ASD and typically developing adults on alpha activity while in eyes-open procedure they observe more alpha activity in posterior areas in ASD individuals. These inconsistencies can be explained by the presence of psychiatric comorbidities [6], medications [5, 6], and a wide range of IQ (from 64 to 136) [5]
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