Own-name processing in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder: ERP evidence from an auditory oddball paradigm

Reduced responsiveness to hearing one's own name is a core early behavioral predictor of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This behavioral maker reflects atypicalities in self-related and social auditory processing, that are foundational to the development of social communication. To better understand the underlying neural mechanism of this alteration, the current study investigated neural correlates of auditory own-name processing in a sample of toddlers with ASD and typically developing (TD) controls using an auditory novelty oddball paradigm.

Participants included 54 toddlers (30 ASD, 24 TD; 2-4 years) who passively listened to five auditory stimuli consisted of pure tones (500Hz and 1000Hz) and name types (self, familiar and stranger names). An auditory novelty oddball paradigm was utilized to assess neural response to standard and deviant stimuli, as well as to the different name types. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to measure neural activity during the stimulus processing.

Compared to TD controls, autistic toddlers showed reduced late MMN to deviant tones that was infrequently presented relative to standard tones; Analysis of ERP components during own-name processing revealed atypical neural response pattern: autistic toddlers exhibited enhanced central P3a coupled with decreased LDN amplitudes to one's own-name relative to other names, and lack of parietal LPP effect typically observed in response to one's own-name.

Our findings provide insight into the neural mechanisms underlying altered own-name processing in toddlers with ASD. These results suggest preserved early attentional capture of self-relevant salience, but atypical higher-order cognitive functioning during self-related and social auditory processing in toddlers with ASD.