Right Temporoparietal Gray Matter Predicts Accuracy of Social Perception in the Autism Spectrum

David, N; Schultz, J; Milne, E; Schunke, O; Schöttle, D; Münchau, A; Siegel, M; Vogeley, K; Engel, AK

doi:10.1007/s10803-013-2008-3

Right Temporoparietal Gray Matter Predicts Accuracy of Social Perception in the Autism Spectrum

David, N; Schultz, J; Milne, E; Schunke, O; Schöttle, D; Münchau, A; Siegel, M; Vogeley, K; Engel, AK

Authors

N David

J Schultz

E Milne

O Schunke

D Schöttle

A Münchau

M Siegel

K Vogeley

AK Engel

Abstract

Individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show hallmark deficits in social perception. These difficulties might also reflect fundamental deficits in integrating visual signals. We contrasted predictions of a social perception and a spatial–temporal integration deficit account. Participants with ASD and matched controls performed two tasks: the first required spatiotemporal integration of global motion signals without social meaning, the second required processing of socially relevant local motion. The ASD group only showed differences to controls in social motion evaluation. In addition, gray matter volume in the temporal–parietal junction correlated positively with accuracy in social motion perception in the ASD group. Our findings suggest that social–perceptual difficulties in ASD cannot be reduced to deficits in spatial–temporal integration.

Citation

David, N., Schultz, J., Milne, E., Schunke, O., Schöttle, D., Münchau, A., …Engel, A. (2014). Right Temporoparietal Gray Matter Predicts Accuracy of Social Perception in the Autism Spectrum. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(6), 1433-1446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-2008-3

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	Jun 1, 2014
Deposit Date	Dec 9, 2013
Publicly Available Date	May 9, 2014
Journal	Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Print ISSN	0162-3257
Electronic ISSN	1573-3432
Publisher	Springer
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	44
Issue	6
Pages	1433-1446
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-2008-3