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Comparing Eye-tracking Data of Children with High-functioning ASD, Comorbid ADHD, and of a Control Watching Social Videos
Published on: December 7, 2018
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Visual social attention in SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability
Damien Wright1, Aisling Kenny1, Sarah Eley1
1Patrick Wild Centre, Division of Psychiatry, Kennedy Tower, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Summary
Individuals with SYNGAP1-ID show altered visual social attention, looking less at faces and eyes. This research highlights differences in social processing for SYNGAP1-ID, using eye tracking as a key measure.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- SynGAP1-ID is a neurodevelopmental disorder linked to SYNGAP1 gene mutations, causing developmental delays and associated conditions like autism.
- The specific social cognitive differences in SYNGAP1-ID compared to other autism forms remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate visual social attention patterns in individuals with SYNGAP1-ID.
- To compare social attention behaviors between SYNGAP1-ID participants and typically developing controls.
Main Methods:
- Eye movements were recorded during three passive viewing tasks of varying social complexity.
- Participants included 24 individuals with SYNGAP1-ID and 12 typically developing controls.
- Tasks involved face scanning, object/face pop-out detection, and social scene preference.
Main Results:
- SYNGAP1-ID participants exhibited reduced overall face viewing time and fewer fixations to the eye region.
- In a mixed-stimulus array, SYNGAP1-ID individuals showed less time viewing a phone and fewer fixations on faces.
- No significant differences in eye tracking measures were found when comparing social and non-social naturalistic scenes.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with SYNGAP1-ID demonstrate distinct visual social attention patterns, particularly concerning faces and eyes.
- Eye tracking offers a valuable, objective method for assessing the social phenotype in SYNGAP1-ID for future research and clinical applications.
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