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Senju & Johnson. 2009

APA Citation

Senju, A. & Johnson, M. H. (2009). Atypical eye contact in autism: Models, mechanisms and development. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 33(8), 1204-1214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.06.001

 

Publication Topic
Behavior Analysis: Conceptual
Publication Type
Article
Language
English
Keyword(s)
Autism spectrum disorders, Social cognition, Social brain, Gaze, Eye contact, Development, Amygdala
Abstract

An atypical pattern of eye contact behaviour is one of the most significant symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Recent empirical advances have revealed the developmental, cognitive and neural basis of atypical eye contact behaviour in ASD. We review different models and advance a new ‘fast-track modulator model’. Specifically, we propose that atypical eye contact processing in ASD originates in the lack of influence from a subcortical face and eye contact detection route, which is hypothesized to modulate eye contact processing and guide its emergent specialization during development.