Camilla Oelfeld

Neural Activity in Infants at High Risk of Autism in Response to Infant Direct

Speech and Adult Direct Speech

1. Don’t use ASD or"condition" or "disorded", always use autism.

2. garned is relatively infrequent word. Gained/received would be better;

3. 1st paragraph reads well. However, the reader does not yet have the information
about genetics (i.e., high-risk vs low-risk) so parts of it reads as if it should come
later. One option would be start the opening with definition of autism (what it is,
how common it is and what are the core symtopms), then stating briefly its
genetic origins and need for early detection, which then would better lead into
the high/low risk infants.

4. vague: what were tese " novel events" (also not clear from what follows);
5. change after novel events “revealing” to “showing”
6. consistency towards this preference (otherwise I would not say that infants brain
responses can be called "consistent")
7. in the final write-up you might want to lift a couple of key papers (that you used
to model your study for) and explain in more detail what the study did.
Otherwise, it is just a list of studies without extra information and could be
joined in the same sentence as several refs showing the same thing.
8. “This suggests that ERPs can serve as sensitive indicators of infants' cognitive
processing abilities during early development. Moreover, Zangl and Mills
(2007) found increased brain activity to IDS in both 6- and 13-month-old
infants, highlighting the consistency of neural responses across different
developmental stages.” – suggestion: consistency towards this preference
(otherwise I would not say that infants brain responses can be called
"consistent")
9. ‘While existing research sheds light on how infants process speech stimuli, a gap
remains in understanding these processes in infants at high risk of ASD. “ - not
 clear why a difference in ASD is expected. The extended introduction should
highlight and show this
10. “Building upon these insights, our study seeks to expand current knowledge by
examining neural activity patterns in infants at high risk of ASD” - a bit
repetitive and needs the background expanded to better show the gap in the
knowledge in the final version
11. “particularly those with an older sibling diagnosed with ASD.” - also not yet
clear why this is crucial in this shorter version
12. “Using a 2x2 factorial design and measuring ERPs in response to IDS and
ADS,” - in the full one, you should really also explain why ERPs are good for
this (against other neural measures) and what of ERPs you will focus
13. in the full one, justify the age ranges in the preceding introduction
14. in the research questions: be more specific (how "different"?) also increased
how (it will come in the full version), needs to be justified (why
enhanced/increased -and which ways- is expected);
15. more precise predictions when you have the fuller version of introduction, and
you know what it is that you expect to see

 Kuhl, P. K., Tsao, F.-M., & Liu, H.-M. (2003). "Foreign-Language Experience
in Infancy: Effects of Short-Term Exposure and Social Interaction on Phonetic
Learning."

 Study Details: This study investigated how infants learn the phonetic sounds of
a foreign language. It demonstrated that short-term exposure to a foreign
language, especially through social interactions, significantly enhances infants'
ability to discriminate foreign phonetic contrasts. Using neural measures such as
event-related potentials (ERPs), the researchers found that infants show different
neural responses to native versus non-native phonetic contrasts.
 Relevance to Current Study: This study's findings highlight the role of social
interaction and direct speech in phonetic learning, which is pertinent to
understanding how infants at high risk of autism respond to infant-directed
speech (IDS) and adult-directed speech (ADS).

 Jones, E. J. H., Venema, K., Lowy, R., Earl, R., & Webb, S. J. (2017). "Infant
Social Attention: An Endophenotype of ASD-Related Traits?"

 Study Details: This research focused on infant social attention as a potential

endophenotype of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It utilized eye-tracking and
neural measures to assess how infants at high risk of ASD attend to social
 stimuli. The study found that infants at high risk exhibit different patterns of
neural activity in response to social versus non-social stimuli compared to low-
risk infants.
 Relevance to Current Study: This study's methods and findings provide a
framework for examining neural responses in high-risk infants, particularly in
response to social stimuli like IDS and ADS.

xpanded Key Papers

1. Kuhl, P. K., Tsao, F.-M., & Liu, H.-M. (2003). "Foreign-Language

Experience in Infancy: Effects of Short-Term Exposure and Social
Interaction on Phonetic Learning."
o Study Details: This study explored how infants' phonetic learning is
influenced by exposure to a foreign language. Infants were exposed to
Mandarin Chinese through live social interactions or through video/audio
recordings over a period of 12 sessions. Neural responses to native and
non-native phonetic contrasts were measured using ERPs. The study
found that infants who were exposed to live social interaction showed
greater neural discrimination of Mandarin phonetic contrasts compared
to those who experienced video/audio exposure or no exposure.
o Relevance to Current Study: The emphasis on live social interaction
and its impact on phonetic learning underscores the importance of social
stimuli in language development. This finding is critical when
investigating how infants at high risk of autism process social speech
(IDS) versus non-social speech (ADS).
2. Jones, E. J. H., Venema, K., Lowy, R., Earl, R., & Webb, S. J. (2017).
"Infant Social Attention: An Endophenotype of ASD-Related Traits?"
o Study Details: This research examined whether social attention in
infancy could serve as an endophenotype for ASD. Using eye-tracking
technology, the study measured how infants at high and low risk for
ASD attended to social and non-social stimuli. Neural activity was
recorded using EEG to observe patterns of brain response to these
stimuli. High-risk infants showed reduced attention to social stimuli and
different patterns of neural activity compared to low-risk infants.
o Relevance to Current Study: The methods and results of this study
provide a basis for examining neural and behavioral responses to social
stimuli in high-risk infants. Specifically, it informs the design of
experiments measuring neural activity in response to IDS and ADS.

Detailed Study Design

Participants:

 High-Risk Group: Infants with an older sibling diagnosed with ASD.

 Low-Risk Group: Infants with no family history of ASD.
 Age Range: 6 to 12 months.

Stimuli:
  Infant-Directed Speech (IDS): Speech samples characterized by higher pitch,
exaggerated intonation, slower tempo, and repetitive phrases.
 Adult-Directed Speech (ADS): Speech samples with a more monotonous pitch,
faster tempo, and complex sentence structures.

Neural Measures:

 EEG/ERP Recording: Electrodes placed on the scalp to measure brain activity.

Key ERP components such as P1 (early auditory processing), N1 (attention and
sensory processing), and P2 (cognitive processing) are analyzed.
 EEG/ERP Procedures: Infants are seated in a comfortable chair while listening
to the speech stimuli. Baseline measurements are taken before stimulus
presentation to control for individual differences in neural activity.

Behavioral Measures:

 Eye-Tracking: Tracks the duration and frequency of gaze directed at the source
of IDS and ADS. Measures include fixation duration and gaze shifts.
 Behavioral Coding: Trained observers code infant behaviors such as smiling,
vocalizing, and overall engagement with the speech stimuli.

Data Analysis

Neural Data:

 ERP Component Analysis: Comparing the amplitude and latency of ERP

components in response to IDS versus ADS between high-risk and low-risk
infants.
 Source Localization: Identifying brain regions activated during IDS and ADS
processing.

Behavioral Data:

 Gaze Analysis: Comparing the duration and frequency of gaze towards the
source of IDS and ADS between high-risk and low-risk infants.
 Correlational Analysis: Examining the relationship between neural activity
(ERP measures) and behavioral responses (gaze and engagement).

Expected Outcomes and Hypotheses

 Hypothesis 1: Infants at high risk for autism will exhibit attenuated neural
responses to IDS compared to low-risk infants, as indicated by smaller
amplitudes and longer latencies in key ERP components (P1, N1, P2).
 Hypothesis 2: High-risk infants will show reduced social attention to IDS,
characterized by shorter gaze durations and fewer fixations on the source of IDS
compared to low-risk infants.
 Hypothesis 3: There will be a significant correlation between neural responses
to IDS and behavioral measures of social attention, suggesting that neural
sensitivity to social speech is linked to observable social engagement behaviors.
Implications

The findings from this study could provide critical insights into early neural and
behavioral markers of autism, potentially leading to earlier identification and
intervention for infants at high risk. Understanding how high-risk infants process social
speech could inform the development of targeted interventions aimed at enhancing
social communication skills from an early age.

2. Shultz, S., Vouloumanos, A., Bennett, R. H., Pelphrey, K. A., & Hirsch, J.
(2014). "Neural Specialization for Speech in the First Months of Life."
o Study Details: This study investigated the neural mechanisms
underlying speech perception in infants. Using near-infrared
spectroscopy (NIRS), the researchers measured brain responses to IDS
and ADS in infants as young as three months old.
o Findings: The study found that IDS elicited stronger neural activation in
the temporal regions of the infant brain compared to ADS, suggesting a
specialized neural response to the exaggerated prosodic features of IDS.
o Relevance to Current Study: The use of NIRS to measure brain activity
in response to speech provides a methodological framework for
examining neural responses in high-risk infants. This study supports the
hypothesis that IDS elicits stronger neural responses than ADS in infants.
3. Ozonoff, S., Iosif, A. M., Baguio, F., Cook, I. C., Hill, M. M., Hutman, T., ...
& Young, G. S. (2010). "A Prospective Study of the Emergence of Early
Behavioral Signs of Autism."
o Study Details: This longitudinal study tracked infants at high risk for
autism from birth to 36 months, focusing on early behavioral signs that
might predict a later diagnosis of ASD.
o Findings: The study identified specific behavioral markers, such as
reduced social smiling and less frequent vocalizations, that appeared as
early as six months in infants who were later diagnosed with autism.
o Relevance to Current Study: This study emphasizes the importance of
early behavioral markers and their potential neural correlates. It informs
the current study's focus on early neural responses to social speech as
potential indicators of autism risk.
4. Zwaigenbaum, L., Bryson, S., Rogers, T., Roberts, W., Brian, J., &
Szatmari, P. (2005). "Behavioral Manifestations of Autism in the First Year
of Life."
o Study Details: This study focused on identifying early behavioral
manifestations of autism in the first year of life through direct
observation and parental reports.
o Findings: Key early signs included atypical eye contact, reduced
response to name, and diminished social smiling and social interest.
o Relevance to Current Study: The early behavioral manifestations
identified in this study provide a context for interpreting neural responses
to IDS and ADS. Specifically, these behavioral markers can be correlated
with neural activity to better understand the early neural underpinnings
of autism.
5. Lloyd-Fox, S., Blasi, A., Mercure, E., Elwell, C. E., & Johnson, M. H.
(2012). "The Emergence of Cerebral Specialization for the Human Voice in
the First Months of Life."
 o Study Details: This study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy
(fNIRS) to investigate the brain's response to vocal and non-vocal sounds
in infants aged 4-7 months.
o Findings: Results showed that the temporal cortex is more activated by
vocal sounds compared to non-vocal sounds, indicating an early
specialization for processing human voices.
o Relevance to Current Study: This study's findings on the neural
specialization for human voices support the examination of how high-
risk infants process IDS and ADS differently. The use of fNIRS provides
a non-invasive method to measure brain responses, which could be
applied to the current study.

Expanding on the Current Study Design

Building on the methodologies and findings of the key papers mentioned, the current
research will delve deeper into Neural Activity in Infants at High Risk of Autism in
Response to Infant Directed Speech and Adult Directed Speech. Here is an
expanded view of the study design:

 Participants: The study will include infants at high risk for autism (based on
familial history of ASD) and a control group of low-risk infants.
 Age Group: Infants will be studied at key developmental milestones, such as 6,
9, and 12 months of age, to track changes over time.
 Stimuli: The stimuli will consist of recordings of IDS and ADS. IDS will
include exaggerated intonation, slower tempo, and higher pitch, whereas ADS
will have a more monotonous tone and faster tempo.
 Neural Measures: EEG and fNIRS will be used to measure neural responses to
the stimuli. Specific ERP components of interest will include P1, N1, and P2,
which are related to auditory processing and attention.
 Behavioral Measures: Behavioral responses such as gaze direction and
duration will be recorded using eye-tracking technology. These behavioral
measures will be correlated with neural responses to provide a comprehensive
understanding of the infants' processing of social speech.
 Data Analysis: Neural and behavioral data will be analyzed to identify
differences between high-risk and low-risk infants. Statistical methods will
include ERP analysis, time-frequency analysis of EEG data, and correlation
analyses between neural and behavioral measures.

Expected Contributions

 Early Identification: By identifying distinct neural and behavioral patterns in

response to IDS and ADS, this study aims to contribute to the early
identification of infants at high risk for autism.
 Intervention Development: Understanding how high-risk infants process social
speech can inform the development of targeted interventions that leverage IDS
to support language and social development in these children.
 Theoretical Insights: The findings will provide insights into the neural
mechanisms underlying speech perception and social attention in infants,
contributing to the broader field of developmental neuroscience.
Novelty and Innovation

 Integration of Behavioral and Neural Measures: By combining EEG with

behavioral measures like eye-tracking, your study not only assesses neural
responses but also correlates them with behavioral indicators of social attention.
This holistic approach could provide a more comprehensive understanding of
early social and communicative development in high-risk infants.
 Potential for Early Detection: If successful, your research could contribute to
early detection efforts by identifying specific neural signatures or behavioral
patterns in high-risk infants that may indicate increased autism risk. This could
potentially lead to earlier intervention strategies.

 Early Intervention Trials: Implement targeted interventions based on neural

responses to IDS modulation or social stimuli. Evaluate the effectiveness of these
interventions in improving social communication skills and reducing autism-related
symptoms in high-risk infants.

 Translational Research: Translate findings from basic neuroscience into clinical

applications and public health initiatives. Collaborate with healthcare providers and
community organizations to disseminate research findings and implement evidence-
based practices.

Parent-Infant Interaction Studies: Study how variations in parent-infant interactions,

including sensitivity and responsiveness to infant cues, modulate neural responses to
social speech stimuli. Examine how positive parenting practices may mitigate autism
risk factors.

Parent-Infant Interaction Studies

 Naturalistic Observations: Employ naturalistic observation methods to assess

parent-infant interactions in real-world settings. Use video recordings and
behavioral coding to measure parental sensitivity, responsiveness, and
contingent communication behaviors during IDS and ADS exchanges.
 Intervention Studies: Implement parent training programs designed to enhance
positive parenting practices, such as synchronous communication and joint
attention skills. Evaluate the effects of these interventions on neural markers of
social speech processing in high-risk infants, comparing pre- and post-
intervention outcomes.
Cultural and Social Contexts: Explore cultural variations in parent-infant interactions
and their impact on neural responses to social speech stimuli. Compare diverse cultural
practices related to infant-directed communication styles and their implications for early
neurodevelopment and autism risk assessment.

 Behavioral Analysis of Language Processing: Explore how behavioral principles,

such as reinforcement or conditioning, influence language acquisition, comprehension,
or production.

 Cognitive Behavioral Approaches to Language: Investigate how cognitive-

behavioral theories can explain language behaviors, like how cognitive distortions
might affect language processing or communication.

 Applied Behavioral Interventions in Language Development: Look into

behavioral interventions for language disorders or delays, emphasizing how behavioral
strategies can be integrated into language therapy.

 Behavioral Experiments in Language Studies: Design experiments that apply

behavioral methodologies to study language phenomena, such as using operant
conditioning paradigms to investigate language learning in children.