title: Linguistic and Non-Linguistic Semantic Processing in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An ERP Study.
abstract: Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience difficulties with language, particularly higher-level functions like semantic integration. Yet some studies indicate that semantic processing of non-linguistic stimuli is not impaired, suggesting a language-specific deficit in semantic processing. Using a semantic priming task, we compared event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to lexico-semantic processing (written words) and visuo-semantic processing (pictures) in adults with ASD and adults with typical development (TD). The ASD group showed successful lexico-semantic and visuo-semantic processing, indicated by similar N400 effects between groups for word and picture stimuli. However, differences in N400 latency and topography in word conditions suggested different lexico-semantic processing mechanisms: an expectancy-based strategy for the TD group but a controlled post-lexical integration strategy for the ASD group.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neurology/Neuropsychology, Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. ecoderr1@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Emily L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Coderre
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neurology/Neuropsychology, Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.|Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Mariya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chernenok
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neurology/Neuropsychology, Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.|Department of Cognitive Science, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neurology/Neuropsychology, Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ledoux
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D010781:Photography; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012660:Semantics; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Autism spectrum disorders; ERP; Language; Pictures; Semantic processing