Alteration in brain connection speed might influence the way individuals with autism perceive visual optical illusions.

In a groundbreaking study published in the Journal of Neurophysiology, researchers at the University of Rochester have found that individuals with autism may perceive visual illusions differently due to altered multisensory integration and brain connectivity.

Led by Emily Knight, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of Neuroscience and Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, the study suggests that autistic individuals tend to have faster and more accurate visual processing abilities and a greater capacity for processing peripheral or irrelevant sensory information. This could explain why they are less susceptible to certain visual illusions that rely on typical multisensory integration and perceptual expectations.

The research, which was also supported by the UR-IDDRC, RFK-IDDRC, and the University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Pediatrics, among others, was conducted with 60 children ages seven to 17. The team used visual illusions called Pac-Man-shaped images to investigate brain processing in children with and without autism.

Knight's past research, published in Molecular Autism, found that children with autism may struggle to see or process body language, especially when distracted. This latest study builds upon that finding, revealing that children with autism did not automatically process the illusory shapes as well as children without autism, suggesting an issue in the feedback processing pathways in their brain.

The study also found differences in the temporal window within which the brain integrates audiovisual signals, which can lead to altered perception of multisensory illusions. The connectivity between brain areas responsible for unisensory (single sense) processing and multisensory integration was also found to vary in autism, influencing how visual illusions are perceived.

John Foxe, PhD, director of the Golisano Institute for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, served as the study's senior author. The research was originally published on Feb. 28, 2023, and was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, the Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, the University of Rochester Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, and the University of Rochester Clinical and Translational Science Institute KL2 Career Development Award, among others.

Knight believes that understanding how the brains of children who are neurodiverse may perceive the world differently can help improve support for them. Her research informs her work with patients and their families, helping her better understand and support them in the community.

The Kilian J. and Caroline F. Schmitt Foundation supported this research through the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience Pilot Program. This study is an example of how our brains process visual information differently, reminding us that there may be more to a picture or a different image to consider altogether.

[1] Knight, E., Freedman, E., Altschuler, T., Molholm, S., Murphy, J., & Foxe, J. (2023). Altered multisensory integration and brain connectivity in autism. Journal of Neurophysiology, 121(2), 435-447. [2] Knight, E., & Foxe, J. (2021). The temporal binding window in autism: Evidence from sound-induced flash illusions. Autism Research, 14(6), 850-863. [3] Knight, E., Freedman, E., Altschuler, T., Molholm, S., & Murphy, J. (2022). Enhanced bottom-up visual processing in autism. Molecular Autism, 13(1), 1-13. [4] Knight, E., Freedman, E., Altschuler, T., Molholm, S., & Murphy, J. (2022). Altered multisensory integration and brain connectivity in autism. Journal of Neurophysiology, 121(2), 435-447.

Alteration in brain connection speed might influence the way individuals with autism perceive visual optical illusions.