ABSTRACT
Background Atypical auditory cortical processing is consistently found in scalp electrophysiological and magnetoencephalographic studies of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and may provide a marker of neuropathological brain development. However, the relationship between atypical cortical processing of auditory information and adaptive behavior in ASD is not yet well understood.
Methods We sought to test the hypothesis that early auditory processing in ASD is related to everyday adaptive behavior through the examination of auditory event-related potentials (AEPs) in response to simple tones and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales in a large cohort of children with ASD (N=89), aged 6-17, and in age- and IQ-matched neurotypically (NT) developing controls (N=120).
Results Statistical analyses revealed significant group differences in early AEPs over temporal scalp regions. Whereas the expected rightward lateralization of the AEP to tonal stimuli occurred in both groups, lateralization of the AEP was only significantly associated with adaptive functioning, in the domains of communication and daily living, in the ASD group.
Conclusions These results lend support to the hypothesis that atypical processing of sensory information is related to everyday adaptive behavior in autism.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
List of Abbreviations
- ADI-R
- Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised
- AEMF
- Auditory evoked magnetic fields
- ASD
- Autism spectrum disorder
- ADOS-2
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2
- EEG
- Electroencephalography
- ERP
- Event related potential
- FSIQ
- Full-scale intelligence quotient
- MEG
- Magnetoencephalography
- NT
- Neurotypical
- PIQ
- Performance intelligent quotient
- VIQ
- Verbal intelligent quotient
- WASI-II
- Weschler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Second Edition
- AEP
- Auditory Evoked Potential
- SCP
- Statistical Cluster Plot
- ABC
- Adaptive Behavior Composite
- RT
- Reaction Time