Children with Autism Process Auditory Information Differently
A team of scientists, including researchers from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, examined specific aspects of auditory perception in children with autism. The scientists observed atypical alpha rhythm activity both during sound perception and at rest. This suggests that these children experience abnormalities in the early stages of sound processing in the brain's auditory cortex. Over time, these abnormalities can result in language difficulties. The study findings have been published in Brain Structure and Function.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of conditions caused by abnormalities in brain development that can affect communication skills and social behaviour. Children with ASD often experience co-occurring language impairments, ranging from mild language deficits to a complete inability to speak.
The causes of language impairment in ASD are not yet well understood. Researchers believe that the neurobiological mechanisms of autism stem from an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory processes in the cerebral cortex, driven by oscillations of nerve cells in the brain. These oscillations produce weak but detectable electromagnetic signals, such as alpha, beta, and gamma rhythms, which can be measured using magnetoencephalography (MEG).
An international team of researchers, including scientists from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, studied alpha rhythm oscillations (markers of excitability) in children with autism. Alpha rhythms play a key role in processing sensory information and maintaining attention, eg during auditory perception.
The scientists explored the relationship between sound perception and language impairment in children with ASD. To achieve this, they used magnetoencephalography to measure brain activity in 20 children with autism of varying severity and in 20 typically developing controls. All study participants underwent clinical and behavioural language assessments, as well as tests for nonverbal intelligence (IQ) and the severity of autistic traits. Their language skills were measured using RuCLAB (Russian Child Language Assessment Battery). During the MEG, participants were presented with sound stimuli while their brain activity was measured, requiring no special actions from them. The authors of the experiment monitored alpha oscillations both at rest and during the processing of presented audio signals.
It was found that children with autism exhibit impaired alpha rhythms both during auditory perception and at rest. Typically, when sounds are processed in the auditory cortex, the power of alpha waves decreases significantly, while it increases during rest. The opposite pattern was observed in children with autism.
'A slight decrease in alpha rhythm power during auditory information processing in children with autism indicates increased excitability of neural networks in the auditory cortex, confirming an imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex,' explains Vardan Arutiunian, co-author of the study and research fellow at the Seattle Children's Research Institute, USA.
The authors of the paper also found a link between brain activity at rest in the left auditory cortex and the language abilities of children with ASD. The researchers converted the complex, multidimensional MEG signals into a set of parameters, analysed them, and discovered that one component of the signal (offset), which reflects the average frequency of neural discharges, is associated with language skills. The higher this parameter (and consequently, the greater the resting neural excitability in the left auditory cortex), the poorer the language skills of children with ASD.
Olga Dragoy
'We analysed all the data collected during the experiment, including the MEG results, IQ tests, and assessments of autistic traits and language skills. It was found that children with more impaired neural processes in the left hemisphere exhibited poorer language abilities. We observed that in autism, abnormalities are present at the early stages of information processing in the auditory cortex, which can impact higher-level processes such as language,' according to Olga Dragoy, Director of the HSE Centre for Language and Brain.
The study's findings can lead to a better understanding of the causes of language impairment in autism spectrum disorders and contribute to the development of corrective interventions.
See also:
Men Behind the Wheel: Three Times More Violations and Accidents than Women
Men are three times more likely than women to commit traffic violations while driving and to be involved in accidents. Moreover, they are more likely to create situations on the road that are highly dangerous to others. Men are also twice as likely to drive under the influence and nearly one-third more likely to receive a prison sentence for reckless driving. Perhaps it comes down to cultural norms and the different attitudes men and women have toward driving. These are the conclusions reached by Anton Kazun, Assistant Professor at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences, and Research Assistant Mikhail Belov.
HSE Scientists Discover How to Predict Charitable Behaviour Through Physiological Reactions
Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have investigated how the emotional impact of advertising affects the amount people willing to donate to support animal welfare. To accomplish this, the researchers measured physiological responses such as heart rate, electrodermal activity, and facial expressions in individuals viewing various photos of dogs. The findings indicate that willingness to donate is most accurately predicted by heart rate and facial muscle activation. The study has been published in Social Psychology.
'We Are Creating the Medicine of the Future'
Dr Gerwin Schalk is a professor at Fudan University in Shanghai and a partner of the HSE Centre for Language and Brain within the framework of the strategic project 'Human Brain Resilience.' Dr Schalk is known as the creator of BCI2000, a non-commercial general-purpose brain-computer interface system. In this interview, he discusses modern neural interfaces, methods for post-stroke rehabilitation, a novel approach to neurosurgery, and shares his vision for the future of neurotechnology.
First Successful Attempt in 55 years: Physicists in Russia and Germany Confirm 1969 Experiment Results
A team of researchers, with the participation of physicists from HSE University, replicated the 1969 experiment on superconductivity and its properties. The scientists induced superconductivity by deliberately deteriorating the interfaces between the layers of superconductors and ferromagnets in the system, resulting in better performance of spin valves compared to the classical version, where the interfaces between the layers are ideal. This approach could lead to the development of more efficient devices for data storage and computing. The study findings have been published in the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology.
Healthy Nutrition Saves Public Funds: Strategies to Reduce Healthcare Costs in Russia
In Russia, the annual cost of treating type 2 diabetes alone exceeds 500 billion roubles. Promoting healthy nutrition programmes can ease the burden on the healthcare system and increase life expectancy. This was the conclusion reached by economists at HSE University after analysing global experiences with government involvement in promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Conscientious Individuals Live Longer
Personality traits such as conscientiousness, emotional stability, and an internal locus of control significantly influence one's lifestyle and longevity. Not only can personality traits influence health through beneficial and harmful habits but can also have a direct effect on mortality. Higher conscientiousness reduces the risk of premature death by 20 percentage points, while higher neuroticism increases it by 12 percentage points. These are the findings from a new study by Ksenia Rozhkova, Junior Research Fellow at the Laboratory for Labour Market Studies of the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences.
Esports Players Play Better Online
In competitions, esports players, like other athletes, face stress and show worse results due to pressure. A substantial decrease takes place in the performance of esports players during overtime. This effect, however, is significantly mitigated in online competitions compared to live events—the difference can reach 30%. A study by a team of authors from HSE University’s Moscow and Perm campuses and European University Viadrina (Germany) explores the phenomenon of choking under pressure within the context of esports. The study was published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization.
Analysing Genetic Information Can Help Prevent Complications after Myocardial Infarction
Researchers at HSE University have developed a machine learning (ML) model capable of predicting the risk of complications—major adverse cardiac events—in patients following a myocardial infarction. For the first time, the model incorporates genetic data, enabling a more accurate assessment of the risk of long-term complications. The study has been published in Frontiers in Medicine.
A New Tool Designed to Assess AI Ethics in Medicine Developed at HSE University
A team of researchers at the HSE AI Research Centre has created an index to evaluate the ethical standards of artificial intelligence (AI) systems used in medicine. This tool is designed to minimise potential risks and promote safer development and implementation of AI technologies in medical practice.
Smoking Habit Affects Response to False Feedback
A team of scientists at HSE University, in collaboration with the Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, studied how people respond to deception when under stress and cognitive load. The study revealed that smoking habits interfere with performance on cognitive tasks involving memory and attention and impairs a person’s ability to detect deception. The study findings have been published in Frontiers in Neuroscience.