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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Children with autism can hear and see, but they may not be able to read the facial expressions that give context and meaning to the words being said.
New research from UCLA reveals children with autism have no activity in an area of the brain that plays a role in evaluating emotions.
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The study compared the brain activity of 16 typically developing children and 16 high-functioning children with autism. Both groups looked at a series of faces depicting various expressions -- anger, fear, happiness, and neutrality -- while they had functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Half the faces stared back at the children; the other half had an indirect gaze.
Researchers found the typically developing group had significant differences in activity in a part of the brain that helps to evaluate emotions, the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). The VLPFC became active when they looked at the direct-gaze faces then quieted down when they looked at the faces with indirect gazes. However, there was no activity in the VLPFC in children with autism when they looked at either type of face.
"This part of the brain helps us discern the meaning and significance of what another person is thinking," lead author Mari Davies, UCLA, was quoted as saying. "When responding to someone looking straight at you, as compared to someone who's looking away, the brain discerns a difference. When the other person looks away, the brain quiets down."
The findings also show even when autistic children gaze directly into someone's eyes they don't recognize visual cues and don't process that information.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: International Meeting for Autism Research in Seattle, Washington, May 3-5, 2007
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