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Visual scanning and pupillary responses in young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Anderson CJ, Colombo J, Jill Shaddy D

Department of Psychology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA. cjanders@ku.edu

Using eye-tracking technology we investigated visual scanning and pupillary responses to face and non-face stimuli in nine children (M = 49.6 months) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) compared to six mental-age and nine chronological-age matched children. The results revealed a significant decrease in visual scanning to landscapes. In addition, the ASD group showed pupillary constriction to children's faces, while control groups showed pupillary dilation. Visual scanning responses to landscapes had a negative correlation with the Behavior subscale of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic for the ASD group. Potential use of these measures as early indicators of ASD is discussed.

Published 14 July 2006 in J Clin Exp Neuropsychol, 28(7): 1238-56.
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