Abstract
Autistic traits lie on a continuously distributed spectrum ranging from non-clinical to clinical conditions. Indeed, autistic traits have been observed in general population at sub-threshold levels. Here, the main aim was to investigate differences in resting state (RS) electroencephalographic (EEG) power spectrum in individuals with high vs. low autistic traits. Fifty undergraduates completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and the Empathy Quotient (EQ). For each participant five minutes of RS-EEG were recorded and analysed by means of the exact Low-Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography software (eLORETA). A Two-Step Cluster Analysis revealed two groups: high autistic traits (AT+) and low autistic traits (AT−) group. Compared to AT−, AT+ individuals showed an increase of delta power in parietal/occipital and cortico-limbic areas. No alterations were observed in other frequency bands. Furthermore, both AQ and EQ total scores were positively correlated with delta EEG power after controlling for sex, age, and subclinical psychopathological traits. Results show that AT+ individuals exhibit an increase in slow RS EEG power in regions involved in self-referential processes, suggesting a reduction in these internally directed mental activities and adding new evidence on the existence of a continuum in the autistic spectrum which spreads from clinical to non-clinical significance.
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca – MIUR project “Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2018 – 2022” to Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini”. MA and RBA were supported by University of Turin grants (“Ricerca scientifica finanziata dall’Università”).
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Chiara Massullo, Claudio Imperatori, Mauro Adenzato, Riccardo Brunetti, Allegra Indraccolo, Giacomo Della Marca, Benedetto Farina and Rita B. Ardito declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee (this study was approved by the European University's ethics review board) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards
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Massullo, C., Imperatori, C., Adenzato, M. et al. Abnormal EEG Power Spectrum in Individuals with High Autistic Personality Traits: an eLORETA Study. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 42, 560–569 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-019-09777-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-019-09777-4