# Perceptual Grouping in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Magnetoencephalography Study

## TL;DR

This study uses brain scans to explore how people with autism process visual grouping differently compared to those without autism.

## Contribution

The study identifies distinct neural processing differences in visual grouping between individuals with and without ASD.

## Key findings

- Individuals without ASD showed stronger and earlier brain responses to visual grouping tasks.
- Individuals with ASD exhibited prolonged processing for grouping by similarity.
- These neural differences may explain less efficient visual grouping in ASD.

## Abstract

Visual information is organised according to visual grouping principles. In visual grouping tasks individuals with ASD have shown equivocal performance. We explored neural correlates of Gestalt grouping in individuals with and without ASD. Neuromagnetic activity of individuals with (15) and without (18) ASD was compared during a visual grouping task testing grouping by proximity versus similarity. Individuals without ASD showed stronger evoked responses with earlier peaks in response to both grouping types indicating an earlier neuronal differentiation between grouping principles in individuals without ASD. In contrast, individuals with ASD showed particularly prolonged processing of grouping by similarity suggesting a high demand of neural resources. The neuronal processing differences found could explain less efficient grouping performance observed behaviourally in ASD.