Atypical audio-visual neural synchrony and speech processing in early autism / Xiaoyue WANG in Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 17 (2025)  

Public ISBD [article]  inJournal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders > 17 (2025) Titre : Atypical audio-visual neural synchrony and speech processing in early autism Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Xiaoyue WANG, Auteur ; Sophie BOUTON, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Anne-Lise GIRAUD, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Humans  Female  Male  Speech Perception/physiology  Autism Spectrum Disorder/physiopathology  Child, Preschool  Electroencephalography  Visual Perception/physiology  Auditory Perception/physiology  Eye-Tracking Technology  Child  Photic Stimulation  Brain/physiopathology  Acoustic Stimulation  Audio-visual  Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)  Gaze direction  Oscillation phase entrainment  Speech envelope  Visual motion  Ethics approval and consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from  the parents of all participants prior to inclusion in the study. The research was  conducted with the ethical standards set forth by the Ethics Committee of the  Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva Hospital and adhered to the  principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Competing interests: The  authors declare no conflict of interest. Preprint servers: The manuscript was  deposited as a preprint in bioRxiv with the license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : BACKGROUND: Children with Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit communication difficulties that may stem from basic auditory temporal integration impairment but also be aggravated by an audio-visual integration deficit, resulting in a lack of interest in face-to-face communication. This study addresses whether speech processing anomalies in young autistic children (mean age 3.09-year-old) are associated with alterations of audio-visual temporal integration. METHODS: We used high-density electroencephalography (HD-EEG) and eye tracking to record brain activity and gaze patterns in 31 children with ASD (6 females) and 33 typically developing (TD) children (11 females), while they watched cartoon videos. Neural responses to temporal audio-visual stimuli were analyzed using Temporal Response Functions model and phase analyses for audiovisual temporal coordination. RESULTS: The reconstructability of speech signals from auditory responses was reduced in children with ASD compared to TD, but despite more restricted gaze patterns in ASD it was similar for visual responses in both groups. Speech reception was most strongly affected when visual speech information was also present, an interference that was not seen in TD children. These differences were associated with a broader phase angle distribution (exceeding pi/2) in the EEG theta range in children with ASD, signaling reduced reliability of audio-visual temporal alignment. CONCLUSION: These findings show that speech processing anomalies in ASD do not stand alone and that they are associated already at a very early development stage with audio-visual imbalance with poor auditory response encoding and disrupted audio-visual temporal coordination. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s11689-025-09593-w Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=576 [article] Atypical audio-visual neural synchrony and speech processing in early autism [texte imprimé] / Xiaoyue WANG, Auteur ; Sophie BOUTON, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Anne-Lise GIRAUD, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders > 17 (2025) Mots-clés : Humans  Female  Male  Speech Perception/physiology  Autism Spectrum Disorder/physiopathology  Child, Preschool  Electroencephalography  Visual Perception/physiology  Auditory Perception/physiology  Eye-Tracking Technology  Child  Photic Stimulation  Brain/physiopathology  Acoustic Stimulation  Audio-visual  Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)  Gaze direction  Oscillation phase entrainment  Speech envelope  Visual motion  Ethics approval and consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from  the parents of all participants prior to inclusion in the study. The research was  conducted with the ethical standards set forth by the Ethics Committee of the  Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva Hospital and adhered to the  principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Competing interests: The  authors declare no conflict of interest. Preprint servers: The manuscript was  deposited as a preprint in bioRxiv with the license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : BACKGROUND: Children with Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit communication difficulties that may stem from basic auditory temporal integration impairment but also be aggravated by an audio-visual integration deficit, resulting in a lack of interest in face-to-face communication. This study addresses whether speech processing anomalies in young autistic children (mean age 3.09-year-old) are associated with alterations of audio-visual temporal integration. METHODS: We used high-density electroencephalography (HD-EEG) and eye tracking to record brain activity and gaze patterns in 31 children with ASD (6 females) and 33 typically developing (TD) children (11 females), while they watched cartoon videos. Neural responses to temporal audio-visual stimuli were analyzed using Temporal Response Functions model and phase analyses for audiovisual temporal coordination. RESULTS: The reconstructability of speech signals from auditory responses was reduced in children with ASD compared to TD, but despite more restricted gaze patterns in ASD it was similar for visual responses in both groups. Speech reception was most strongly affected when visual speech information was also present, an interference that was not seen in TD children. These differences were associated with a broader phase angle distribution (exceeding pi/2) in the EEG theta range in children with ASD, signaling reduced reliability of audio-visual temporal alignment. CONCLUSION: These findings show that speech processing anomalies in ASD do not stand alone and that they are associated already at a very early development stage with audio-visual imbalance with poor auditory response encoding and disrupted audio-visual temporal coordination. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s11689-025-09593-w Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=576

Early trajectories and moderators of autistic language profiles: A longitudinal study in preschoolers / Michel GODEL ; Martina FRANCHINI ; Fiona JOURNAL ; Nada KOJOVIC ; Marie SCHAER in Autism, 28-12 (December 2024)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 28-12 (December 2024) . - p.3043-3062 Titre : Early trajectories and moderators of autistic language profiles: A longitudinal study in preschoolers Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Michel GODEL, Auteur ; Martina FRANCHINI, Auteur ; Fiona JOURNAL, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.3043-3062 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : autism spectrum disorders  cluster analysis  early intervention  Early Start Denver Model  moderators  precision medicine  prognosis Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Both expressive and receptive language difficulties in autism emerge early and significantly have an impact on social functioning and quality of life. Despite their wide heterogeneity, autistic language abilities can be stratified into three distinct profiles. Language unimpaired exhibit near-typical verbal performance, language impaired show significant alterations in language structure, and minimally verbal display limited verbal abilities. However, little is known about the early trajectories and moderators specific to each profile. Here, we used a longitudinal sample of 286 preschoolers with autism and 85 typically developing (aged 1.5-5.7 years old), yielding 1164 visits. Our cluster analysis replicated the three well-established autistic language profiles (language unimpaired, n = 86; language impaired, n = 85; minimally verbal, n = 44) and revealed their specific early trajectories in expressive vocabulary, syntax, and pragmatics. At age 2.4, non-verbal cognition moderated the participants' attribution to each language profile. Moreover, early stereotyped language specifically moderated the later verbal performance of language unimpaired participants, while the language outcome of language impaired participants was moderated by early intensive behavioral intervention. In conclusion, we provided a fine-grained description of language acquisition trajectories and moderators of autistic language profiles in a longitudinal sample exposed to French language, paving the way toward personalized medicine to autistic language difficulties. Lay Abstract Language development can greatly vary among autistic children. Children who struggle with language acquisition often face many challenges and experience lower quality of life. However, little is known about the early language trajectories of autistic preschoolers and their moderators. Autistic language can be stratified into three profiles. Language unimpaired experience little to no language difficulties; language impaired show significant difficulties in language; minimally verbal never develop functional language. In this study, we used a longitudinal sample of preschoolers with autism and with typical development (aged 1.5-5.7 years). We replicated the three language profiles through a data-driven approach. We also found that different factors modulated the language outcome within each group. For instance, non-verbal cognition at age 2.4 moderated the participants' attribution to each language profile. Moreover, early intervention moderated verbal outcome in the language impaired profile. In conclusion, we provided a detailed description of how autistic preschoolers acquire language, and what factors might influence their trajectories. Our findings could inspire more personalized intervention for early autistic language difficulties. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613241253015 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=543 [article] Early trajectories and moderators of autistic language profiles: A longitudinal study in preschoolers [texte imprimé] / Michel GODEL, Auteur ; Martina FRANCHINI, Auteur ; Fiona JOURNAL, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur . - p.3043-3062. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 28-12 (December 2024) . - p.3043-3062 Mots-clés : autism spectrum disorders  cluster analysis  early intervention  Early Start Denver Model  moderators  precision medicine  prognosis Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Both expressive and receptive language difficulties in autism emerge early and significantly have an impact on social functioning and quality of life. Despite their wide heterogeneity, autistic language abilities can be stratified into three distinct profiles. Language unimpaired exhibit near-typical verbal performance, language impaired show significant alterations in language structure, and minimally verbal display limited verbal abilities. However, little is known about the early trajectories and moderators specific to each profile. Here, we used a longitudinal sample of 286 preschoolers with autism and 85 typically developing (aged 1.5-5.7 years old), yielding 1164 visits. Our cluster analysis replicated the three well-established autistic language profiles (language unimpaired, n = 86; language impaired, n = 85; minimally verbal, n = 44) and revealed their specific early trajectories in expressive vocabulary, syntax, and pragmatics. At age 2.4, non-verbal cognition moderated the participants' attribution to each language profile. Moreover, early stereotyped language specifically moderated the later verbal performance of language unimpaired participants, while the language outcome of language impaired participants was moderated by early intensive behavioral intervention. In conclusion, we provided a fine-grained description of language acquisition trajectories and moderators of autistic language profiles in a longitudinal sample exposed to French language, paving the way toward personalized medicine to autistic language difficulties. Lay Abstract Language development can greatly vary among autistic children. Children who struggle with language acquisition often face many challenges and experience lower quality of life. However, little is known about the early language trajectories of autistic preschoolers and their moderators. Autistic language can be stratified into three profiles. Language unimpaired experience little to no language difficulties; language impaired show significant difficulties in language; minimally verbal never develop functional language. In this study, we used a longitudinal sample of preschoolers with autism and with typical development (aged 1.5-5.7 years). We replicated the three language profiles through a data-driven approach. We also found that different factors modulated the language outcome within each group. For instance, non-verbal cognition at age 2.4 moderated the participants' attribution to each language profile. Moreover, early intervention moderated verbal outcome in the language impaired profile. In conclusion, we provided a detailed description of how autistic preschoolers acquire language, and what factors might influence their trajectories. Our findings could inspire more personalized intervention for early autistic language difficulties. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613241253015 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=543

Examining the Link Between Social Affect and Visual Exploration of Cute Stimuli in Autistic Children / Alexandra ZAHARIA in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 55-12 (December 2025)  

Public ISBD [article]  inJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 55-12 (December 2025) . - p.4212-4225 Titre : Examining the Link Between Social Affect and Visual Exploration of Cute Stimuli in Autistic Children Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Alexandra ZAHARIA, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Tara ROJANAWISUT, Auteur ; David SANDER, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur ; Andrea C. SAMSON, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.4212-4225 Langues : Anglais (eng) Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Baby schema refers to physical features perceived as cute, known to trigger attention, induce positive emotions, and prompt social interactions. Given the reduced visual attention to social stimuli observed in individuals on the autism spectrum, the current study examines whether the sensitivity to baby schema is also affected. We expected that the looking time towards cute-featured stimuli would vary with symptom severity levels and would be associated with social affect. Ninety-four children (31 typically developing; 63 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder - ASD) aged 20-83 months (M = 49.63, SD = 13.59) completed an eye-tracking visual exploration task. Autistic participants were separated into two groups based on symptom severity: children with high autism severity symptoms (HS ASD; N = 23) and low-moderate autism symptoms (LMS ASD; N = 40). Animals and neutral objects were simultaneously presented on the screen along with either human babies (condition 1) or adults (condition 2). The results indicated that visual attention oriented to cute-featured stimuli varied with autism symptom severity: only LMS and TD groups spend more time looking at cute-featured stimuli (babies; animals) than neutral objects. Moreover, children with higher severity in the social affect domain spent less time on the stimuli depicting cute than non-cute stimuli. These findings suggest that autism symptom severity and social skills are linked to variations in visual attention to cute stimuli. Implications of baby schema sensitivity are discussed in relation to the development of social competencies and play, responsiveness to robot-based interventions, as well as appraised relevance in autistic children. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06504-1 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=572 [article] Examining the Link Between Social Affect and Visual Exploration of Cute Stimuli in Autistic Children [texte imprimé] / Alexandra ZAHARIA, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Tara ROJANAWISUT, Auteur ; David SANDER, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur ; Andrea C. SAMSON, Auteur . - p.4212-4225. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 55-12 (December 2025) . - p.4212-4225 Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Baby schema refers to physical features perceived as cute, known to trigger attention, induce positive emotions, and prompt social interactions. Given the reduced visual attention to social stimuli observed in individuals on the autism spectrum, the current study examines whether the sensitivity to baby schema is also affected. We expected that the looking time towards cute-featured stimuli would vary with symptom severity levels and would be associated with social affect. Ninety-four children (31 typically developing; 63 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder - ASD) aged 20-83 months (M = 49.63, SD = 13.59) completed an eye-tracking visual exploration task. Autistic participants were separated into two groups based on symptom severity: children with high autism severity symptoms (HS ASD; N = 23) and low-moderate autism symptoms (LMS ASD; N = 40). Animals and neutral objects were simultaneously presented on the screen along with either human babies (condition 1) or adults (condition 2). The results indicated that visual attention oriented to cute-featured stimuli varied with autism symptom severity: only LMS and TD groups spend more time looking at cute-featured stimuli (babies; animals) than neutral objects. Moreover, children with higher severity in the social affect domain spent less time on the stimuli depicting cute than non-cute stimuli. These findings suggest that autism symptom severity and social skills are linked to variations in visual attention to cute stimuli. Implications of baby schema sensitivity are discussed in relation to the development of social competencies and play, responsiveness to robot-based interventions, as well as appraised relevance in autistic children. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06504-1 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=572

Phenotyping variability in early socio-communicative skills in young children with autism and its influence on later development / Fiona JOURNAL in Autism Research, 17-10 (October 2024)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism Research > 17-10 (October 2024) . - p.2030-2044 Titre : Phenotyping variability in early socio-communicative skills in young children with autism and its influence on later development Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : Fiona JOURNAL, Auteur ; Martina FRANCHINI, Auteur ; Michel GODEL, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Kenza LATRÈCHE, Auteur ; Stefania SOLAZZO, Auteur ; Maude SCHNEIDER, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.2030-2044 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : autism spectrum disorders  cluster analysis  deep phenotyping  joint attention  nonverbal communication  phenotype  trajectories Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Abstract Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face challenges in early social communication skills, prompting the need for a detailed exploration of specific behaviors and their impact on cognitive and adaptive functioning. This study aims to address this gap by examining the developmental trajectories of early social communication skills in preschoolers with ASD aged 18 60 months, comparing them to age-matched typically developing (TD) children. Utilizing the early social communication scales (ESCS), the research employs a longitudinal design to capture changes over time. We apply a principal component analysis (PCA) to ESCS variables to identify underlying components, and cluster analysis to identify subgroups based on preverbal communication profiles. The results reveal consistent differences in early social communication skills between ASD and TD children, with ASD children exhibiting reduced skills. PCA identifies two components, distinguishing objects-directed behaviors and social interaction-directed behaviors. Cluster analysis identifies three subgroups of autistic children, each displaying specific communication profiles associated with distinct cognitive and adaptive functioning trajectories. In conclusion, this study provides a nuanced understanding of early social communication development in ASD, emphasizing the importance of low-level behaviors. The identification of subgroups and their unique trajectories contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of ASD heterogeneity. These findings underscore the significance of early diagnosis, focusing on specific behaviors predicting cognitive and adaptive functioning outcomes. The study encourages further research to explore the sequential development of these skills, offering valuable insights for interventions and support strategies. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.3188 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=536 [article] Phenotyping variability in early socio-communicative skills in young children with autism and its influence on later development [texte imprimé] / Fiona JOURNAL, Auteur ; Martina FRANCHINI, Auteur ; Michel GODEL, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Kenza LATRÈCHE, Auteur ; Stefania SOLAZZO, Auteur ; Maude SCHNEIDER, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur . - p.2030-2044. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism Research > 17-10 (October 2024) . - p.2030-2044 Mots-clés : autism spectrum disorders  cluster analysis  deep phenotyping  joint attention  nonverbal communication  phenotype  trajectories Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Abstract Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face challenges in early social communication skills, prompting the need for a detailed exploration of specific behaviors and their impact on cognitive and adaptive functioning. This study aims to address this gap by examining the developmental trajectories of early social communication skills in preschoolers with ASD aged 18 60 months, comparing them to age-matched typically developing (TD) children. Utilizing the early social communication scales (ESCS), the research employs a longitudinal design to capture changes over time. We apply a principal component analysis (PCA) to ESCS variables to identify underlying components, and cluster analysis to identify subgroups based on preverbal communication profiles. The results reveal consistent differences in early social communication skills between ASD and TD children, with ASD children exhibiting reduced skills. PCA identifies two components, distinguishing objects-directed behaviors and social interaction-directed behaviors. Cluster analysis identifies three subgroups of autistic children, each displaying specific communication profiles associated with distinct cognitive and adaptive functioning trajectories. In conclusion, this study provides a nuanced understanding of early social communication development in ASD, emphasizing the importance of low-level behaviors. The identification of subgroups and their unique trajectories contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of ASD heterogeneity. These findings underscore the significance of early diagnosis, focusing on specific behaviors predicting cognitive and adaptive functioning outcomes. The study encourages further research to explore the sequential development of these skills, offering valuable insights for interventions and support strategies. En ligne : https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.3188 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=536

Predictors of Treatment Outcome in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Study in the Greater Geneva Area, Switzerland / François ROBAIN in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50-11 (November 2020)  

Public ISBD [article]  inJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 50-11 (November 2020) . - p.3815-3830 Titre : Predictors of Treatment Outcome in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Study in the Greater Geneva Area, Switzerland Type de document : texte imprimé Auteurs : François ROBAIN, Auteur ; Martina FRANCHINI, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Hilary WOOD DE WILDE, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.3815-3830 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : Community treatment  Early Start Denver Model  Early intervention  Intensity of intervention  Predictors  Social orienting Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : This study aims to identify predictors of treatment outcome in young children with ASD within a European context, where service provision of intervention remains sporadic. We investigated whether a child's age at baseline, intensity of the intervention provided, type of intervention, child's level of social orienting and cognitive skills at baseline predicted changes in autistic symptoms and cognitive development after 1 year of intervention, in a sample of 60 children with ASD. Our results strongly support early and intensive intervention. We also observed that lower cognitive skills at baseline were related to greater cognitive gains. Finally, we show that a child's interest in social stimuli may contribute to intervention outcome. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04430-6 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=432 [article] Predictors of Treatment Outcome in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Study in the Greater Geneva Area, Switzerland [texte imprimé] / François ROBAIN, Auteur ; Martina FRANCHINI, Auteur ; Nada KOJOVIC, Auteur ; Hilary WOOD DE WILDE, Auteur ; Marie SCHAER, Auteur . - p.3815-3830. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders > 50-11 (November 2020) . - p.3815-3830 Mots-clés : Community treatment  Early Start Denver Model  Early intervention  Intensity of intervention  Predictors  Social orienting Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : This study aims to identify predictors of treatment outcome in young children with ASD within a European context, where service provision of intervention remains sporadic. We investigated whether a child's age at baseline, intensity of the intervention provided, type of intervention, child's level of social orienting and cognitive skills at baseline predicted changes in autistic symptoms and cognitive development after 1 year of intervention, in a sample of 60 children with ASD. Our results strongly support early and intensive intervention. We also observed that lower cognitive skills at baseline were related to greater cognitive gains. Finally, we show that a child's interest in social stimuli may contribute to intervention outcome. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04430-6 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=432

Trajectories of imitation skills in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders / Irène PITTET in Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 14 (2022)  

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