Domain-General Decoupling and Context-Specific Buffering: Transdiagnostic Eye-Tracking Biomarkers of ASD and ADHD...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Computational Psychiatry

Background:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) share clinical features, complicating diagnosis.
• Categorical diagnostic approaches may overlook shared physiological underpinnings.
• Dimensional analysis of traits is crucial for understanding neurodevelopmental conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate dimensional and categorical aspects of ASD and ADHD traits using eye-tracking synchrony.
• To explore context-specific physiological synchrony during naturalistic viewing.
• To examine the impact of comorbid ASD and ADHD on visual attention and arousal.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of multimodal eye-tracking synchrony in a large pediatric cohort (N=2,036).
• Utilized a novel 2D framework for gaze alignment strength and spatial geometry.
• Incorporated shared pupillary responses as a measure of physiological arousal synchrony across four media contexts.

Main Results:

• Autistic traits correlated with reduced visual attention and arousal synchrony during social narratives.
• ADHD traits independently predicted reduced synchrony during fast-paced media.
• Comorbid ASD and ADHD showed less severe gaze decoupling than expected, suggesting attentional flexibility offsets restricted attention.

Conclusions:

• Physiological synchrony serves as a potential transdiagnostic biomarker, aligning with the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework.
• ASD and ADHD comorbidities may involve competing neurocognitive strategies rather than additive deficits.
• Context-specific analysis is vital for understanding the nuanced interplay of ASD and ADHD traits.