Possible evolutionary and developmental mechanisms of mental time travel (and implications for autism)

Abstract

Through an interdisciplinary perspective integrating behavior, neurobiology and evolution, we present a cognitive framework underpinning the development of ‘time in mind’ in animals (phylogeny) and humans (ontogeny). We distinguish between conscious processing of events immediately available (in the present) to those that are hypothetical (in the past or future). The former is present in animals and neonates, whereas the latter emerges later in phylogeny and ontogeny (around 4 years of age in humans) and is related to the development of episodic memory (expanded working memory, complex actions, social-cognitive abilities). We suggest that forms of temporal representation that rely upon current bodily sensation across time, space, and action (through embodied interoceptive and motor systems) may be critical causal factors for the evolution of mental time travel.

Time perception in autistic adults: Interval and event timing judgments do not differ from nonautistics.

“…Reduced interval timing sensitivity may create challenges in coordinating verbal and nonverbal speech and in the back and forth of conversation (see also Wimpory et al, 2002). Problems with temporal cognition could affect social interaction as the behavior of others will seem unpredictable if the capacity for mental time travel is reduced (Allman & Mareschal, 2016). A related theory proposes that problems with the temporo-spatial processing of information are characteristic of autism as a consequence of differences in neural synchronization (Gepner & Féron, 2009).…”

“…Differences in connectivity and synchronization between brain regions (see Brock et al, 2002; Rippon et al, 2007; Welsh et al, 2005) particularly in the striatum are a candidate neural mechanism for altered function of the internal clock, and thus sensitivity in the perception of duration, in autism (Allman & Meck, 2012). Temporal cognition, the capacity to abstract a mental time line and reason about the past and future (mental time travel), is also believed to be affected (Allman, 2011; Allman & Mareschal, 2016). The temporal deficit hypothesis proposes that impaired timing is characteristic of autism and underlies the clinical features of an autism diagnosis (social-communicative differences and restricted behaviors).…”

Individual differences in infancy research: Letting the baby stand out from the crowd

“…One potential step is to use computational models which can generate plausible mechanisms underlying observed infant data, tweaking the model to best approach phenotypic patterns (Mareschal, 2000;Mareschal & French, 2000). These mechanisms can then be tested through experimental manipulations, or naturally occurring individual variation in the mechanism of interest (Allman & Mareschal, 2016).…”

Time perception in autistic adults: Interval and event timing judgements do not differ from non-autistics

“…Differences in connectivity and synchronisation between brain regions (see Brock, Brown, Boucher, & Rippon, 2002;Rippon, Brock, Brown, & Boucher, 2007;Welsh, Ahn, & Placantonakis, 2005) particularly in the striatum are a candidate neural mechanism for altered function of the internal clock, and thus sensitivity in the perception of duration, in autism (Allman & Meck, 2012). Temporal cognition, the capacity to abstract a mental time line and reason about the past and future (mental time travel), is also believed to be affected (Allman & Mareschal, 2016;Allman, 2011). The temporal deficit hypothesis proposes that impaired timing is characteristic of autism and underlies the clinical features of an autism diagnosis (socialcommunicative differences and restricted behaviours).…”

“…Reduced duration sensitivity may create challenges in co-ordinating verbal and non-verbal speech and in the back and forth of conversation (see also Wimpory, Nicholas, & Nash, 2002). Problems with temporal cognition could affect social interaction as the behaviour of others will seem unpredictable if the capacity for mental time travel is reduced (Allman & Mareschal, 2016). A related theory proposes that problems with the temporo-spatial processing of information are characteristic of autism as a consequence of differences in neural synchronisation (Gepner & Féron, 2009).…”