Children with Autism Process Auditory Information Differently
A team of scientists, including researchers from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, examined specific aspects of auditory perception in children with autism. The scientists observed atypical alpha rhythm activity both during sound perception and at rest. This suggests that these children experience abnormalities in the early stages of sound processing in the brain's auditory cortex. Over time, these abnormalities can result in language difficulties. The study findings have been published in Brain Structure and Function.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of conditions caused by abnormalities in brain development that can affect communication skills and social behaviour. Children with ASD often experience co-occurring language impairments, ranging from mild language deficits to a complete inability to speak.
The causes of language impairment in ASD are not yet well understood. Researchers believe that the neurobiological mechanisms of autism stem from an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory processes in the cerebral cortex, driven by oscillations of nerve cells in the brain. These oscillations produce weak but detectable electromagnetic signals, such as alpha, beta, and gamma rhythms, which can be measured using magnetoencephalography (MEG).
An international team of researchers, including scientists from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, studied alpha rhythm oscillations (markers of excitability) in children with autism. Alpha rhythms play a key role in processing sensory information and maintaining attention, eg during auditory perception.
The scientists explored the relationship between sound perception and language impairment in children with ASD. To achieve this, they used magnetoencephalography to measure brain activity in 20 children with autism of varying severity and in 20 typically developing controls. All study participants underwent clinical and behavioural language assessments, as well as tests for nonverbal intelligence (IQ) and the severity of autistic traits. Their language skills were measured using RuCLAB (Russian Child Language Assessment Battery). During the MEG, participants were presented with sound stimuli while their brain activity was measured, requiring no special actions from them. The authors of the experiment monitored alpha oscillations both at rest and during the processing of presented audio signals.
It was found that children with autism exhibit impaired alpha rhythms both during auditory perception and at rest. Typically, when sounds are processed in the auditory cortex, the power of alpha waves decreases significantly, while it increases during rest. The opposite pattern was observed in children with autism.
'A slight decrease in alpha rhythm power during auditory information processing in children with autism indicates increased excitability of neural networks in the auditory cortex, confirming an imbalance between excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex,' explains Vardan Arutiunian, co-author of the study and research fellow at the Seattle Children's Research Institute, USA.
The authors of the paper also found a link between brain activity at rest in the left auditory cortex and the language abilities of children with ASD. The researchers converted the complex, multidimensional MEG signals into a set of parameters, analysed them, and discovered that one component of the signal (offset), which reflects the average frequency of neural discharges, is associated with language skills. The higher this parameter (and consequently, the greater the resting neural excitability in the left auditory cortex), the poorer the language skills of children with ASD.
Olga Dragoy
'We analysed all the data collected during the experiment, including the MEG results, IQ tests, and assessments of autistic traits and language skills. It was found that children with more impaired neural processes in the left hemisphere exhibited poorer language abilities. We observed that in autism, abnormalities are present at the early stages of information processing in the auditory cortex, which can impact higher-level processes such as language,' according to Olga Dragoy, Director of the HSE Centre for Language and Brain.
The study's findings can lead to a better understanding of the causes of language impairment in autism spectrum disorders and contribute to the development of corrective interventions.
See also:
Scientists Find Out Why Aphasia Patients Lose the Ability to Talk about the Past and Future
An international team of researchers, including scientists from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, has identified the causes of impairments in expressing grammatical tense in people with aphasia. They discovered that individuals with speech disorders struggle with both forming the concept of time and selecting the correct verb tense. However, which of these processes proves more challenging depends on the speaker's language. The findings have been published in the journal Aphasiology.
Implementation of Principles of Sustainable Development Attracts More Investments
Economists from HSE and RUDN University have analysed issues related to corporate digital transformation processes. The introduction of digital solutions into corporate operations reduces the number of patents in the field of green technologies by 4% and creates additional financial difficulties. However, if a company focuses on sustainable development and increases its rating in environmental, social, and governance performance (ESG), the negative effects decrease. Moreover, when the ESG rating is high, digitalisation can even increase the number of patents by 2%. The article was published in Sustainability.
Russian Scientists Develop New Compound for Treating Aggressive Tumours
A team of Russian researchers has synthesised a novel compound for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), a treatment for advanced cancer that uses the boron-10 isotope. The compound exhibits low toxicity, excellent water solubility, and eliminates the need for administering large volumes. Most importantly, the active substance reaches the tumour with minimal impact on healthy tissues. The study was published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences shortly before World Cancer Day, observed annually on February 4.
Scientists Discover Link Between Brain's Structural Features and Autistic Traits in Children
Scientists have discovered significant structural differences in the brain's pathways, tracts, and thalamus between children with autism and their neurotypical peers, despite finding no functional differences. The most significant alterations were found in the pathways connecting the thalamus—the brain's sensory information processing centre—to the temporal lobe. Moreover, the severity of these alterations positively correlated with the intensity of the child's autistic traits. The study findings have been published in Behavioural Brain Research.
Earnings Inequality Declining in Russia
Earnings inequality in Russia has nearly halved over the past 25 years. The primary factors driving this trend are rising minimum wages, regional economic convergence, and shifts in the returns on education. Since 2019, a new phase of this process has been observed, with inequality continuing to decline but driven by entirely different mechanisms. These are the findings made by Anna Lukyanova, Assistant Professor at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences, in her new study. The results have been published in the Journal of the New Economic Association.
Russian Physicists Discover Method to Increase Number of Atoms in Quantum Sensors
Physicists from the Institute of Spectroscopy of the Russian Academy of Sciences and HSE University have successfully trapped rubidium-87 atoms for over four seconds. Their method can help improve the accuracy of quantum sensors, where both the number of trapped atoms and the trapping time are crucial. Such quantum systems are used to study dark matter, refine navigation systems, and aid in mineral exploration. The study findings have been published in the Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters.
HSE Scientists Develop Application for Diagnosing Aphasia
Specialists at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have developed an application for diagnosing language disorders (aphasia), which can result from head injuries, strokes, or other neurological conditions. AutoRAT is the first standardised digital tool in Russia for assessing the presence and severity of language disorders. The application is available on RuStore and can be used on mobile and tablet devices running the Android operating system.
HSE Researchers Discover Simple and Reliable Way to Understand How People Perceive Taste
A team of scientists from the HSE Centre for Cognition & Decision Making has studied how food flavours affect brain activity, facial muscles, and emotions. Using near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), they demonstrated that pleasant food activates brain areas associated with positive emotions, while neutral food stimulates regions linked to negative emotions and avoidance. This approach offers a simpler way to predict the market success of products and study eating disorders. The study was published in the journal Food Quality and Preference.
Russian Scientists Demonstrate How Disorder Contributes to Emergence of Unusual Superconductivity
Researchers at HSE University and MIPT have investigated how the composition of electrons in a superconductor influences the emergence of intertype superconductivity—a unique state in which superconductors display unusual properties. It was previously believed that intertype superconductivity occurs only in materials with minimal impurities. However, the scientists discovered that the region of intertype superconductivity not only persists but can also expand in materials with a high concentration of impurities and defects. In the future, these superconductors could contribute to the development of highly sensitive sensors and detectors. The study has been published in Frontiers of Physics.
HSE Scientists Take Important Step Forward in Development of 6G Communication Technologies
Researchers at HSE MIEM have successfully demonstrated the effective operation of a 6G wireless communication channel at sub-THz frequencies. The device transmits data at 12 Gbps and maintains signal stability by automatically switching when blocked. These metrics comply with international 6G standards. An article published on arXiv, an open-access electronic repository, provides a description of certain elements of the system.