Abstract
This review aims to relate the sensory processing problems in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), especially multisensory integration (MSI), to the role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) by exploring neuroanatomical findings; brain connectivity and Default Network (DN); global or locally directed attention; and temporal multisensory binding. The mPFC is part of the brain’s DN, which is deactivated when attention is focused on a particular task and activated on rest when spontaneous cognition emerges. In those with ASD, it is hypoactive and the higher the social impairment the greater the atypical activity. With an immature DN, cross-modal integration is impaired, resulting in a collection of disconnected fragments instead of a coherent global perception. The deficit in MSI may lie in the temporal synchronization of neural networks. The time interval in which the stimulation of one sensory channel could influence another would be higher, preventing integration in the typical shorter time range. Thus, the underconnectivity between distant brain areas would be involved in top-down information processes (relying on global integration of data from different sources) and would enhance low level perception processes such as over focused attention to sensory details.
Highlights
In people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the existence of aberrant sensory perceptions may be as characteristic and disrupting as the presence of deficits in communication and social cognition (Hilton et al, 2007; O’Connor and Kirk, 2008; Donnellan et al, 2013)
This review aims to relate the sensory processing problems in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), especially multisensory integration (MSI), to the role of the medial prefrontal cortex by exploring neuroanatomical findings; brain connectivity and Default Network (DN); global or locally directed attention; and temporal multisensory binding
SUMMARY The insufficient connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and other areas distant from each other would be involved in top-down information processes relying on global integration of data from different sources and would enhance low level perception processes as in over focused attention to sensory details
Summary
In people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the existence of aberrant sensory perceptions may be as characteristic and disrupting as the presence of deficits in communication and social cognition (Hilton et al, 2007; O’Connor and Kirk, 2008; Donnellan et al, 2013). In line with the classification established by Miller et al (2007), the sensory processing disorders (SPD) include disturbances in sensory modulation (SM) and alterations in the integration, organization and discrimination of sensory stimuli. Individuals with these disorders exhibit inappropriate responses to sensory inputs in such a way that the activities of daily life as well as emotional and behavioral patterns are severely affected. We can identify three types of SM disorders (SMD): hyper-responsiveness, hypo-responsiveness and sensory-seeking behavior. The hyper-responsiveness to sensory stimuli implies reactions disproportionately intense, rapid or prolonged. Sensory-seeking behaviors encompass prolonged or intense sensory experiences reflecting craving/fascination with some stimuli
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