The CT stimulation induced abnormal response in subjects with ASD: EEG study

Abstract

The research is a pilot electroencephalographic study of C-tactile (CT) perception in persons with autism, as abnormalities of such perception may contribute to communicative deficit in this group. Three types of stimulation were performed: slow (2-3 cm/sec) stroking with a soft brush, a hard brush, and an artificial peacock feather. The stimulation was performed in two regions: back of a forearm, rich in CT afferents, and palm, where their density is lower. Young individuals with ASD and their typically developing peers participated in the study. Unlike the controls, the ASD participants did not show pleasant behavior reaction and fractal dimension increase. The ASD participants also showed Hjorth complexity and alpha power increase accompanying negative affect, which was uncommon for the controls.