Emotion Detection of People with Autism Ages 10–20: Using Beta-Left and Gamma-Right Temporal

<ns7:p>Abstract* Background Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis currently relies on behavioral assessments, which can be time-consuming and subjective. This study investigates whether minimal EEG band measurements can differentiate individuals with ASD from neurotypical peers, providing a potential rapid screening tool. Methods A proof-of-concept study was conducted with twelve participants aged 10 to 20 years, including five neurotypical controls and seven ASD residents from the Arabic Village for Special Education Centre. Brain activity was recorded using four-sensor Muse 2 headband covering the temporal and front regions. The primary EEG frequency bands- Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Theta- were measured and statically analysed for each participant. Results The EEG signals from the temporal regions were the most informative for distinguishing between groups. Specifically, gamma activity at the right temporal sensor (TP10) and beta activity at the left temporal (TP9) demonstrated the highest capacity to differentiate ASD individuals from controls. Conclusion These preliminary findings suggest that brief, simple EEG measurements, focusing on specific frequency bands in temporal regions, could rapid screening or monitoring of ASD behaviour in clinical and educational settings. Future research with larger samples and enhanced data collection is necessary to validate and expand upon these results.</ns7:p>