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A Comment on some Methodological Issues in EEG Connectivity Studies of Sensory Features in Youth with Autism

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Abstract

Investigation of the neurological underpinnings of the diagnostic symptoms for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) represents a potential pathway towards a biomarker for this disorder. One of the key symptoms of ASD is Sensory Features (SF), which refers to the difficulties that autistic people experience with particular kinds of environmental stimuli. Studies using eeg measures of neural connectivity across various regions of the brain hold promise in identifying how the autistic brain reacts to its environment. This commentary identifies several ‘participant’ and ‘measurement’ methodological issues that need to be adequately addressed in SF-eeg connectivity studies, and applies these comments to a sample of five previous studies. Recommendations are made for future research procedures.

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Notes

  1. In deference to the preferences of autistic adults reported by Kenny et al., we use this term rather than “children with autism”.

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  1. Brain-Behaviour Research Group, School of Science & Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia

    Christopher F. Sharpley, Kimaya Sarmukadam, Vicki Bitsika, Mary McMillan & Linda L. Agnew

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  1. Christopher F. Sharpley
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  2. Kimaya Sarmukadam
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Correspondence to Christopher F. Sharpley.

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Sharpley, C.F., Sarmukadam, K., Bitsika, V. et al. A Comment on some Methodological Issues in EEG Connectivity Studies of Sensory Features in Youth with Autism. J Dev Phys Disabil 34, 279–293 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-021-09799-5

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