scholarly journals Examining the relationship between social cognition and neural synchrony during movies in children with and without autism

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
KM Lyons ◽  
RA Stevenson ◽  
AM Owen ◽  
B Stojanoski
Keyword(s):  
Social Cognition ◽  
Conscious Experience ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Social Impairment ◽  
Neural Synchrony ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
The World ◽  
Marked Deficit ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractChildren who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show a marked deficit in measures of social cognition. In autistic adults, measures of social cognition have been shown to relate to differences in brain synchronization (as measured by fMRI) when individuals are processing naturalistic stimuli, such as movies. However, whether children with social impairments, with or without a diagnosis of ASD, differ in their neural responses to movies has not yet been investigated. In the current study, neural synchrony, measured using fMRI, was examined in three groups of children aged 7 to 12, who differed with respect to scores on a measure of autistic traits associated with social impairment and whether or not they had been diagnosed with ASD. While watching the movie ‘Despicable Me’, those diagnosed with ASD had significantly less neural synchrony in areas that have been previously shown to be associated with social cognition (e.g. areas related to ‘theory of mind’), and plot following (e.g. the lateral prefrontal cortex), than those who did not have an ASD diagnosis. In contrast, two groups who differed in their degree of social impairment, but did not have a diagnosis of ASD, showed no significant differences in neural synchrony across the whole brain. These results shed some light on how autistic traits may contribute to an individual’s conscious experience of the world, and how, for children with ASD, that experience may differ markedly from that of those without ASD.

scholarly journals Dysfunctions in Infants’ Statistical Learning are Related to Parental Autistic Traits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bettoni Roberta ◽  
Valentina Riva ◽  
Chiara Cantiani ◽  
Elena Maria Riboldi ◽  
Massimo Molteni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Statistical Structure ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Visual Habituation

AbstractStatistical learning refers to the ability to extract the statistical relations embedded in a sequence, and it plays a crucial role in the development of communicative and social skills that are impacted in the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Here, we investigated the relationship between infants’ SL ability and autistic traits in their parents. Using a visual habituation task, we tested infant offspring of adults (non-diagnosed) who show high (HAT infants) versus low (LAT infants) autistic traits. Results demonstrated that LAT infants learned the statistical structure embedded in a visual sequence, while HAT infants failed. Moreover, infants’ SL ability was related to autistic traits in their parents, further suggesting that early dysfunctions in SL might contribute to variabilities in ASD symptoms.

scholarly journals Intolerance of uncertainty modulates brain-to-brain synchrony during politically polarized perception

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (20) ◽  
pp. e2022491118
Author(s):  
Jeroen M. van Baar ◽  
David J. Halpern ◽  
Oriel FeldmanHall
Keyword(s):  
Political Polarization ◽  
The Political ◽  
Neural Synchrony ◽  
Neural Processing ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Political Narratives ◽  
The World ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Video Material ◽  
The Brain

Political partisans see the world through an ideologically biased lens. What drives political polarization? Although it has been posited that polarization arises because of an inability to tolerate uncertainty and a need to hold predictable beliefs about the world, evidence for this hypothesis remains elusive. We examined the relationship between uncertainty tolerance and political polarization using a combination of brain-to-brain synchrony and intersubject representational similarity analysis, which measured committed liberals’ and conservatives’ (n = 44) subjective interpretation of naturalistic political video material. Shared ideology between participants increased neural synchrony throughout the brain during a polarizing political debate filled with provocative language but not during a neutrally worded news clip on polarized topics or a nonpolitical documentary. During the political debate, neural synchrony in mentalizing and valuation networks was modulated by one’s aversion to uncertainty: Uncertainty-intolerant individuals experienced greater brain-to-brain synchrony with politically like-minded peers and lower synchrony with political opponents—an effect observed for liberals and conservatives alike. Moreover, the greater the neural synchrony between committed partisans, the more likely that two individuals formed similar, polarized attitudes about the debate. These results suggest that uncertainty attitudes gate the shared neural processing of political narratives, thereby fueling polarized attitude formation about hot-button issues.

scholarly journals Receptive Language in Primary-School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 137-161
Author(s):  
D.S. Pereverzeva ◽  
U.A. Mamokhina ◽  
E.Yu. Davydova ◽  
A.A. Lopukhina ◽  
V.G. Arutiunian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Receptive Language ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Verbal Intelligence ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Autistic Disorders ◽  
The Relationship

The objective of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the receptive language, and the index of non-verbal intelligence and the level of severity of autistic disorders in primary-school-aged children with Autism spectrum disorder. One of the main areas influenced by autistic disorders is communication. Therefore, the study of the language abilities of such children and factors that affect them provides a better approach to the therapy and education. The sample included 50 children aged 7–11 years diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Children were tested using the KORABLIK method (basic linguistic skills), the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II) or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children ― Third Edition (WISC-III) (non-verbal intelligence), the Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule ― Second Edition (ADOS-II) (autistic traits). The results support the hypothesis of the relationship between receptive language skills, the index of non-verbal intelligence, and symptoms of autism. The severity of autistic traits is negatively associated with some phonological and lexical levels of the receptive speech, as well as with understanding of discourse. The non-verbal intelligence index is positively associated with speech comprehension at all levels. A specific feature of receptive language in children with Autism spectrum disorder aged 7–11 years is the uneven development, which is associated with the severity of autistic traits and is not associated with the intelligence level.

scholarly journals Patterns of Contagious Yawning and Itching Differ Amongst Adults With Autistic Traits vs. Psychopathic Traits

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly S. Helt ◽  
Taylor M. Sorensen ◽  
Rachel J. Scheub ◽  
Mira B. Nakhle ◽  
Anna C. Luddy
Keyword(s):  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Psychopathic Traits ◽  
Reactivity Index ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Contagious Yawning ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Underlying Processes

Both individuals with diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and individuals high in psychopathic traits show reduced susceptibility to contagious yawning; that is, yawning after seeing or hearing another person yawn. Yet it is unclear whether the same underlying processes (e.g., reduced eye gaze) are responsible for the relationship between reduced contagion and these very different types of clinical traits. College Students (n = 97) watched videos of individuals yawning or scratching (a form of contagion not reliant on eye gaze for transmission) while their eye movements were tracked. They completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Psychopathy Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R), and the Adolescent and Adult Sensory Processing Disorder Checklist. Both psychopathic traits and autistic traits showed an inverse relationship to contagious yawning, consistent with previous research. However, the relationship between autistic (but not psychopathic) traits and contagious yawning was moderated by eye gaze. Furthermore, participants high in autistic traits showed typical levels of contagious itching whereas adults high in psychopathic traits showed diminished itch contagion. Finally, only psychopathic traits were associated with lower overall levels of empathy. The findings imply that the underlying processes contributing to the disruptions in contagious yawning amongst individuals high in autistic vs. psychopathic traits are distinct. In contrast to adults high in psychopathic traits, diminished contagion may appear amongst people with high levels of autistic traits secondary to diminished attention to the faces of others, and in the absence of a background deficit in emotional empathy.

scholarly journals The social brain in female autism: a structural imaging study of twins

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-436
Author(s):  
Élodie Cauvet ◽  
Annelies van’t Westeinde ◽  
Roberto Toro ◽  
Ralf Kuja-Halkola ◽  
Janina Neufeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Social Cognition ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Social Brain ◽  
Twin Design ◽  
The Social

Abstract A female advantage in social cognition (SoC) might contribute to women’s underrepresentation in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The latter could be underpinned by sex differences in social brain structure. This study investigated the relationship between structural social brain networks and SoC in females and males in relation to ASD and autistic traits in twins. We used a co-twin design in 77 twin pairs (39 female) aged 12.5 to 31.0 years. Twin pairs were discordant or concordant for ASD or autistic traits, discordant or concordant for other neurodevelopmental disorders or concordant for neurotypical development. They underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging and were assessed for SoC using the naturalistic Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition. Autistic traits predicted reduced SoC capacities predominantly in male twins, despite a comparable extent of autistic traits in each sex, although the association between SoC and autistic traits did not differ significantly between the sexes. Consistently, within-pair associations between SoC and social brain structure revealed that lower SoC ability was associated with increased cortical thickness of several brain regions, particularly in males. Our findings confirm the notion that sex differences in SoC in association with ASD are underpinned by sex differences in brain structure.

Considering equifinality in treatment planning for social impairment: Divergent paths in neurodevelopmental disorders

2019 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 278-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Lee Simmons ◽  
Dane C. Hilton ◽  
Matthew A. Jarrett ◽  
Theodore S. Tomeny ◽  
Susan W. White
Keyword(s):  
Social Skills ◽  
Social Cognition ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Social Impairment ◽  
Integrative Model ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Intervention Programming

Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with deficits in both social cognition and executive functioning (EF), which contribute to social impairment. Autistic youth are also frequently diagnosed with comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a disorder that, like ASD, includes impaired EF and social functioning. The comorbidity of ASD and ADHD may result in compounded social impairment, but prior research has not sufficiently evaluated the extent to which this comorbidity profile responds to evidence-based intervention targeting social deficits. It is conceivable that dually targeting EF and social cognition impairment will be more impactful than direct social skills training alone. The authors present an integrative model for intervention programming that examines pathways to social impairment in order to more effectively improve social skills and thereby impact both proximal (e.g., emotion expression, current peer relationships) and more distal outcomes (e.g., depression, self-esteem) in youth with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

scholarly journals Mediating role of abnormal sensory processing in the relationship between autistic traits and internalizing problems

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yurika Tsuji ◽  
Satoko Matsumoto ◽  
Aya Saito ◽  
Shu Imaizumi ◽  
Yoko Yamazaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
University Students ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Internalizing Problems ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Japanese Female ◽  
The Relationship

Sensory processing abnormalities are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and previous studies have shown a positive correlation between sensory processing and internalizing problems. This study examines the role of sensory processing abnormalities and difficulties resulting from sensory processing abnormalities on relationships between autistic traits and internalizing problems in Japanese female university students. One hundred and twelve female university students completed a questionnaire about their autistic traits, sensory processing, awareness of difficulties resulting from sensory processing abnormalities, and internalizing problems. Analysis of the data reveals that autistic traits correlate with low registration and sensation avoiding. Moreover, those who scored high on these indicators, demonstrated difficulties resulting from sensory processing abnormalities as the cause of internalizing problems.

Relationship Between Autism Spectrum Disorder Characteristics and Humor Appreciation in Typically Developing Individuals

2018 ◽  
Vol 122 (6) ◽  
pp. 2282-2297
Author(s):  
Kai Nagase
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Japanese Version ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Attention Switching ◽  
Humor Appreciation ◽  
The Relationship

Extant research regarding humor appreciation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder has been equivocal. This study aims to clarify the relationship between the severity of autism spectrum disorder characteristics and humor appreciation in typically developing individuals. We hypothesized that the severity of autistic traits would have a U-shaped linear relationship with humor appreciation. Eighty typically developing undergraduates between the ages of 18 and 22 years ( Mage = 20.20; SDage = 1.08) were recruited for this study. They were asked to answer 24 statements, devised to measure humor appreciation, in response to a joke stimulus comprising 12 typically funny daily life occurrences (two statements per episode). The participants also responded to the Japanese version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. A significant U-shaped relationship was observed between the severity of autistic traits and appreciation of humor. A similar significant U-shaped relationship was seen between humor appreciation and the Autism-Spectrum Quotient subscales of attention switching, communication, and imagination. Humor appreciation showed no significant U-shaped relationship with the Autism-Spectrum Quotient subscales of social skills and local details. This study identified ways that autistic traits may influence how people appreciate humor. These findings are discussed in relation to cognitive processes underlying humor appreciation.

scholarly journals Aberrant uncertainty processing is linked to psychotic-like experiences, autistic traits and reflected in pupil dilation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Kreis ◽  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Matthias Mittner ◽  
Leonard Syla ◽  
Claus Lamm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Computational Modelling ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Pupil Dilation ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Belief Updating ◽  
The World ◽  
Healthy Sample ◽  
The Relationship

Misestimation of uncertainty and an increased perception of the world as volatile (i.e. unstable) have been linked to aberrant belief updating in autism and psychotic disorders. Pupil dilation tracks belief updating and volatility, but studies linking pupillometric data to autistic- or psychotic-like symptoms are scarce. Here we investigated the relationship between behavioral and pupillometric markers of subjective volatility (i.e. experience of the world as unstable), psychotic-like experiences, and autistic traits in a healthy sample with a probabilistic reversal learning task. Computational modelling revealed that participants with high psychotic-like experience scores overestimated volatility in low-volatile task periods and showed a decreased pupil response to stimuli that urged belief updating. For autistic-like traits, behavioral results indicated a reduced ability to differentiate between high- and low-risk trials. These findings provide new insights into the relationship between misestimation of uncertainties and autistic and psychotic symptoms.

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