title: Fragile spectral and temporal auditory processing in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and early language delay.
abstract: We investigated low-level auditory spectral and temporal processing in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and early language delay compared to matched typically developing controls. Auditory measures were designed to target right versus left auditory cortex processing (i.e. frequency discrimination and slow amplitude modulation (AM) detection versus gap-in-noise detection and faster AM detection), and to pinpoint the task and stimulus characteristics underlying putative superior spectral processing in ASD. We observed impaired frequency discrimination in the ASD group and suggestive evidence of poorer temporal resolution as indexed by gap-in-noise detection thresholds. These findings question the evidence of enhanced spectral sensitivity in ASD and do not support the hypothesis of superior right and inferior left hemispheric auditory processing in ASD.
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Herestraat 49, Box 7003, 3000, Leuven, Belgium, bart.boets@med.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boets
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verhoeven
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steyaert
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult