title: Positive Affect Processing and Joint Attention in Infants at High Risk for Autism: An Exploratory Study.
abstract: Few behavioral indices of risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are present before 12 months, and potential biomarkers remain largely unexamined. This prospective study of infant siblings of children with ASD (n = 16) and low-risk comparison infants (n = 15) examined group differences in event-related potentials (ERPs) indexing processing of facial positive affect (N290/P400, Nc) at 9 months and their relation to joint attention at 15 months. Group differences were most pronounced for subtle facial expressions, in that the low-risk group exhibited relatively longer processing (P400 latency) and greater attention resource allocation (Nc amplitude). Exploratory analyses found associations between ERP responses and later joint attention, suggesting that attention to positive affect cues may support the development of other social competencies.
authors: Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development and Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, PMB 74, Nashville, TN, 37203, USA. sasha.key@vanderbilt.edu.
authors: Alexandra P
authors: AP
authors: Key
authors: University of Washington Autism Center, Box 357920, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA. lisavibanez@gmail.com.
authors: Lisa V
authors: LV
authors: Ibanez
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada. hhenderson@uwaterloo.ca.
authors: Heather A
authors: HA
authors: Henderson
authors: Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD), Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, 230 Appleton Place, PMB 74, Nashville, TN, 37203-5721, USA. zachary.e.warren@vanderbilt.edu.
authors: Zachary
authors: Z
authors: Warren
authors: University of Miami, P.O. Box 249229, Coral Gables, FL, 33101-0721, USA. dmessinger@miami.edu.
authors: Daniel S
authors: DS
authors: Messinger
authors: Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Box 357920, Seattle, WA, 98195-7920, USA. stonew@u.washington.edu.
authors: Wendy L
authors: WL
authors: Stone
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Autism; ERP; Face; Infant; Joint attention; Positive affect; Risk