Face processing in young adults with autism and ADHD: An event related potentials study
BackgroundAtypicalities in perception and interpretation of faces and emotional facial expressions have been reported in both autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during childhood and adulthood. Investigation of face processing during young adulthood (18 to 25 years), a transit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1080681/full |
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| author | Ümit Aydin Ümit Aydin Roser Cañigueral Charlotte Tye Charlotte Tye Gráinne McLoughlin |
| author_facet | Ümit Aydin Ümit Aydin Roser Cañigueral Charlotte Tye Charlotte Tye Gráinne McLoughlin |
| author_sort | Ümit Aydin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundAtypicalities in perception and interpretation of faces and emotional facial expressions have been reported in both autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during childhood and adulthood. Investigation of face processing during young adulthood (18 to 25 years), a transition period to full-fledged adulthood, could provide important information on the adult outcomes of autism and ADHD.MethodsIn this study, we investigated event-related potentials (ERPs) related to visual face processing in autism, ADHD, and co–occurring autism and ADHD in a large sample of young adults (N = 566). The groups were based on the Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults 2.0 (DIVA-2) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2). We analyzed ERPs from two passive viewing tasks previously used in childhood investigations: (1) upright and inverted faces with direct or averted gaze; (2) faces expressing different emotions.ResultsAcross both tasks, we consistently found lower amplitude and longer latency of N170 in participants with autism compared to those without. Longer P1 latencies and smaller P3 amplitudes in response to emotional expressions and longer P3 latencies for upright faces were also characteristic to the autistic group. Those with ADHD had longer N170 latencies, specific to the face-gaze task. Individuals with both autism and ADHD showed additional alterations in gaze modulation and a lack of the face inversion effect indexed by a delayed N170.ConclusionAlterations in N170 for autistic young adults is largely consistent with studies on autistic adults, and some studies in autistic children. These findings suggest that there are identifiable and measurable socio-functional atypicalities in young adults with autism. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T00:40:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8801cd40f3d149999e693b9107ff1e95 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T00:40:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-8801cd40f3d149999e693b9107ff1e952023-03-14T05:48:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-03-011410.3389/fpsyt.2023.10806811080681Face processing in young adults with autism and ADHD: An event related potentials studyÜmit Aydin0Ümit Aydin1Roser Cañigueral2Charlotte Tye3Charlotte Tye4Gráinne McLoughlin5Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomSchool of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United KingdomDepartment of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomDepartment of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomSocial, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United KingdomBackgroundAtypicalities in perception and interpretation of faces and emotional facial expressions have been reported in both autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during childhood and adulthood. Investigation of face processing during young adulthood (18 to 25 years), a transition period to full-fledged adulthood, could provide important information on the adult outcomes of autism and ADHD.MethodsIn this study, we investigated event-related potentials (ERPs) related to visual face processing in autism, ADHD, and co–occurring autism and ADHD in a large sample of young adults (N = 566). The groups were based on the Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults 2.0 (DIVA-2) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2). We analyzed ERPs from two passive viewing tasks previously used in childhood investigations: (1) upright and inverted faces with direct or averted gaze; (2) faces expressing different emotions.ResultsAcross both tasks, we consistently found lower amplitude and longer latency of N170 in participants with autism compared to those without. Longer P1 latencies and smaller P3 amplitudes in response to emotional expressions and longer P3 latencies for upright faces were also characteristic to the autistic group. Those with ADHD had longer N170 latencies, specific to the face-gaze task. Individuals with both autism and ADHD showed additional alterations in gaze modulation and a lack of the face inversion effect indexed by a delayed N170.ConclusionAlterations in N170 for autistic young adults is largely consistent with studies on autistic adults, and some studies in autistic children. These findings suggest that there are identifiable and measurable socio-functional atypicalities in young adults with autism.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1080681/fullautismADHDevent-related potentialsface processinggaze directionemotional faces |
| spellingShingle | Ümit Aydin Ümit Aydin Roser Cañigueral Charlotte Tye Charlotte Tye Gráinne McLoughlin Face processing in young adults with autism and ADHD: An event related potentials study Frontiers in Psychiatry autism ADHD event-related potentials face processing gaze direction emotional faces |
| title | Face processing in young adults with autism and ADHD: An event related potentials study |
| title_full | Face processing in young adults with autism and ADHD: An event related potentials study |
| title_fullStr | Face processing in young adults with autism and ADHD: An event related potentials study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Face processing in young adults with autism and ADHD: An event related potentials study |
| title_short | Face processing in young adults with autism and ADHD: An event related potentials study |
| title_sort | face processing in young adults with autism and adhd an event related potentials study |
| topic | autism ADHD event-related potentials face processing gaze direction emotional faces |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1080681/full |
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