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Alpha asymmetry in infants at risk for autism spectrum disorders

Laurel Gabard-Durnam1, Adrienne L Tierney, Vanessa Vogel-Farley

  • 1Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|August 31, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Infants at high risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show distinct frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha asymmetry patterns by 6 months, differing from low-risk infants and indicating an early neural endophenotype.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research increasingly focuses on early identification using infant siblings.
  • Resting frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha asymmetry, reflecting brain hemispheric organization, is a potential neural endophenotype for ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the developmental trajectory of frontal EEG alpha asymmetry in infants at high and low risk for ASD.
  • To assess the potential of alpha asymmetry as an early neural marker for ASD.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of infant siblings of children diagnosed with ASD (high-risk) and infants with no family history (low-risk).
  • Measurement of resting frontal EEG alpha asymmetry at 6, 18, and 24 months of age.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences in alpha asymmetry patterns were observed between high-risk and low-risk infants at 6 months.
  • Opposite developmental trajectories of alpha asymmetry were noted in the two groups over the subsequent 12 months.

Conclusions:

  • Frontal EEG alpha asymmetry exhibits distinct developmental patterns in infants based on ASD risk.
  • Alpha asymmetry shows promise as an early neural endophenotype for autism spectrum disorder.

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