National Research University «Higher School of Economics», Moscow, Russia, sdevi@edu.hse.ru, npekhlivan@edu.hse.ru, dnvankvo@edu.hse.ru, fmirshaki@edu.hse.ru
As a type of speech disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder which causes difficulties in developing both language skills and communication skills that may include recognizing emotions, gestures, facial expressions, etc. For instance, some people with ASD are unable to speak vocally, while others have limited speech abilities and have difficulty connecting and socializing with others (Steinbrenner, 2018). There are other characteristics of ASD, such as linguistic delays, impairments, or communication deficit which can be severe or mild, and these may also differ in adults and children. Even though several studies have focused on the characteristics of ASD, there is still a need for research to determine whether there is a link between speech impairments and neurodegenerative illness. However, this study concludes that there is an intricate link between emotion and attention. This is justified by the juxtaposition of the studies on ASD, which propose that the speaking ability of people with ASD is affected by attention and age. Moreover, it highlights speech disorders as a significant marker of neurodegenerative diseases and how these differ in adults and children with ASD in terms of language and communication skills.
speech disorders; Autism Spectrum Disorder; neurodegenerative diseases
Download textFor citing: Dewi, C.J.R., Pehlivan, N., Nwankwo, J.C., Mirshaki, F. (2021). Autistic Spectrum Disorders as a neurodegenerative disease. Ethnopsycholinguistics. Moscow: INION RAN. Vol. 2(5), pp. 76-86. DOI: 10.31249/epl/2021.02.05