The comparative and developmental study of auditory information processing in autistic adults.

The present study examined brain functions related to information processing in autistic subjects, using auditory evoked potentials (AEP) and missing stimulus potentials (MSP). In order to study the development of autism, autistic adults served as subjects. Normal adults and children also served as control groups. Both normal and autistic adults showed normal patterns and lateralities with respect to AEP for music stimuli, but normal children did not show such matured patterns and lateralities. On the other hand, with respect to MSP, autistic adults showed matured patterns with a specific laterality. These results suggest that autistic subjects might develop some cognitive functions.