Inflexible Updating of the Self-Other Divide During a Social Context in Autism; Psychophysical, Electrophysiological, and Neural Network Modeling Evidence.

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects many aspects of life, from social interactions to (multi)sensory processing. Similarly, the condition expresses at the variety of levels of description, from genetics to neural circuits and interpersonal behavior. We attempt to bridge between domains and levels of description by detailing the behavioral, electrophysiological, and putative neural network basis of peri-personal space (PPS) updating in ASD during a social context, given that the encoding of this space relies on appropriate multisensory integration, is malleable by social context, and thought to delineate the boundary between self and other. Methods Fifty (20 male/30 female) young adults, either diagnosed with ASD or age- and gender-matched individuals took part in a visuo-tactile reaction time task indexing PPS, while high-density electroencephalography (EEG) was continuously recorded. Neural network modeling was performed in silico. Results Multisensory psychophysics demonstrates that while PPS in neurotypical individuals shrinks in the presence of others – as to “give space” – this does not occur in ASD. Likewise, EEG recordings suggest that multisensory integration is altered by social context in neurotypical but not ASD individuals. Lastly, a biologically plausible neural network model shows, as proof-of-principle, that PPS updating may be inflexible in ASD due to the altered excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance that characterizes neural circuits in animal models of ASD. Conclusion Findings are conceptually in line with recent statistical inference accounts suggesting diminished flexibility in ASD, and further these observations by suggesting within an example relevant for social cognition that such inflexibility may be due to E/I imbalances.