title: Enhanced visual temporal resolution in autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: Cognitive functions that rely on accurate sequencing of events, such as action planning and execution, verbal and nonverbal communication, and social interaction rely on well-tuned coding of temporal event-structure. Visual temporal event-structure coding was tested in 17 high-functioning adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and mental- and chronological-age matched typically-developing (TD) individuals using a perceptual simultaneity paradigm. Visual simultaneity thresholds were lower in individuals with ASD compared to TD individuals, suggesting that autism may be characterised by increased parsing of temporal event-structure, with a decreased capability for integration over time. Lower perceptual simultaneity thresholds in ASD were also related to increased developmental communication difficulties. These results are linked to detail-focussed and local processing bias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. c.m.falter@rug.nl
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Falter
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012938:Social Perception; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult