title: Atypical Processing of Gaze Cues and Faces Explains Comorbidity between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
abstract: This study investigated the neurobiological basis of comorbidity between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We compared children with ASD, ADHD or ADHD+ASD and typically developing controls (CTRL) on behavioural and electrophysiological correlates of gaze cue and face processing. We measured effects of ASD, ADHD and their interaction on the EDAN, an ERP marker of orienting visual attention towards a spatially cued location and the N170, a right-hemisphere lateralised ERP linked to face processing. We identified atypical gaze cue and face processing in children with ASD and ADHD+ASD compared with the ADHD and CTRL groups. The findings indicate a neurobiological basis for the presence of comorbid ASD symptoms in ADHD. Further research using larger samples is needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK. maddie.groom@nottingham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Madeleine J
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5182-518X
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Groom
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK.|Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Temple House, Mill Hill Lane, Derby, DE23 6SA, UK.
authors.forename: Puja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kochhar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK.|School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Liddle
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simeou
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hollis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003463:Cues; D000066499:Facial Recognition; D005260:Female; D005403:Fixation, Ocular; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
keywords: ADHD; ASD; Comorbidity; ERPs; Face processing; Gaze cueing