Interpersonal distance theory of autism and its implication for cognitive assessment, therapy, and daily life

The interpersonal distance (IPD) theory provides a novel approach to studying autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this article, we present recent findings on the neurobiological underpinnings of IPD regulation that are distinct in individuals with ASD. We also discuss the potential influence of environmental factors on IPD. We suggest that different IPD regulation may have implications for cognitive performance in experimental and diagnostic settings, may influence the effectiveness of training and therapy, and may play a role in the typical forms of social communication and leisure activities chosen by autistic individuals. We argue that reconsidering the results of ASD research through the lens of IPD would lead to a different interpretation of previous findings. Finally, we propose a methodological approach to study this phenomenon systematically

Self-similar solution of a nonsteady problem of nonisothermal vapour condensation on a droplet growing in diffusion regime

This paper presents a mathematically exact self-similar solution to the joint nonsteady problems of vapour diffusion towards a droplet growing in a vapour-gas medium and of removal of heat released by a droplet into a vapour-gas medium during vapour condensation. An equation for the temperature of the droplet is obtained; and it is only at that temperature that the self-similar solution exists. This equation requires the constancy of the droplet temperature and even defines it unambiguously throughout the whole period of the droplet growth. In the case of strong display of heat effects, when the droplet growth rate decreases significantly, the equation for the temperature of the droplet is solved analytically. It is shown that the obtained temperature fully coincides with the one that settles in the droplet simultaneously with the settlement of its diffusion regime of growth. At the obtained temperature of the droplet the interrelated nonsteady vapour concentration and temperature profiles of the vapour-gas medium around the droplet are expressed in terms of initial (prior to the nucleation of the droplet) parameters of the vapour-gas medium. The same parameters are used to formulate the law in accordance with which the droplet is growing in diffusion regime, and also to define the time that passes after the nucleation of the droplet till the settlement of diffusion regime of droplet growth, when the squared radius of the droplet becomes proportionate to time. For the sake of completeness the case of weak display of heat effects is been studied.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

The effect of transcranial alternating current stimulation on probabilistic learning

Probabilistic learning is a fundamental mechanism of the brain, which extracts and represents regularities of our environment enabling predictive processing during perception and acquisition of perceptual, motor, cognitive, and social skills. Previous studies showed that the frontal cortex and frontostriatal networks play a critical role during probabilistic learning. Also there is evidence that the functional connectivity between the frontal cortex and posterior brain areas was related to the performance in this fundamental learning mechanism, especially in theta (4–8 Hz) frequency: weaker connectivity between these brain areas was associated with better learning. However, the direction of causality remains unclear. To address this question we aimed to induce theta frequency oscillations of the frontal cortex to test if that enhances probabilistic learning. We used the Alternating Serial Reaction Time (ASRT) task to measure probabilistic learning. Twenty healthy young adults participated in our study in within subject design. They completed three sessions of the learning task in three conditions, one week apart from each other. During the first twenty minutes of the task they received 1 mA transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) with theta or alpha frequency, or sham stimulation bifrontally (F3, F4). All participants underwent all three types of stimulation. The order of the conditions was counterbalanced between participants. Our study demonstrates the role of the prefrontal cortex in probabilistic learning, and also clarifies the causal relations between brain activity and learning performance

Intact predictive processing in autistic adults: evidence from statistical learning

Impairment in predictive processes gained a lot of attention in recent years as an explanation for autistic symptoms. However, empirical evidence does not always underpin this framework. Thus, it is unclear what aspects of predictive processing are affected in autism spectrum disorder. In this study, we tested autistic adults on a task in which participants acquire probability-based regularities (that is, a statistical learning task). Twenty neurotypical and 22 autistic adults learned a probabilistic, temporally distributed regularity for about 40 min. Using frequentist and Bayesian methods, we found that autistic adults performed comparably to neurotypical adults, and the dynamics of learning did not differ between groups either. Thus, our study provides evidence for intact statistical learning in autistic adults. Furthermore, we discuss potential ways this result can extend the scope of the predictive processing framework, noting that atypical processing might not always mean a deficit in performance. © 2023, The Author(s)