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Mismatch negativity in children with autism and typical development
Michelle A Dunn1, Hilary Gomes, Judith Gravel
1Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1410 Pelham Parkway South, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. dunn@aecom.yu.edu
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|July 13, 2007
Summary
Children with autism show impaired automatic auditory processing, indicated by reduced mismatch negativity (MMN). However, they process sounds typically when attention is engaged, suggesting attention is key for auditory discrimination.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Audiology
Background:
- Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit atypical auditory processing.
- Understanding auditory processing in ASD is crucial for early intervention and support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate automatic and active auditory processing in children with autism using mismatch negativity (MMN).
- To explore the role of attention in auditory discrimination for children with ASD.
Main Methods:
- Event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured, specifically the mismatch negativity (MMN) component.
- MMN was assessed under both unattended (automatic processing) and attended (active processing) conditions.
- Participants included children with autism and typically developing children.
Main Results:
- Children with autism demonstrated significantly smaller MMN amplitudes in unattended conditions compared to controls.
- MMN amplitudes in children with autism were comparable to controls when they actively attended to stimuli.
- No significant relationship was found between receptive language abilities and MMN in children with autism.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest that children with autism have abnormal automatic auditory processing.
- Auditory discrimination of sound changes in children with autism may rely on attentional mechanisms, differing from typical development.
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