title: Brief report: preliminary evidence of reduced sensitivity in the peripheral visual field of adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder.
abstract: A number of studies have demonstrated atypical perception in individuals with ASD. However, the majority of these studies have presented stimuli to central vision. The aim of the study presented here was to test the sensitivity of peripheral vision in ASD. This was achieved by asking participants to detect brief flashes of light presented between 30 and 85 degrees away from fixation. We found that participants with ASD detected fewer ligh-flashes than the control participants. This deficit was more pronounced in the nasal hemifield than the temporal hemifield. We suggest that the imbalance between nasal and temporal hemifield sensitivity may contribute to the peripheral-field stimulation and lateral glances that are observed in ASD.
authors.affiliation: Sheffield Autism Research Lab, Department of Psychology, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK. E.Milne@Sheffield.ac.uk
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Milne
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scope
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Codina
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buckley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014787:Vision Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*