Realizing and understanding what it means when a person leans in a conversation or takes a step back and crosses their arms is a vital part of human communication. Researchers at the Del Monte Institute of Neuroscience at the University of Rochester have found that children with autism spectrum disorder do not always process body movements effectively, especially if they are distracted by something else.
“Being able to read and respond to someone’s body language is important in our daily interactions with others,” said Emily Knight, MD, Ph.D., clinical and postdoctoral researcher in Pediatrics and Neuroscience, is the first author of the recently published study. in Molecular Autism. “Our results suggest that when children with autism are distracted by something else, their brain processes another person’s movements differently than their peers.”
Key differences in brain processes
Using the electroencephalogram (EEG), the researchers recorded the brain waves of children with and without autism while watching videos of moving points that were ready to look like a person. In these videos, the dots move to represent actions such as running, kicking, or jumping, and are sometimes rotated in different directions or shuffled to stop moving like a person. Children aged six to 16 were asked to focus on the color of the dots or if they were moving as a person. The researchers found that the brain waves of children with autism were not processed when the dots moved as a person if they were focused on the color of the dot.
“If your brain is processing less body movements, you may have more difficulty understanding other people and will need to pay more attention to body language to see it,” Knight said. “Knowing this can help guide new ways to support people with autism.”
This is further evidence of how the brain of a person with autism is processing the world around them. This research is a vital step in creating a more inclusive space for people with autism, giving an insight into how their brain processes an unspoken part of communication. “
John Foxe, Ph.D., lead author of the study
Source:
University of Rochester Medical Center
Magazine reference:
Knight, EJ, et al. (2022) Attentional influences on neuronal processing of biological movement in children with typical development and those with autism spectrum. Molecular Autism. doi.org/10.1186/s13229-022-00512-7.