A deficit in shifting attention present in high-functioning autism but not Asperger’s disorder

By Rinehart, N.J., Bradshaw, J.L., Brereton, A.V. and Tonge, B.J. (2001) Autism, Vol 5 (1) 67-80.

The aim of this study was to examine executive functioning, in particular, attentional set-shifting deficits in high-functioning autism (n=12) and Asperger’s disorder (n=12).

Deficiency in shifting from local to global processing was not observed in individuals with Asperger’s disorder.

Discussion
This finding challenges theories that suggest a causal link between attention shifting deficits and the social/emotional deficits observed in individuals with autism and Asperger’s disorder. Nonetheless, this result of a qualitative difference between autism and Asperger’s disorder supports recent studies which suggest that these disorders may have unique neurobiological underpinnings. The dissociation of attentional shifting in autism and Asperger’s disorder may suggest differential involvement of the dorsolateral prefrontal circuit in these disorders given its putative role in set shifting.