No differences between adults with and without autism in audiovisual synchrony perception

No differences between adults with and without autism in audiovisual synchrony perception

Weiland, R.F.
Polderman, T.J.C.
Smit, D.J.A.
Begeer, S.
van der Burg, E.

2022

To facilitate multisensory processing, the brain binds multisensory information when presented within a certain maximum time lag (temporal binding window). In addition, and in audiovisual perception specifically, the brain adapts rapidly to asynchronies within a single trial and shifts the point of subjective simultaneity. Both processes, temporal binding and rapid recalibration, have been found to be altered in individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Here, we used a large adult sample (autism spectrum disorder: n=75, no autism spectrum disorder: n=85) to replicate these earlier findings. In this study, audiovisual stimuli were presented in a random order across a range of stimulus onset asynchronies, and participants indicated whether they were perceived simultaneously. Based on the synchrony distribution, their individual temporal binding window and point of subjective simultaneity were calculated. Contrary to previous findings, we found that the temporal binding window was not significantly different between both groups. Rapid recalibration was observed for both groups but did not differ significantly between groups. Evidence of an age effect was found which might explain discrepancies to previous studies. In addition, neither temporal binding window nor rapid recalibration was correlated with self-reported autistic symptoms or sensory sensitivity.

Autism
Multisensory
Predictive processing
Rapid temporal recalibration
Temporal binding
Adults

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:9300ed90-ea78-4234-9813-31ea61d0843e

https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221121414

977004

1362-3613

Autism, Epub 7 Sept

This work was supported by NWO ZonMW Top grant (No. 2017/02015/ZONMW).

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