Speech Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Integrative Review of Auditory Neurophysiology Findings

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  • Author(s): Key, Alexandra P. (ORCID Key, Alexandra P. (ORCID 0000-0002-2669-8334); D'Ambrose Slaboch, Kathryn
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. Nov 2021 64(11):4192-4212.
  • Publication Date:
    2021
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Information Analyses
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      21
    • Sponsoring Agency:
      Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH)
    • Contract Number:
      P50HD103537
    • Subject Terms:
      Speech Communication; Databases; Language Processing; Semantics; Communication Disorders; Autism; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Diagnostic Tests; Brain Hemisphere Functions; Comparative Analysis; Language Impairments; Interpersonal Competence; Vowels; Sensory Integration; Phonetics; Research Reports; Children; Adults; Neurology; Physiology
    • Accession Number:
      10.1044/2021_JSLHR-20-00738
    • ISSN:
      1092-4388
    • Abstract:
      Purpose: Investigations into the nature of communication disorders in autistic individuals increasingly evaluate neural responses to speech stimuli. This integrative review aimed to consolidate the available data related to speech and language processing across levels of stimulus complexity (from single speech sounds to sentences) and to relate it to the current theories of autism. Method: An electronic database search identified peer-reviewed articles using event-related potentials or magnetoencephalography to investigate auditory processing from single speech sounds to sentences in autistic children and adults varying in language and cognitive abilities. Results: Atypical neural responses in autistic persons became more prominent with increasing stimulus and task complexity. Compared with their typically developing peers, autistic individuals demonstrated mostly intact sensory responses to single speech sounds, diminished spontaneous attentional orienting to spoken stimuli, specific difficulties with categorical speech sound discrimination, and reduced processing of semantic content. Atypical neural responses were more often observed in younger autistic participants and in those with concomitant language disorders. Conclusions: The observed differences in neural responses to speech stimuli suggest that communication difficulties in autistic individuals are more consistent with the reduced social interest than the auditory dysfunction explanation. Current limitations and future directions for research are also discussed.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2022
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1320717