A prominent feature of Autism is the tendency to focus intensely on one activity or feature of the environment. So far, this tendency has not been understood; however, recent research may provide clues as to why Autistic individuals tend to behave this way.
In an article published in Autism Research this August, researchers measured electrical activity in the brains of research participants using EEG while they processed various stimuli. During this study, Autistic and typically developing children were allowed to watch a silent video of their choice. While they watched the video, tones and vibrations were presented periodically, either separately or at the same time. Then, the participants’ brains’ responses to these stimuli were examined through the EEG results. For the typically developing children, information from multiple senses (the tone and the vibration) was integrated in about 100-200 milliseconds, whereas the same process took the Autistic children about 310 milliseconds. In addition, the Autistic children demonstrated lower cognitive signal strength.
These findings suggest that children with Autism may have difficulty integrating information from different senses at that same time. The authors of this study suggest that children with Autism may need to intentionally direct their attention to specific stimuli in order to integrate information, while typically developing children are able to integrate information without explicit attention and effort. The authors also note that while these sensory integration delays are present in Autistic children, the information is eventually integrated and the speed at which it is integrated may improve with age.
Sensory-integration therapy has become a popular therapy for children with Autism. Though it is unclear whether this form of therapy is effective, this type of research may help to clarify if or how it works. Futher, EEG studies of this type may help us to better understand the brain processes underlying the behaviors observed in Autistic children.