Atypical attention to voice in toddlers and pre-schoolers with autism spectrum disorder is related to unimpaired cognitive abilities. An ERP study

High-functioning ASD adults show a speech comprehension rate of nearly 100% in the absence of noise, similar to IQ-matched controls.

“High-functioning ASD adults show a speech comprehension rate of nearly 100% in the absence of noise, similar to IQ-matched controls (Piatti et al. 2021; Dwyer et al. 2021).”

Young ASD children with no developmental delay seemed to present more negative MMN voltages and an attenuated response of P3a mean voltages when deviant tones were presented in speech.

“Regarding top–down and bottom–up attentional processes, young ASD children with no developmental delay seemed to present more negative MMN voltages and an attenuated response of P3a mean voltages when deviant tones were presented in speech (Piatti et al. 2021).”

Under noise conditions, the ASD group presents worse speech comprehension and neural over-responsiveness.

“However, under noise conditions, the ASD group presents worse speech comprehension and neural over-responsiveness (Piatti et al. 2021; Dwyer et al. 2021).”

Early MMN (around 120 ms) show enlarged responses only for pure-tone context, with no other modulations dependent on action sound context.

“Early MMN (around 120 ms) show enlarged responses only for pure-tone context, with no other modulations dependent on action sound context (Piatti et al. 2021).”

Children with developmental delay do not differ from the control group in the P3a component.

“Children with developmental delay did not differ from the control group in the P3a component (Piatti et al. 2021).”

There is EEG evidence for altered semantic processing in children with ASD, characterized by delayed processing speed and limited integration with mental representations.

“There is EEG evidence for altered semantic processing in children with ASD, characterized by delayed processing speed and limited integration with mental representations (Piatti et al. 2021; Distefano et al. 2019).”