Alterations in looking at face-pareidolia images in autism
Abstract Face tuning is vital for adaptive and effective social cognition and interaction. This capability is impaired in a wide range of mental conditions including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet the origins of this deficit are largely unknown. Here, an eye-tracking methodology had been implem...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98461-7 |
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| author | Jessica Galli Marika Vezzoli Erika Loi Serena Micheletti Anna Molinaro Lucia Tagliavento Stefano Calza Alexander N. Sokolov Marina A. Pavlova Elisa Fazzi |
| author_facet | Jessica Galli Marika Vezzoli Erika Loi Serena Micheletti Anna Molinaro Lucia Tagliavento Stefano Calza Alexander N. Sokolov Marina A. Pavlova Elisa Fazzi |
| author_sort | Jessica Galli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Face tuning is vital for adaptive and effective social cognition and interaction. This capability is impaired in a wide range of mental conditions including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet the origins of this deficit are largely unknown. Here, an eye-tracking methodology had been implemented in adolescents with high-functioning ASD and in typically developing (TD) matched controls while administering a face-pareidolia task. The spatial distributions of eye fixation in five regions of interest [face, eyes, mouth, CFA (complementary face area, a face area beyond eyes and mouth) and non-face area (a screen area outside a face)] were recorded during spontaneous recognition of a set of Arcimboldo-like Face-n-Food images presented in a predetermined order from the least to most resembling a face. Individuals with ASD gave significantly fewer face responses and looked more often at the mouth, CFA, and non-face areas. By contrast, TD controls mostly fixated the face and eyes areas. The atypical visual scanning strategies could, at least partly, account for the lower face tuning in ASD, supporting the eye avoidance hypothesis, according to which ASD individuals concentrate less on the eyes because the eyes represent a source of emotional information that may make them feel uncomfortable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-78cb4da7d7b844f98c98d5c202ec2a5e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-78cb4da7d7b844f98c98d5c202ec2a5e2025-08-24T11:18:59ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-98461-7Alterations in looking at face-pareidolia images in autismJessica Galli0Marika Vezzoli1Erika Loi2Serena Micheletti3Anna Molinaro4Lucia Tagliavento5Stefano Calza6Alexander N. Sokolov7Marina A. Pavlova8Elisa Fazzi9Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of BresciaBDbiomed, BODaI Lab, University of BresciaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of BresciaUnit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, ASST Spedali Civili of BresciaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of BresciaUnit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, ASST Spedali Civili of BresciaBDbiomed, BODaI Lab, University of BresciaSocial Neuroscience Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical School and University Hospital, Eberhard Karls University of TübingenSocial Neuroscience Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical School and University Hospital, Eberhard Karls University of TübingenDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of BresciaAbstract Face tuning is vital for adaptive and effective social cognition and interaction. This capability is impaired in a wide range of mental conditions including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet the origins of this deficit are largely unknown. Here, an eye-tracking methodology had been implemented in adolescents with high-functioning ASD and in typically developing (TD) matched controls while administering a face-pareidolia task. The spatial distributions of eye fixation in five regions of interest [face, eyes, mouth, CFA (complementary face area, a face area beyond eyes and mouth) and non-face area (a screen area outside a face)] were recorded during spontaneous recognition of a set of Arcimboldo-like Face-n-Food images presented in a predetermined order from the least to most resembling a face. Individuals with ASD gave significantly fewer face responses and looked more often at the mouth, CFA, and non-face areas. By contrast, TD controls mostly fixated the face and eyes areas. The atypical visual scanning strategies could, at least partly, account for the lower face tuning in ASD, supporting the eye avoidance hypothesis, according to which ASD individuals concentrate less on the eyes because the eyes represent a source of emotional information that may make them feel uncomfortable.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98461-7Autism spectrum disorderFace pareidoliaEye trackingVisual scanningSocial cognition |
| spellingShingle | Jessica Galli Marika Vezzoli Erika Loi Serena Micheletti Anna Molinaro Lucia Tagliavento Stefano Calza Alexander N. Sokolov Marina A. Pavlova Elisa Fazzi Alterations in looking at face-pareidolia images in autism Scientific Reports Autism spectrum disorder Face pareidolia Eye tracking Visual scanning Social cognition |
| title | Alterations in looking at face-pareidolia images in autism |
| title_full | Alterations in looking at face-pareidolia images in autism |
| title_fullStr | Alterations in looking at face-pareidolia images in autism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alterations in looking at face-pareidolia images in autism |
| title_short | Alterations in looking at face-pareidolia images in autism |
| title_sort | alterations in looking at face pareidolia images in autism |
| topic | Autism spectrum disorder Face pareidolia Eye tracking Visual scanning Social cognition |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98461-7 |
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