Attention-Dependent but not Pre-attentive Neural Markers of Auditory Change Process are Atypical in Adults With Autism Spectrum Conditions.

Authors

Peipei Liu

Published in

Journal of autism and developmental disorders. Oct 23, 2025. Epub Oct 23, 2025.

Abstract

Efficiently processing auditory changes in dynamic environments is essential for adaptive functioning. Although individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) often exhibit atypical sensory profiles, the neural mechanisms underlying auditory change processing remain inconclusive. This study investigated neural dynamics in ASC at two distinct stages: the pre-attentive stage and the attention-dependent stage.
Using the local-global paradigm with non-speech complex sounds, we examined hierarchical auditory change processing in 20 autistic and 21 non-autistic adults. This paradigm enables the dissociation of pre-attentive and attention-dependent stages by manipulating local (short-timescale) and global (long-timescale) auditory regularities. Local-level changes elicited the MMN, reflecting pre-attentive processing, whereas global-level changes elicited the P3b, indexing attention-dependent contextual updating. In addition to event-related potentials (ERPs), we examined time-frequency representations (TFRs) to assess theta- and delta-band oscillations linked to memory and attentional processes.
At the local level, ASC individuals showed comparable MMN amplitudes and frontocentral theta oscillations compared to non-autistic individuals, suggesting preserved pre-attentive mechanisms. At the global level, they exhibited reduced P3b amplitude and decreased delta activity, indicating altered attention-dependent processing.
These findings reveal a stage-specific dissociation in auditory change processing in autism, with selective alterations in attention-dependent neural responses requiring sustained attention and contextual updating. Beyond their theoretical significance, these alterations may serve as candidate neurophysiological markers of attention-related atypicalities in ASC, with potential applications in educational practices and cognitive assessments in attentionally demanding contexts.

PMID:
41128966
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 23 Oct 2025.

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