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Thursday, May 15, 2008
Champagne Terrace/Bordeaux (Novotel London West)
Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibit a heightened interest in music and above average auditory processing abilities (Heaton, 2005). Baron-Cohen et al. (2000) suggest that hypo-functioning of the amygdala may explain the social and emotional deficits in ASD such as a diminished sensitivity to fear.
Objectives: Given the amygdala theory of autism and given that recognition of frightening and peaceful music is impaired in patients with damage to the amygdala (Gosselin et al., 2005), it is expected that individuals with ASD should not recognize frightening music as such. However, happy and sad music should be correctly identified by individuals with ASD (Heaton et al., 1999).
Methods: Teenagers with ASD (N=26; age: Mean±SD= 13.6±1.9 years, FSIQ: Mean±SD= 97±15) and typically developing (TD) teenagers (N=26, age: Mean±SD= 13.5±2.2 years, FSIQ: Mean±SD= 108±12) with comparable verbal and performance IQ and musical knowledge and ability participated in the study. Participants described musical excerpts using one of the 4 following emotions: happy, sad, scared or peaceful.
Results: Significant main effects were found for "intended emotion", F(3,150)= 28.06, p<.001, and diagnostic group, F(1,50)= 5.28, p = .03, with the ASD group being less accurate than the TD group, but there was no interaction between the factors. Emotion recognition was significantly correlated with VIQ, r=.44, p=.01, one-tailed, for participants with ASD but not for TD participants. Post-hoc analyses failed to find a diagnosis group difference when the four emotions were considered separately.
Conclusions: Our results replicate Heaton and colleagues’ (1999) observations that individuals with ASD can identify happy and sad music. However, our results fail to support Baron-Cohen and colleagues’ (2000) amygdala theory of autism, which states that individuals with ASD exhibit impaired fear recognition. It is possible that music represents a specific domain where the amygdala theory of autism does not hold.
Objectives: Given the amygdala theory of autism and given that recognition of frightening and peaceful music is impaired in patients with damage to the amygdala (Gosselin et al., 2005), it is expected that individuals with ASD should not recognize frightening music as such. However, happy and sad music should be correctly identified by individuals with ASD (Heaton et al., 1999).
Methods: Teenagers with ASD (N=26; age: Mean±SD= 13.6±1.9 years, FSIQ: Mean±SD= 97±15) and typically developing (TD) teenagers (N=26, age: Mean±SD= 13.5±2.2 years, FSIQ: Mean±SD= 108±12) with comparable verbal and performance IQ and musical knowledge and ability participated in the study. Participants described musical excerpts using one of the 4 following emotions: happy, sad, scared or peaceful.
Results: Significant main effects were found for "intended emotion", F(3,150)= 28.06, p<.001, and diagnostic group, F(1,50)= 5.28, p = .03, with the ASD group being less accurate than the TD group, but there was no interaction between the factors. Emotion recognition was significantly correlated with VIQ, r=.44, p=.01, one-tailed, for participants with ASD but not for TD participants. Post-hoc analyses failed to find a diagnosis group difference when the four emotions were considered separately.
Conclusions: Our results replicate Heaton and colleagues’ (1999) observations that individuals with ASD can identify happy and sad music. However, our results fail to support Baron-Cohen and colleagues’ (2000) amygdala theory of autism, which states that individuals with ASD exhibit impaired fear recognition. It is possible that music represents a specific domain where the amygdala theory of autism does not hold.