Event-related potentials in cross-modal divided attention in autism

The behavior and event-related potentials (ERPs) of high functioning subjects with autism (Autism group) were contrasted with the results of normal controls (Control group) during a focused visual attention, a focused auditory attention and a visual/auditory divided attention task. Detecting targets by the Autism group in the cross-modal divided attention condition was more difficult (longer RTs, lower % of correct detections) than attending to one modality. However, both the Autism and Control groups performed all tasks above chance level. The slow negative wave (SNW) was the only negative component which reflected Focused vs Divided task effect in Controls, being largest to stimuli in single channel-focused attention, intermediate when attention was divided between targets of two modalities and smallest to unattended stimuli. Task effects were more evident in the positive peaks for the Autism group. No significant divided attention task effect was noted for P3b, although it was larger for attended than ignored stimuli, of normal morphology and only slightly decreased in size in the Autism group as compared to the Control group. The failure of the Autism group to modulate the slow negative wave in response to Focused/Divided/Ignored conditions in a normal manner, the presence of relatively normal morphology despite the reduced amplitude of the P3b and other positive components, together with the high level of correct target detections are discussed in the context of a selective inhibition deficit and an alternative mechanism of selective attention in autism.