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Impaired Overt Facial Mimicry in Response to Dynamic Facial Expressions in High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders volume 45, pages 1318–1328 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Previous electromyographic studies have reported that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibited atypical patterns of facial muscle activity in response to facial expression stimuli. However, whether such activity is expressed in visible facial mimicry remains unknown. To investigate this issue, we videotaped facial responses in high-functioning individuals with ASD and controls to dynamic and static facial expressions of anger and happiness. Visual coding of facial muscle activity and the subjective impression ratings showed reduced congruent responses to dynamic expressions in the ASD group. Additionally, this decline was related to social dysfunction. These results suggest that impairment in overt facial mimicry in response to others’ dynamic facial expressions may underlie difficulties in reciprocal social interaction among individuals with ASD.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all participants for their participation in the experiment and Ms. Minemoto and Ms. Yokoyama for their technical assistance. This study was supported by funds from the JSPS Funding Program for Next Generation World-Leading Researchers and the Organization for Promoting Developmental Disorder Research.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry, Habilitation and Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawaharacho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan

    Sayaka Yoshimura, Wataru Sato & Shota Uono

  2. The Organization for Promoting Developmental Disorder Research, 40 Shogoin-Sannocho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8392, Japan

    Shota Uono & Motomi Toichi

  3. Faculty of Human Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin-Kawaharacho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan

    Motomi Toichi

Authors
  1. Sayaka Yoshimura
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  2. Wataru Sato
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  3. Shota Uono
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  4. Motomi Toichi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sayaka Yoshimura.

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10803_2014_2291_MOESM1_ESM.doc

Action Units of the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) (Ekman and Friesen, 1978) (DOC 51 kb)

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Yoshimura, S., Sato, W., Uono, S. et al. Impaired Overt Facial Mimicry in Response to Dynamic Facial Expressions in High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 45, 1318–1328 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2291-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2291-7

Keywords

  • Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
  • Dynamic facial expression
  • Facial mimicry
  • Reciprocal social interaction