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Cited by 32Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchNeuroscience and Music PerceptionGenetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Atypical sound discrimination in children with ASD as indicated by cortical ERPs

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Bidet-Caulet, Aurélie, Latinus, Marianne, Roux, Sylvie, Malvy, Joëlle, Bonnet-Brilhault, Frédérique, Bruneau, Nicole·2017·Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
DOI 10.1186/s11689-017-9194-9PMC PMC5381025
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show a relative indifference to the human voice. Accordingly, and contrarily to their typically developed peers, adults with autism do not show a preferential response to voices in the superior temporal sulcus; this lack of voice-specific response was previously linked to atypical processing of voices. In electroencephalography, a slow event-related potential (ERP) called the fronto-temporal positivity to voice (FTPV) is larger for vocal than for non-vocal sounds, resulting in a voice-sensitive response over right fronto-temporal sites. Here, we investigated the neurophysiological correlates of voice perception in children with and without ASD. METHODS: Sixteen children with autism and 16 age-matched typically developing children heard vocal (speech and non-speech) and non-vocal sounds while their electroencephalographic activity was recorded; overall IQ was smaller in the group of children with ASD. ERP amplitudes were compared using non-parametric statistical tests at each electrode and in successive 20-ms time windows. Within each group, differences between conditions were assessed using a non-parametric Quade test between 0 and 400 ms post-stimulus. Inter-group comparisons of ERP amplitudes were performed using non-paired Kruskal-Wallis tests between 140 and 180 ms post-stimulus. RESULTS: Typically developing children showed the classical voice-sensitive response over right fronto-temporal electrodes, for both speech and non-speech vocal sounds. Children with ASD did not show a preferential response to vocal sounds. Inter-group analysis showed no difference in the processing of vocal sounds, both speech and non-speech, but significant differences in the processing of non-vocal sounds over right fronto-temporal sites. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate a lack of voice-preferential response in children with autism spectrum disorders. In contrast to observations in adults with ASD, the lack of voice-preferential response was attributed to an atypical response to non-vocal sounds, which was overall more similar to the event-related potentials evoked by vocal sounds in both groups. This result suggests atypical maturation processes in ASD impeding the specialization of temporal regions in voice processing.

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Bidet-Caulet, A., Latinus, M., Roux, S., Malvy, J., Bonnet-Brilhault, F., & Bruneau, N.
Affiliations
Université de Tours (FR)
Corresponding author
Latinus, Marianne
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2017-04-05
Volume
9
Issue
1
Pages
13-13
ISSN
  • 1866-1947 (ISSN-L)
  • 1866-1955
DOI
10.1186/s11689-017-9194-9
PMC
PMC5381025
OpenAlex
W2602123622
Cited by
32
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2
FWCI
1.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Regional Clinical Research Program (PHRI06-VHA)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Music Perception
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, voice perception, sound discrimination, event-related potentials, children, speech processing, superior temporal sulcus, neuronal maturation, auditory processing

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