Oliver Johnston and Dr. Mikle South, Psychology

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder with primary deficits in social communication. The purpose for this research was to investigate whether difficulties with empathy – the ability to feel what others feel – might contribute to the core social difficulties. This paper outlines the process used over the last year to study empathy in autism and to identify the brain processes associated with empathy in autism.

Our primary studies in this area have used electroencephalograms (EEG) to measure electrical activity in the brain in response to specific events. As any human being makes an error, the brain responds with a characteristic brain wave referred to as the error-related negativity (ERN). If recognition of the error depends on external feedback rather than internal monitoring (i.e., the computer tells whether the choice was correct rather than being able to recognize it on your own) there is a similar but delayed pattern of brain activity referred to as the feedback-related negativity (FRN). Previous research has shown that a typical human subject who observes another person make a mistake and receive feedback gives off a similar ERN or FRN response as if they made the mistake themselves. This has come to be known as an empathy response.

This research sought to replicate that study to measure the FRN response in autism. To do this a net with 128 sensors was placed on the head of a child to measure electrical activity in the brain and record FRN responses. The participating child observed a confederate research assistant perform the computer task and watched as the confederate received error-related feedback. Over the last year 82 children were run through this experiment including 39 diagnosed with autism and 43 healthy participants in the comparison group. Both groups are matched on age, and IQ to single out autism as the primary differentiating factor between groups. In addition to measuring brain activity to gauge empathy the children also completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, an empathy questionnaire designed for children.

Contrary to expectations, the data thus far shows a strong similarity between autism and comparison groups. The FRN responses in both autistic and healthy children are similar, demonstrating no variation in empathy responses between groups. When this data is compared with the self-reported questionnaire it shows that the children also reported the same levels of empathy between groups. Thus the recorded and reported levels of empathy are the same between groups.

However, in light of papers our group has just published on the ERN and FRN in autism, we believe that such brain wave activity is mostly dependent on whether awareness of the error requires internal monitoring – where children with autism are deficient – or external reporting, where there are no differences from controls. In everyday situations, the complexity of social exchange requires ongoing internal monitoring, and likely overwhelms the child with autism. It is possible that while autistic children understand the mistakes of others and have the same brain response as their healthy peers, they still lack the ability to correctly process and react to what they observe. The brain responds correctly, but the social abilities have to catch up with what the brain understands. We are now planning future studies to extend our research along these lines.

This research is currently being prepared for submission into a peer-reviewed journal. It will be presented at the BYU Mary Lou Fulton Mentored Research Conference in April 2011 and at the International Meeting for Autism Research in San Diego in May, 2011.