For most children, the sound of their mother’s voice triggers brain activity patterns distinct from those triggered by an unfamiliar voice.
For most children, the sound of their mother’s voice triggers brain activity patterns distinct from those triggered by an unfamiliar voice. But the unique brain response to mom’s voice is greatly diminished in children with autism, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.
The diminished response was seen on fMRI brain scans in face-processing regions and learning and memory centers, as well as in brain networks that process rewards and prioritize different stimuli as important.
The findings were published Feb. 26 in eLife.
“Kids with autism often tune out from the voices around them, and we haven’t known why,” said the study’s lead author, Dan Abrams, PhD, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford. “It’s still an open question how this contributes to their overall difficulties with social communication.”
Read more at Stanford Medicine
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