Apply Today

If you are looking for a rewarding career
in online therapy apply today!

APPLY NOW

Sign Up For a Demo Today

Does your school need
Online Therapy Services

SIGN UP

Unlocking the Potential: Understanding Eye Gaze in Autism

Unlocking the Potential: Understanding Eye Gaze in Autism

Understanding Eye Gaze in Autism: Insights for Practitioners

As practitioners dedicated to improving outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), understanding the nuances of social interactions is crucial. A recent study titled Look me in the eyes: constraining gaze in the eye-region provokes abnormally high subcortical activation in autism sheds light on the complex relationship between eye gaze and subcortical activation in individuals with ASD.

Key Findings

The study utilized functional MRI to investigate how constraining gaze to the eye-region during dynamic emotional face perception affects subcortical activation in individuals with ASD compared to typical controls. The results revealed that when individuals with ASD are forced to look into the eyes, there is an abnormally high activation in the subcortical system, including the superior colliculus, pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus, and amygdala. This heightened activation may contribute to the discomfort and avoidance of eye contact often observed in individuals with ASD.

Implications for Practice

These findings offer valuable insights for practitioners working with children with ASD. Here are some strategies to consider:

Encouraging Further Research

While this study provides important insights, it also highlights the need for further research. Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying eye gaze in ASD can inform the development of more effective therapeutic interventions. Practitioners are encouraged to stay informed about ongoing research in this area and consider participating in studies that explore the impact of eye gaze interventions on social and emotional outcomes in children with ASD.

Conclusion

The study underscores the complexity of eye gaze in autism and its implications for social interaction and emotional processing. By integrating these insights into practice, practitioners can better support children with ASD in developing critical social skills. For those interested in delving deeper into the research, the original study offers a comprehensive analysis of the findings and their potential applications.

To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Look me in the eyes: constraining gaze in the eye-region provokes abnormally high subcortical activation in autism.


Citation: Hadjikhani, N., Åsberg Johnels, J., Zürcher, N. R., Lassalle, A., Guillon, Q., Hippolyte, L., Billstedt, E., Ward, N., Lemonnier, E., & Gillberg, C. (2017). Look me in the eyes: constraining gaze in the eye-region provokes abnormally high subcortical activation in autism. Scientific Reports, 7, 3378. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-03378-5
Marnee Brick, President, TinyEYE Therapy Services

Author's Note: Marnee Brick, TinyEYE President, and her team collaborate to create our blogs. They share their insights and expertise in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, Online Therapy Services and Academic Research.

Connect with Marnee on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest in Speech-Language Pathology and Online Therapy Services.

Apply Today

If you are looking for a rewarding career
in online therapy apply today!

APPLY NOW

Sign Up For a Demo Today

Does your school need
Online Therapy Services

SIGN UP

Apply Today

If you are looking for a rewarding career
in online therapy apply today!

APPLY NOW

Sign Up For a Demo Today

Does your school need
Online Therapy Services

SIGN UP