Visual and Verbal Narrative Comprehension in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An ERP Study

Author(s)

Manfredi, Mirella ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Cohn, Neil ^[4] ; Sanchez Mello, Pamella ^[3] ; Fernandez, Elizabeth ^[3] ; Boggio, Paulo Sergio ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Zurich, Dept Psychol, Zurich - Switzerland

^[2] Univ Zurich, Dev Psychol Infancy & Childhood, Binzmuehlestr 14, CH-8050 Zurich - Switzerland

^[3] Univ Prebiteriana Mackenzie, Ctr Biol Sci & Hlth, Social & Cognit Neurosci Lab, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Tilburg Univ, Dept Commun & Cognit, Tilburg - Netherlands

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS; v. 50, n. 8, p. 2658-2672, AUG 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

We examined semantic processing in ASD children by presenting sentences with congruent or incongruent final words and visual narratives with congruent or incongruent final panels. An N400 effect to incongruent words appeared as compared to congruent ones, which was attenuated for the ASD children. We observed a negativity sustained to incongruous than congruous words, but only for the TD children. Incongruent panels evoked a greater fronto-central N400 amplitude than congruent panels in both groups. In addition, incongruent panels evoked a centro-parietal late positivity, only in controls. In conclusion, ASD children face processing deficits in both verbal and visual materials when integrating meaning across information, though such impairments may arise in different parts of the interpretive process, depending on the modality. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/00553-5 - Semantic processing of the audiovisual information in autism: an electrophysiological exploration
• Grantee: Mirella Manfredi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral