Transdiagnostic Relationships Among Social Communication and Neural Response to Dynamic Social Stimuli

Background: Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and individuals with Schizophrenia (SCZ) both experience deficits in social communication (Abdi & Sharma, 2004). Previous studies have found atypical brain response to faces in ASD at a facially sensitive event-related potential (ERP), the N170 (Bentin et al., 1996; McPartland et al., 2004). This study aimed to use an interactive social EEG paradigm to explore the relationships between social communication and brain response across diagnostic groups

Objectives: To explore the relationship between the N170 response to dynamic social stimuli and degree of social impairment across adults with diagnoses of ASD, SCZ and typically developing (TD) controls.

Methods: ERPs were recorded from 43 adults (16 with a diagnosis of ASD, 16 with a diagnosis of SCZ, and 11 TD controls) using a 128-electrode Geodesic Sensor Net. Utilizing gaze-contingent eye tracking technology, on-screen dynamic face stimuli responded to the participant’s gaze by either directing or averting gaze. N170 amplitudes and latencies for both conditions were extracted from select electrodes. Social communication functioning was measured using standardized measures, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) Module 4 (clinician-rated) and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2; self-report). Relationships were examined between ERP components and the ADOS-2 Module 4 total score and SRS-2 standard scores. Data collection is ongoing.

Results: A smaller N170 amplitude to averted gaze was associated with social communication impairment (SRS-2 Total T-score [r(43)=-.310, p=.04], SRS-2 Social Motivation T-score [r(43)=-.319, p=.04], SRS-2 Cognition T-score [r(43)=-.287, p=.06], SRS-2 Communication T-score [r(43)=-.294, p=.06], SRS-2 Awareness [r(43)=-.146, p=.35]). No significant associations were found between N170 amplitude to direct gaze and the SRS-2. Additionally, participants had a smaller N170 amplitude to direct gaze associated with the ADOS-2 Algorithm Total Score [r(43)=-.291, p=.06]. No significant associations were found between the N170 amplitude to averted gaze and the ADOS-2. Additionally, no significant associations were found between N170 latency and the SRS-2 or ADOS-2.

Conclusions: Results suggest that the ADOS-2 and SRS-2 measure distinct aspects of social communication associated with differential patterns of brain response to gaze-related stimuli, with the former being associated with direct gaze and the latter being associated with averted gaze. Response to averted gaze may reflect interpretation of the stimulus (e.g. as a sign of rejection or disinterest) and is thus more influenced by factors captured by the SRS-2, such as social motivation and cognition. In contrast, neural response to direct gaze may be more associated with observable gaze-related behaviors as measured by the ADOS-2. This suggests the importance of measuring social communication in a comprehensive fashion, utilizing multi-informant ratings across multiple measures.