Identifying prognostic markers in autism spectrum disorder using eye tracking

Area of Science:

• Developmental psychology
• Neuroscience
• Clinical psychology

Background:

• Early detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing, but prognostic markers for young children are lacking.
• Child brain development is influenced by attention, which can be measured using eye-tracking technology.
• Eye tracking offers potential for identifying early prognostic indicators in ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if early eye-tracking preferences in toddlers with ASD predict later school-age outcomes.
• To determine the prognostic value of the GeoPref Test for symptom severity, social functioning, adaptive behavior, joint attention, and IQ.

Main Methods:

• 49 children aged 1-3 years with ASD completed the GeoPref Test (eye-tracking).
• Participants underwent a comprehensive assessment battery between ages 5-9 years.
• Statistical analyses examined the predictive relationship between early eye-tracking data and later outcomes.

Main Results:

• Toddlers with a higher preference for geometric images showed increased symptom severity at school age.
• These children also exhibited fewer gaze shifts.
• No significant relationship was found between early visual preference and later IQ or adaptive behavior.

Conclusions:

• The GeoPref Test shows potential as a prognostic tool for symptom severity in early-detected ASD.
• Further development of eye-tracking paradigms could enhance prognostic accuracy and treatment validation.