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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02160119

Emotional and Change-related Attention in Autism

Several studies seem to indicate that emotional attention and change-related attention are impaired in ASD. The goal of this study is to identify the relationships between those two types of automatic attention in visual and auditory modalities in subjects with ASD compared to healthy controls and also, over the course of development (children, adults). In order to achieve this goal, the investigators will use complementary techniques (EEG and MRI-based techniques (fMRI, DTI)).

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Key information

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder Child Development Disorders, Pervasive Mental Disorders Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Age range

5 year–45 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University Hospital

Tours, 37044, France

About this study

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by major handicap in social interaction and in daily life adaptation. The orienting response towards potentially relevant events involves automatic attentional mechanisms that would be elicited mainly by two classes of biologically important stimulations: novel stimuli and emotional stimuli. The neural basis of emotional and change-related attention in ASD will be explored by investigating brain reactivity in both visual and auditory modalities, during tasks mixing emotional and non emotional stimuli.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • No past history of central nervous system disorders
  • Written consent
  • Affiliated to the National Health Insurance
  • Do not participate to another biomedical research
  • For ASD group: Children with autism spectrum disorder (DSM-V criteria) and adults with high-functioning autism
  • For healthy subjects: No past history of difficulties in early childhood for acquisition of walk, language or reading and no psychiatric disorders

Exclusion criteria

  • Abnormal corrected vision
  • Abnormal audition
  • Not stabilized psychoactive treatment or treatment that can modify electrogenesis
  • Infectious or metabolic diseases
  • Epilepsies
  • Impossibility to participate to the whole study
  • For subjects participating to the MRI recordings: MRI counter-indications (pace-makers ...), claustrophobia or a positive pregnancy test

Treatment and study plan

MRI-based techniques

Other

fMRI, DTI

Other names: Functional magnetic resonance imaging, Diffusion Tensor Imaging

EEG

Other

ERP

Other names: Electroencephaolgraphy, Event-related potential (ERP)

Primary outcomes

  1. Neural responses to neutral and emotional stimuli

    Time frame: 1 day

    ERP (Event-related potential), fMRI and DTI

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France

Other Gov

Registry information

Acronym: AUTATTEN

Important dates

Study start
2014
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Jun 10, 2014
Registry last updated
Nov 18, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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