Reduced frontal gamma power at 24 months is associated with better expressive language in toddlers at risk for autism

ABSTRACT Gamma oscillations have been associated with early language development in typically developing toddlers, and gamma band abnormalities have been observed in individuals with ASD, as well high-risk infant siblings (those having an older sibling with autism), as early as 6-months of age. The current study investigated differences in baseline frontal gamma power and its association with language development in toddlers at high versus low familial risk for autism. EEG recordings as well as cognitive and behavioral assessments were acquired at 24-months as part of prospective, longitudinal study of infant siblings of children with and without autism. Diagnosis of autism was determined at 24–36 months, and data was analyzed across three outcome groups - low risk without ASD (n=43), high-risk without ASD (n=42), and high-risk with ASD (n=16). High-risk toddlers without ASD had reduced baseline frontal gamma power (30–50Hz) compared to low-risk toddlers. Among high-risk toddlers increased frontal gamma was only marginally associated with ASD diagnosis (p=0.06), but significantly associated with reduced expressive language ability (p=0.007). No association between gamma power and language was present in the low-risk group. These findings suggest that differences in gamma oscillations in high-risk toddlers may represent compensatory mechanisms associated with improved developmental outcomes.