Document Detail


Contrast sensitivity for motion detection and direction discrimination in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and their siblings.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20937290     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The magnocellular (M) pathway hypothesis proposes that impaired visual motion perception observed in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) might be mediated by atypical functioning of the subcortical M pathway, as this pathway provides the bulk of visual input to cortical motion detectors. To test this hypothesis, we measured luminance and chromatic contrast sensitivity, thought to tap M and Parvocellular (P) pathway processing, respectively. We also tested the hypothesis that motion processing is impaired in ASD using a novel paradigm that measures motion processing while controlling for detectabilty. Specifically, this paradigm compares contrast sensitivity for detection of a moving grating with contrast sensitivity for direction-of-motion discrimination of that same moving grating. Contrast sensitivities from adolescents with ASD were compared to typically-developing adolescents, and also unaffected siblings of individuals with ASD (SIBS). The results revealed significant group differences on P, but not M, pathway processing, with SIBS showing higher chromatic contrast sensitivity than both participants with ASD and TD participants. This atypicality, unique to SIBS, suggests the possible existence of a protective factor in these individuals against developing ASD. The results also revealed impairments in motion perception in both participants with ASD and SIBS, which may be an endophenotype of ASD. This impairment may be driven by impairments in motion detectors and/or by reduced input from neural areas that project to motion detectors, the latter possibility being consistent with the notion of reduced connectivity between neural areas in ASD.
Authors:
Hwan Cui Koh; Elizabeth Milne; Karen Dobkins
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2010-10-19
Journal Detail:
Title:  Neuropsychologia     Volume:  48     ISSN:  1873-3514     ISO Abbreviation:  Neuropsychologia     Publication Date:  2010 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-11-29     Completed Date:  2011-03-16     Revised Date:  2011-12-21    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0020713     Medline TA:  Neuropsychologia     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  4046-56     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Child
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / complications*
Contrast Sensitivity / physiology*
Discrimination (Psychology) / physiology*
Family Health
Female
Humans
Male
Motion Perception / physiology*
Neuropsychological Tests
Perceptual Disorders / etiology*
Photic Stimulation / methods
Psychometrics
Reaction Time
Siblings / psychology*
Statistics, Nonparametric
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
R01 HD052804-01A2/HD/NICHD NIH HHS; R01 HD052804-01A2/HD/NICHD NIH HHS; R01 HD052804-04/HD/NICHD NIH HHS
Comments/Corrections
Erratum In:
Neuropsychologia. 2011 Jun;49(7):2142

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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