ERP Evidence of Atypical Face Processing in Young Children with Autism

Autism involves a basic impairment in social cognition. This study investigated early stage face processing in young children with autism by examining the face-sensitive early negative event-related brain potential component in 3–4 year old children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), typical development, and developmental delay. Results indicated that children with ASD showed a slower electrical brain response to faces and a larger amplitude response to objects compared to children with typical development and developmental delay. These findings indicate that children with ASD have a disordered pattern of brain responses to faces and objects at an early age.