Elevated and accelerated: Locus coeruleus activity and visual search abilities in autistic children.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Autistic individuals excel at visual search, however, the neural mechanism(s) underlying this advantage remain unclear. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system, which plays a critical role in sensory perception and selective attention, has been shown to function in a persistently elevated state in individuals on the spectrum. However, the relationship between elevated tonic LC-NE activity and accelerated search in autism has not been explored.

Objective

To examine the relationship between visual search abilities and resting pupil diameter (an indirect measure of tonic LC-NE activation) in autistic and neurotypical children.

Methods

Participants were 24 school-aged autistic children and 24 age- and IQ-matched neurotypical children aged 8-15 years.

SUBMITTER: Keehn B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10842606 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature