Atypical EEG Responses to Nonverbal Emotionally Charged Stimuli in Children with ASD

Abstract

This study focused on auditory emotional perception in children with low-functioning autism and investigated the children’s response to emotionally charged nonverbal sounds which regularly induced emotional response in typically developing (TD) peers. An EEG was conducted, and emotional reactions were assessed using analog scales and images of presented sounds with additional images during the presentation of emotional stimuli. The results showed that EEG and emotional responses to the fearful sounds were similar in TD children and children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Both groups of children showed an increase in peak alpha frequency and power of alpha2-band and a decrease in low-frequency bands. Sounds of crying and laughter induced an atypical EEG response in children with ASD, with no change in alpha-band’s power and frequency observed in them; this was contrary to the observation in TD children. The decrease in the fractal dimension detected in children with ASD only for sounds of crying and laughter correlated with the accuracy of assessment of these stimuli.

The Dynamics of Resting-State EEG and Salivary Trace Elements in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

“…In our study, the higher manganese concentration correlated with the higher RAT of resting-state EEG, which was attributed to the higher variability of the amplitude transformation of the EEG signal and was previously reported in patients after moderate and severe TBI. , In spite that the EEG RAT of EEG has not been previously studied from the perspective of neurotransmitter disbalance, the higher instability of EEG was found in children with neurodevelopmental disorders and was associated with the abnormalities of GABA metabolism. − Both higher salivary manganese and RAT positively correlated with greater symptoms of impulsivity and obsession in the OCD group. Thus, the elevated level of salivary manganese, in combination with the higher RAT of the resting-state EEG could serve as a possible marker of OCD.…”

Acoustic and Subjective Basis of Emotional Perception in Comatose Patients: A Comparative Study

“…The difference in EEG response to some acoustical features, such as loudness or tempo, could be one of the neurophysiological markers of mental diseases. For example, schizophrenic patients have significantly higher loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials than the controls [ 49 - 52 ]. Thus, the revealed correlation between EEG changes during emotional stimuli perception and the acoustical features of the stimuli indicated about, first, altered emotional perception in comatose patients and, second, the necessity and potential benefit of this response for the patient’s recovery [ 53 ].…”