Face processing in autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by impaired social and communicative abilities as well as restricted, repetitive, stereotyped pattern of behaviors, interests, and activities. Significant difficulties in social interactions in autistics are manifested by impairment in eye-to-eye contact, social reciprocity, and response to emotional cues.

Objective

Highlighting the neurological basis of normal face processing and its abnormalities in ASD with percussions on the management plan of autistic children.

Summary

Human face processing that was proved to be compromised in autistic individuals is pivotal for proper social interactions. Such simple spontaneous perceptual task in normal children is carried out by face processing areas of the brain; fusiform gyrus, superior temporal sulcus, and amygdala. Behavioral, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging studies showed evidences of dysfunction of such areas in autistics who often focus on face periphery and cannot interpret that it tells something about a person's state of mind. Very early targeted intervention can stimulate face processing areas of the brain during the early developmental phases of social brain circuitry which in turn will help autistics to pay attention to faces and learn to understand emotional expressions.

Conclusion

Eventually, prevention or at least significant amelioration of severity and symptomatology spectrum of autism might be possible.

Disclosure of interest

The author have not supplied his declaration of competing interest.