Absence of Embodied Empathy During Pain Observation
in Asperger Syndrome
Minio-Paluello I, Baron-Cohen S,
Avenanti A, Walsh V, Aglioti SM
Biological Psychiatry
2009;65(1):55-62
By wich mechanism the
lack of contagious yawning by autists ?
The mystery
lives.
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
reportedly fail to show contagious yawning, but the
mechanism underlying the lack of contagious yawning is
still unclear. The current study examined whether
instructed fixation on the eyes modulates contagious
yawning in ASD.
Thirty-one children with ASD, as well as 31
age-matched typically developing (TD) children, observed
video clips of either yawning or control mouth movements.
Participants were instructed to fixate to the eyes of the
face stimuli.
Following instructed fixation on the eyes, both TD
children and children with ASD yawned equally frequently
in response to yawning stimuli. Current results suggest
that contagious yawning could occur in ASD under an
experimental condition in which they are instructed to
fixate on the yawning eyes.
Par quel
mécanisme les autistes sont-ils moins sensibles
à la réplication du bâillement
?
Le mystère
demeure.
Les personnes atteintes d'autisme sont
réputées être peu sensibles à
la réplication ou échokinésie du
bâillement. Pourtant, l'explication
physiopathologique demeure controversée. Cette
étude a comparé 31 malades autistes
à 31 sujets témoins sains apparentés
en âge.
Ils devaient tous fixer leur attention
précisément sur le regard de personnages de
clips vidéos qui bâillaient ou avaient des
mouvements ordinaires de la bouche, comme état
témoin. Dans ces conditions expérimentales
précises de fixation du regard, il n'a pas
été noté de différence entre
les deux groupes; les enfants autistes se sont
révélés sensibles aux
bâillements observés de la même
façon que les enfants sains.
This work focuses on the estimation of possible
fatigue or drowsiness by detecting the occurrence of
yawns with human drivers. An image processing technique
has been proposed to analyse the deformation occurring on
driver's face and accurately identify the yawn from other
types of mouth opening such as talking and singing. The
algorithm quantifies the degree of deformation on lips
when a driver yawns.
The image processing methodology is based on study of
non-rigid motion patterns on 2D images. The analysis is
done on a temporal sequence of images acquired by a
camera. A shape-based correspondence of templates on
contours of a particular region is established on the
basis of curvature information. The shape similarity
between the contours is analysed, after decomposing with
wavelets at different levels.
Finally, the yawn is correlated with fatigue-induced
behaviour of drivers on simulation.
Détecter
les bâillements du chauffeur
Cette équipe de recherche indienne essaie de
mettre au point un détecteur de bâillements
qui pourrait réduire le nombre d'accidents de la
route causés par la somnolence d'un conducteur au
volant.
En cours d'élaboration, cette technologie
indo-américaine est intégrée
à l'intérieur de l'automobile, comme l'ont
indiqué les concepteurs, dont les travaux sont
publiés dans The International Journal of
Computational Vision and Robotics.. Le nouveau
système est constitué d'une caméra
et d'un logiciel qui analyse instantanément les
images du visage, captées à intervalles
réguliers. En plus d'analyser les modifications du
visage du chauffeur, l'appareil distingue les
bâillements des autres mouvements faciaux, comme
les actions de sourire, de discuter ou de chanter.
À partir du moment où le conducteur
bâille, le logiciel se met à calculer la
fréquence des bâillements. Si ces derniers
se répètent trop souvent, un signal
d'avertissement est déclenché. Aux
États-Unis seulement, 100 000 accidents
de la route sont causés, chaque année, par
la fatigue d'un conducteur, selon la National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
De l'électrode à la lentille : au cours
des dernières années, d'autres
systèmes de détection de fatigue ont
été mis au point. Ceux-ci enregistraient
notamment l'activité du cerveau ou les pulsations
cardiaques. Les inventeurs du détecteur de
bâillements soutiennent que leur système de
caméra est moins encombrant que ces appareils,
souvent munis d'un casque chargé
d'électrodes devant être porté par le
conducteur.
En général, les conducteurs ont
tendance à sous-estimer leur fatigue et les
conséquences de celle-ci sur leur disposition
à conduire un véhicule. En revanche, ils
surestiment leur capacité à combattre le
sommeil qui s'empare d'eux.
Clifton Williams arrived at the Will County
Courthouse in Joliet and sat in the fourth-floor
courtroom where his cousin was pleading guilty to a
felony drug charge.
As Circuit Judge Daniel Rozak handed down the
cousin's sentence -- 2 years' probation -- Williams, 33,
stretched and let out a very ill-timed yawn.
Williams' sentence? Six months in jail -- the maximum
penalty for criminal contempt without a jury trial. The
Richton Park man was locked up July 23 and will serve at
least 21 days.
"I was flabbergasted because I didn't realize a judge
could do that," said Williams' father, Clifton Williams
Sr. "It seems to me like a yawn is an involuntary
action."
Chuck Pelkie, a spokesman for the state's attorney's
office, said the prosecutor in the courtroom that day
told him that "it was not a simple yawn -- it was a loud
and boisterous attempt to disrupt the proceedings."
Jason Mayfield, the cousin of Williams who was
pleading guilty at the time, said it was "not an
outrageous yawn."
A Tribune review of a decade's worth of
contempt-of-court charges reveals that Rozak jails people
-- typically spectators whose cell phones go off or who
scream or shout profanity during sentencing -- at a far
higher rate than any other judge in the county. There are
now 30 judges in the 12th Judicial Circuit, but since
1999, Rozak has brought more than a third of all the
contempt charges, records show.
And while it is not uncommon for judges to jail
people for ignoring subpoenas or court orders or
appearing in court drunk or under the influence of drugs,
Rozak's charges tend to involve behavior that would not
otherwise be criminal.
Judges have broad discretion under the law, which
defines contempt as acts that embarrass, hinder or
obstruct the court in its administration of justice or
lessen its authority or dignity. As long as the sentence
is not longer than 6 months, there is no review of the
case -- unless the offender appeals to the judge or a
higher court.
"We want judges to be able to manage the courtroom
... but we have some concern that when the contempt is
personal, judges might react too harshly," said
University of Chicago law professor Adam Samaha.
"Contempt that happens right in the judge's face is
likely to trigger an emotional reaction."
Observers describe Rozak as running the type of
strict courtroom that was common a few decades ago.
Defense attorneys say Rozak is "tough but fair" and runs
particularly well-managed trials. Rozak has been elected
in 2000 and 2006, both times with recommendations from
the state bar association.
"I think he's terrific -- he understands how the
world works," said Joliet defense attorney David Carlson.
"Some of the most serious felonies we have are handled in
his courtroom, so I think there should be a level of
seriousness and decorum."
So far this year, five criminal contempt charges have
been brought by Will County judges. Four of them were
brought by Rozak, including the case of Derrick Lee, a
Joliet man who "resisted" sitting where sheriff's
deputies directed him, talked in a "very loud" voice
during court and referred to Rozak as "boss," according
to the judge's contempt order. Lee, who also was wanted
on an outstanding warrant, was sentenced to 30 days but
was released two days later after apologizing.
Chief Judge Gerald Kinney said he couldn't comment on
the propriety of Williams' case, but said he would have
liked a more detailed order from Rozak in imposing the
maximum penalty. He was not aware that Rozak brings a
high percentage of contempt charges and said he has not
received a significant number of complaints about the
judge.
Rozak could not be reached for comment.
Rozak's order sentencing Williams to 6 months in jail
found that he "raised his hands while at the same time
making a loud yawning sound" that caused the judge to
"break from the proceedings."
"I really can't believe I'm in jail," Williams wrote
his family in a letter. "I done set (sic) in this
[expletive] a week so far for nothing."
People in other Will County courtrooms have received
less severe sentences for seemingly more flagrant
offenses. In Judge Richard Schoenstedt's court last year,
a woman was disruptive during closing arguments of a
trial; shouted, "This is bull ..." as she was led away;
was held to the floor by a deputy; and "continued to be
disruptive" after later being brought back before the
judge. She received a 7-day sentence for contempt,
records show.
Rozak has sentenced more spectators to jail for
infractions involving cell phones than any other judge in
Will County in the last decade. In 2003, a man who called
the judge an "ass" after Rozak ordered him to turn over
the phone when it rang in court was sentenced to 10 days
but did just 24 hours after apologizing to the
judge.
Three years later, a man twice refused to turn over
his ringing cell phone to a deputy and then, his phone
ringing before the bench, refused to hand it to Rozak. He
also received a 6-month sentence, but it was reduced to
18 days after the man apologized, records show.
In the two-story brick home where Williams had been
living with his aunt Cheryl Mayfield and caring for his
79-year-old grandmother, family members said they were in
shock over the sentence but were unable to afford an
attorney to appeal.
"This is ridiculous -- you've got all these people
shooting up kids, and here this boy yawns in court
[and gets 6 months]. It's crazy," she said. "This
could happen to any one of us."
Six mois de prison
pour avoir bâillé !
Clifton Williams, 33 ans, a écopé de
six mois de prison pour outrage au tribunal. Qu'a-t-il
fait pour soulever l'ire de Daniel Rozak, un juge de
l'Illinois? Il se serait étiré tout en
faisant entendre un bâillement sonore pendant que
son cousin plaidait coupable pour une affaire de drogue.
Le père de Clifton Williams témoigne:
«J'ai été stupéfait parce que
je ne savais pas qu'un juge pouvait faire ça. Il
me semble que le bâillement est un acte
involontaire.»
Depuis 1999, le juge Rozak est responsable, à
lui seul, du tiers des accusations pour outrage,
portées par les quelques 30 magistrats du palais
de justice du comté de Will, à Joliet.
The FICY 2010 will provide
a forum for in-depth assessment of the challenges
involved in the dynamic and fast moving field of
research and conjectures on this intriguing behavior :
yawning.
Over 15 leading experts from 7 countries around the world
have already confirmed they will be participating. FICY
will bring together clinicians, researchers, ethologists,
pharmacologists and other allied professionals to
discuss and present the latest
important developments in the field.
This day, no sponsor
agree to support the organization of FICY. Thus, we need
that all interested participants register for these
two days meeting. We need that you invite your colleagues
and promote this conference around, especially by way of
knowledge societies'letters, if you
can.
We look forward to your
participation in this outstanding conference
!
Cette conférence sera
l'occasion d'une présentation des derniers
développements de la recherche et des
hypothèses ou théories concernant ce
comportement mystérieux qu'est le
bâillement.
Des experts, une quinzaine, provenant de 7 pays
différents des 5 continents, ont d'ores et
déjà acceptés d'animer ces deux
journées. Seront réunis des cliniciens de
toutes disciplines, des chercheurs, des
éthologues, des pharmacologues et d'autres
professionnels de disciplines satellites qui discuteront
et présenteront leurs travaux personnels les plus
récents.
A ce jour, l'organisation de
cette conférence ne bénéfice d'aucun
sponsor. Ce sont donc les droits d'inscription de chacun
qui permettront de couvrir les frais. Votre inscription
sera donc indispensable. Mais nous avons aussi besoin que
vous assuriez la promotion de cette conférence
autour de vous, que vous en informiez vos
collègues et amis, et, si vous en avez la
possibilité, d'user du canal des
sociétés savantes auxquelles vous
appartenez pour diffuser la tenue de cette réunion
originale et inédite.
Nous comptons sur votre
participation et votre aide !
F. Bayle gave a description of the calcifications and
plaques seen in the cerebral arteries. The occurence of
artherosclerosis of blood vessels had been recognized as
early da Vinci, but F. Bayle was among the first to
relate it to apoplexy in his "Tractus de apolpexia"
publised in 1677, attending in this book with other
"Dssertationes".
In "Problemata Physica et Medica in Quibus varii
veterum & recentiorum errores detegentur" F. Bayle
appears the first to explain why we lose some of our
hearing during the yawn.
François Bayle est le premier à avoir
envisagé un lien entre les plaques
calcifiées des troncs artériels et
l'apoplexie, bien que ces lésions
d'athérosclérose aient déjà
été décrites par Leonard de
Vinci.
Le livre ci-contre comprend ce chapitre: "Tractus de
apolpexia" publié en 1677.
Il contient également un chapitre "Problemata
Physica et Medica in Quibus varii veterum &
recentiorum errores detegentur" dans lequel F. Bayle
décrit la perte auditive contemporaine du
bâillement et en rapporte la cause à
l'ouverture de la Trompe d'Eustache, décrite en
1552 par Bartolomeo Eustachi.
