表情の定量化による自閉スペクトラム症の特徴抽出

学位の種別: 課程博士審査委員会委員 : （主査）東京大学教授 岡 明, 東京大学教授 笠井 清登, 東京大学特任准教授 吉本 真, 東京大学講師 山下 英臣, 東京大学講師 荒木 剛University of Tokyo(東京大学

Quantification of speech and synchrony in the conversation of adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social reciprocity and communication together with restricted interest and stereotyped behaviors. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) is considered a 'gold standard' instrument for diagnosis of ASD and mainly depends on subjective assessments made by trained clinicians. To develop a quantitative and objective surrogate marker for ASD symptoms, we investigated speech features including F0, speech rate, speaking time, and turn-taking gaps, extracted from footage recorded during a semi-structured socially interactive situation from ADOS. We calculated not only the statistic values in a whole session of the ADOS activity but also conducted a block analysis, computing the statistical values of the prosodic features in each 8s sliding window. The block analysis identified whether participants changed volume or pitch according to the flow of the conversation. We also measured the synchrony between the participant and the ADOS administrator. Participants with high-functioning ASD showed significantly longer turn-taking gaps and a greater proportion of pause time, less variability and less synchronous changes in blockwise mean of intensity compared with those with typical development (TD) (p<0.05 corrected). In addition, the ASD group had significantly wider distribution than the TD group in the within-participant variability of blockwise mean of log F0 (p<0.05 corrected). The clinical diagnosis could be discriminated using the speech features with 89% accuracy. The features of turn-taking and pausing were significantly correlated with deficits of ASD in reciprocity (p<0.05 corrected). Additionally, regression analysis provided 1.35 of mean absolute error in the prediction of deficits in reciprocity, to which the synchrony of intensity especially contributed. The findings suggest that considering variance of speech features, interaction and synchrony with conversation partner are critical to characterize atypical features in the conversation of people with ASD

Computer-analyzed facial expression as a surrogate marker for autism spectrum social core symptoms

<div><p>To develop novel interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) core symptoms, valid, reliable, and sensitive longitudinal outcome measures are required for detecting symptom change over time. Here, we tested whether a computerized analysis of quantitative facial expression measures could act as a marker for core ASD social symptoms. Facial expression intensity values during a semi-structured socially interactive situation extracted from the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) were quantified by dedicated software in 18 high-functioning adult males with ASD. Controls were 17 age-, gender-, parental socioeconomic background-, and intellectual level-matched typically developing (TD) individuals. Statistical analyses determined whether values representing the strength and variability of each facial expression element differed significantly between the ASD and TD groups and whether they correlated with ADOS reciprocal social interaction scores. Compared with the TD controls, facial expressions in the ASD group appeared more “Neutral” (<i>d</i> = 1.02, <i>P</i> = 0.005, <i>P</i>_FDR < 0.05) with less variation in Neutral expression (<i>d</i> = 1.08, <i>P</i> = 0.003, <i>P</i>_FDR < 0.05). Their expressions were also less “Happy” (<i>d</i> = −0.78, <i>P</i> = 0.038, <i>P</i>_FDR > 0.05) with lower variability in Happy expression (<i>d</i> = 1.10, <i>P</i> = 0.003, <i>P</i>_FDR < 0.05). Moreover, the stronger Neutral facial expressions in the ASD participants were positively correlated with poorer ADOS reciprocal social interaction scores (<i>ρ</i> = 0.48, <i>P</i> = 0.042). These findings indicate that our method for quantitatively measuring reduced facial expressivity during social interactions can be a promising marker for core ASD social symptoms.</p></div

Correlations of EI variables characterizing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with clinical indices.

<p>Correlations of the EI variables found to characterize ASD (Neutral-Mode, Neutral-LogP, and Happy-LogP) with (A) clinical indices (not including ADOS reciprocal social interaction/stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests scores), and (B) demographic indices. Each correlation was evaluated separately for each group. Only the correlations with <i>P</i> < 0.05 are shown. (A) Neutral-Mode was significantly correlated with the GAF in the ASD group and with the CESD in the TD group even after FDR correction. (B) No correlation with demographic indices remained significant after FDR correction. Uncolored circles indicate individuals with ASD; colored circles are for those with TD. <i>rho</i>, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. *, FDR-corrected <i>P</i> < 0.05. Abbreviations: <i>EI</i>, expression intensity; <i>TD</i>, typically developing; <i>GAF</i>, Global Assessment of Functioning; <i>ADI-R</i>, Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised; <i>CESD</i>, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; <i>SES</i>, Socioeconomic status; <i>LogP</i>, natural logarithm of the probability at the mode of the probability density function; <i>ADOS</i>, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule.</p

Comparison of EI variables between the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typical development (TD) groups.

<p>Comparison of EI variables between the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typical development (TD) groups.</p

Demographic characteristics of participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those with typical development (TD).

<p>Demographic characteristics of participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those with typical development (TD).</p

Correlations between EI variables characterizing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADOS reciprocal social interaction scores.

<p>Of the three EI variables found to characterize ASD (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0190442#pone.0190442.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a> and <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0190442#pone.0190442.t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>), Neutral-Mode significantly correlated with ADOS reciprocal social interaction scores, whereas Neutral-LogP and Happy-LogP did not. Each circle indicates each participant with ASD. <i>rho</i>, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. *, <i>P</i> < 0.05. Abbreviations: <i>EI</i>, expression intensity; <i>ADOS</i>, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule; <i>LogP</i>, natural logarithm of the probability at the mode of the probability density function.</p