EEG Correlates of Social-Communication Difficulties in Typically Developing Individuals: Functional Connectivity and Frequency-Domain Insights

EEG Correlates of Social-Communication Difficulties in Typically Developing Individuals: Functional Connectivity and Frequency-Domain Insights | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article EEG Correlates of Social-Communication Difficulties in Typically Developing Individuals: Functional Connectivity and Frequency-Domain Insights Muhammad Zakir Ullah, Liu Fulin, Yu Dongchuan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7777907/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent social communication challenges and repetitive behaviors. However, similar traits measured using self-report questionnaires such as the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) are also present at subclinical levels in typically developing (TD) individuals, a phenomenon known as the broader autism phenotype (BAP). To investigate the neurophysiological correlates of such traits, this study examined resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) data from 49 TD adults categorized into high AQ [subjects = 19, (AQ \(\:\ge\:\:\) 26), (mean age: 25.53 \(\:\pm\:\) 6.18; 09 females, 10 males)] and low AQ [subjects = 30, (AQ \(\:\:\le\:\) 16), mean age: 25.3 \(\:\pm\:\) 6.70; 21 females, 09 males)] groups. Frequency-domain (FD) features and functional-connectivity (FC) metrics including phase locking value (PLV), weighted phase lag index (WPLI), and phase lag index (PLI) were computed across five frequency bands. Global network measures (GNMs), [global efficiency (GE), transitivity (T), modularity (MM), and assortativity (AC)] were also derived to assess large-scale brain dynamics. Group differences in FD and FC/GNM features were assessed with Welch’s t-tests; associations with AQ scores (continuous) were tested using multiple linear regression models adjusted for age and gender. Moreover, correlations between FD and FC/GNM EEG features and AQ subscales were evaluated using Pearson’s correlation. Group comparisons revealed significant group differences across most FD EEG features (except gamma). However, when AQ was treated as a continuous variable in multiple linear regression models, none of the FD features showed significant associations. Additionally, theta-band in GNM features derived from FC connectivity showed significant differences between high- and low-AQ groups and remained significantly associated with total AQ scores in multiple linear regression models. Furthermore, both FD and FC/GNM EEG features exhibited significant correlations with AQ subscales particularly social skills, attention to detail, and communication in the theta, delta, and gamma bands, core challenges faced by individual with ASD. Our results indicate that theta-band EEG activity reflects subclinical variations in social-communication abilities within the general population. The results support the continuum model of autism and highlight the potential of EEG-derived metrics as biomarkers for early identification of social-communication difficulties in TD individuals Autism spectrum disorder broader autism phenotype frequency domain analysis functional connectivity autism spectrum quotient Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files SupplementaryMaterial.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7777907","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":535677949,"identity":"4424db84-b84e-47c8-8712-0eb720a12ea2","order_by":0,"name":"Muhammad Zakir Ullah","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Southeast University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Muhammad","middleName":"Zakir","lastName":"Ullah","suffix":""},{"id":535677950,"identity":"93d73013-bb02-4230-90b9-8d4e6d2d10f6","order_by":1,"name":"Liu Fulin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Southeast 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Insights","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Autism spectrum disorder, broader autism phenotype, frequency domain analysis, functional connectivity, autism spectrum quotient","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7777907/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7777907/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent social communication challenges and repetitive behaviors. However, similar traits measured using self-report questionnaires such as the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) are also present at subclinical levels in typically developing (TD) individuals, a phenomenon known as the broader autism phenotype (BAP). To investigate the neurophysiological correlates of such traits, this study examined resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) data from 49 TD adults categorized into high AQ [subjects\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;19, (AQ \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\ge\\:\\:\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e26), (mean age: 25.53 \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\pm\\:\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e 6.18; 09 females, 10 males)] and low AQ [subjects = 30, (AQ\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\:\\le\\:\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e 16), mean age: 25.3 \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\pm\\:\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e 6.70; 21 females, 09 males)] groups.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency-domain (FD) features and functional-connectivity (FC) metrics including phase locking value (PLV), weighted phase lag index (WPLI), and phase lag index (PLI) were computed across five frequency bands. Global network measures (GNMs), [global efficiency (GE), transitivity (T), modularity (MM), and assortativity (AC)] were also derived to assess large-scale brain dynamics. Group differences in FD and FC/GNM features were assessed with Welch\u0026rsquo;s t-tests; associations with AQ scores (continuous) were tested using multiple linear regression models adjusted for age and gender. Moreover, correlations between FD and FC/GNM EEG features and AQ subscales were evaluated using Pearson\u0026rsquo;s correlation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGroup comparisons revealed significant group differences across most FD EEG features (except gamma). However, when AQ was treated as a continuous variable in multiple linear regression models, none of the FD features showed significant associations. Additionally, theta-band in GNM features derived from FC connectivity showed significant differences between high- and low-AQ groups and remained significantly associated with total AQ scores in multiple linear regression models. Furthermore, both FD and FC/GNM EEG features exhibited significant correlations with AQ subscales particularly social skills, attention to detail, and communication in the theta, delta, and gamma bands, core challenges faced by individual with ASD.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur results indicate that theta-band EEG activity reflects subclinical variations in social-communication abilities within the general population. The results support the continuum model of autism and highlight the potential of EEG-derived metrics as biomarkers for early identification of social-communication difficulties in TD individuals\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"EEG Correlates of Social-Communication Difficulties in Typically Developing Individuals: Functional Connectivity and Frequency-Domain Insights","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-10-31 11:03:16","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7777907/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"2cf507fa-5eee-41da-bc8e-c6c8d88af985","owner":[],"postedDate":"October 31st, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-06T08:40:49+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-10-31 11:03:16","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7777907","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7777907","identity":"rs-7777907","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}