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Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

Published on: April 11, 2019

Pupillary Contagion in Autism.

Martyna A Galazka¹, Jakob Åsberg Johnels^1,2, Nicole R Zürcher³

¹1 Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg.

Psychological Science

|November 17, 2018

Summary

Individuals with autism exhibit pupillary contagion, an involuntary pupil size change, comparable to typical individuals when viewing emotional faces. This occurs despite reduced attention to the eye region in autism, suggesting alternative socioaffective processing.

Keywords:

autism spectrum disorder autonomic mimicry emotional contagion hyperarousal pupil

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Last Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Pupillary Response as Assessment of Effective Seizure Induction by Electroconvulsive Therapy

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Published on: April 11, 2019

Eye Tracking Young Children with Autism

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Published on: March 27, 2012

Probing the Brain in Autism Using fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

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Published on: September 12, 2011

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychology
Developmental Psychology

Background:

Pupillary contagion, an involuntary pupil size change mirroring another's, is vital for group adaptation.
This phenomenon is well-documented in typical infants and adults.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by social communication differences.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate pupillary contagion in individuals with autism for the first time.
To compare pupillary responses in individuals with and without autism when viewing emotional stimuli.
To explore the relationship between eye-gaze patterns and pupillary responses in autism.

Main Methods:

Pupillometry was used to measure pupil size changes.
Participants (54 with autism, 63 typical) viewed images of emotional faces.
Eye-tracking quantified attention to the eye region.

Main Results:

Individuals with autism showed comparable pupillary contagion to typical individuals.
This occurred despite significantly less spontaneous attention to the eye region in the autism group.
Pupillary response magnitude in the autism group negatively correlated with fixation time on the eyes.

Conclusions:

Individuals with autism demonstrate pupillary contagion, indicating sensitivity to others' affective states.
This response occurs even with reduced direct visual attention to the eyes.
Findings support an overarousal model for socioaffective processing differences in autism.