Cerebral Lateralization for Language as a Potential Biomarker for the Broad Autism Phenotype: A Functional Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography Investigation

Introduction

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with language deficits, while growing evidence suggests that atypical cerebral lateralization for language could serve as a potential neural marker for ASD. The present study seeks to investigate cerebral lateralization for language not only in terms of ASD, but also as a potential biomarker for the broad autism phenotype (BAP)-a sum of subclinical traits similar to those of ASD. BAP is often observed in family members of individuals with ASD, and encompasses personality, linguistic, social, communicative, and behavioral challenges that fall short of the diagnostic threshold for ASD. We hypothesize that individuals with ASD will show atypical patterns of cerebral lateralization for language relative to neurotypical controls, with individuals exhibiting BAP characteristics expected to fall between these two groups.