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Updated: Dec 26, 2025
Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Auditory steady-state response at 20 Hz and 40 Hz in young typically developing children and children with autism
Yasuki Ono1, Kiwamu Kudoh2, Takashi Ikeda3
1Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
Insights
Auditory steady-state responses (ASSR) at 20 Hz and 40 Hz showed no significant differences between typically developing children and those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, ASSR was linked to intelligence and age in specific groups.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Audiology
Background:
- Early detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is crucial for intervention.
- Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) assesses neural synchrony, a potential biomarker for ASD.
- Limited research exists on ASSR in young children with ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate ASSR at 20 Hz and 40 Hz in children aged 5-7 years with and without ASD.
- To compare ASSR findings between typically developing (TD) children and children with ASD.
- To explore the association between ASSR, age, and intellectual function.
Main Methods:
- Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to measure ASSR at 20 Hz and 40 Hz.
- Participants included 23 children with ASD and 32 TD children (ages 5-7).
- Intellectual function was assessed using the Kaufmann Assessment Battery for Children.
Main Results:
- ASSR at 20 Hz and 40 Hz was detected in both groups without significant differences.
- Right-dominant 40-Hz ASSR was observed in both TD children and children with ASD.
- Right-side 40-Hz ASSR correlated with age in TD children; left-side 40-Hz ASSR correlated with intelligence in both groups.
Conclusions:
- ASSR is detectable and shows right dominance in young children with and without ASD.
- No significant differences in ASSR were found between the two groups.
- ASSR showed associations with age and intellectual function, suggesting potential for further research in ASD.
Aim:
The early detection of autistic tendencies in children is essential for providing proper care and education. The auditory steady-state response (ASSR) provides a passive, non-invasive technique for assessing neural synchrony at specific response frequencies in many mental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but few studies have investigated its use in young children. This study investigated the ASSR at 20 Hz and 40 Hz in typically developing (TD) children and children with ASD aged 5-7 years.
Methods:
The participants were 23 children with ASD and 32 TD children aged 5-7 years. Using a custom-made magnetoencephalography device, we measured ASSR at 20 Hz and 40 Hz, compared the results between groups, and evaluated the association with intellectual function as measured by Kaufmann Assessment Battery for Children.
Results:
Responses to 20 Hz and 40 Hz were clearly detected in both groups with no significant difference identified. Consistent with previous findings, right dominance of the 40-Hz ASSR was observed in both groups. In the TD children, the right-side 40-Hz ASSR was correlated with age. The Kaufmann Assessment Battery for Children score was correlated with the left-side 40-Hz ASSR in both groups.
Conclusion:
Right-dominant ASSR was successfully detected in young TD children and children with ASD. No difference in ASSR was observed between the children with ASD and the TD children, although the right-side 40-Hz ASSR increased with age only in the TD children. Left-side 40-Hz ASSR was associated with intelligence score in both groups.
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