The eye-tracking of social stimuli in patients with Rett syndrome and autism spectrum disorders: A pilot study

Abstract

Objective: To compare visual fixation at social stimuli in Rett syndrome (RT) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) patients. Method: Visual fixation at social stimuli was analyzed in 14 RS female patients (age range 4-30 years), 11 ASD male patients (age range 4-20 years), and 17 children with typical development (TD). Patients were exposed to three different pictures (two of human faces and one with social and non-social stimuli) presented for 8 seconds each on the screen of a computer attached to an eye-tracker equipment. Results: Percentage of visual fixation at social stimuli was significantly higher in the RS group compared to ASD and even to TD groups. Conclusion: Visual fixation at social stimuli seems to be one more endophenotype making RS to be very different from ASD.