Commentary
Vol. 12: Issue 3 - September 2026
Mu-rhythm modulation and film language: insights from neurotypical and ASD without intellectual disabilities populations
Summary
Neurofilmology, an emerging interdisciplinary field at the intersection of neuroscience and film studies, has primarily investigated how cinematic techniques shape viewers’ neural and cognitive responses, largely focusing on neurotypical populations. This perspective has contributed to the hypothesis of a “natural” film language grounded in embodied simulation mechanisms, particularly involving the mirror neuron system. However, such assumptions remain insufficiently tested in neurodiverse populations. Building on previous empirical work, this study revisits the relationship between film form and neural processing by examining electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to different camera techniques in both neurotypical individuals and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability. While both groups exhibited mu-rhythm event-related desynchronization (ERD) during action observation, distinct modulation patterns emerged. Neurotypical participants showed stronger EEG activation in response to Steadycam footage, consistent with its ecological and immersive properties. In contrast, autistic participants displayed overall heightened ERD, suggesting increased cognitive effort, alongside a relative reduction in activation during Steadycam conditions, indicating a potential facilitation effect of naturalistic visual input. These findings challenge the notion of a universally “natural” film language and instead support a viewer-dependent model of film perception. Moreover, they highlight the relevance of neurodiversity in understanding audiovisual experience and suggest potential applications in clinical and inclusive media design contexts.
Downloads
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright
Copyright (c) 2026 Italian Journal of Psychiatry
How to Cite
- Abstract viewed - 0 times
- PDF downloaded - 0 times