Cited by 623Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchChild and Animal Learning DevelopmentAction Observation and Synchronization

Decreased Spontaneous Attention to Social Scenes in 6-Month-Old Infants Later Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Chawarska, Katarzyna, Macari, Suzanne, Shic, Frederick·2013·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Background The ability to spontaneously attend to the social overtures and activities of others is essential for the development of social cognition and communication. This ability is critically impaired in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, it is not clear if prodromal symptoms in this area are already present in the first year of life of those affected by the disorder.Methods To examine whether 6-month-old infants later diagnosed with ASD exhibit atypical spontaneous social monitoring skills, visual responses of 67 infants at high-risk and 50 at low-risk for ASD were studied using an eye-tracking task. Based on their clinical presentation in the third year, infants were divided into those with ASD, those exhibiting atypical development, and those developing typically.Results Compared with the control groups, 6-month-old infants later diagnosed with ASD attended less to the social scene, and when they did look at the scene, they spent less time monitoring the actress in general and her face in particular. Limited attention to the actress and her activities was not accompanied by enhanced attention to objects.Conclusions Prodromal symptoms of ASD at 6 months include a diminished ability to attend spontaneously to people and their activities. A limited attentional bias toward people early in development is likely to have a detrimental impact on the specialization of social brain networks and the emergence of social interaction patterns. Further investigation into its underlying mechanisms and role in psychopathology of ASD in the first year is warranted.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.11.022

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  1. [46]Edwards S Fletcher P Garman M Hughes A Letts C Sinka I The Reynell Developmental Language Scales III London NFER-Nelson: The University of Reading Edition 1997

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Authors
Chawarska, K., Macari, S., & Shic, F.
Affiliations
Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
Chawarska, Katarzyna
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-08
Volume
74
Issue
3
Pages
195-203
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2157183647
Cited by
623
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 45 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 86 · 2019: 75 · 2018: 53 · 2017: 42 · 2016: 38 · 2015: 45 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 18
FWCI
22.94
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R03MH092618, R01MH087554, R03MH086732)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (P01HD003008)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, prodromal symptoms, infant gaze behavior, face attention, atypical development, high-risk infants, social brain network
MeSH terms
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Developmental Disabilities, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Face, Female, Fixation, Ocular, Humans, Infant, Male, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Photic Stimulation, Social Behavior, Social Perception, Time Factors, Disease Progression

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