Abstract
Altered sensory processing has been an important feature of the clinical descriptions of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is evidence that sensory dysregulation arises early in the progression of ASD and impacts social functioning. This paper reviews behavioral and neurobiological evidence that describes how sensory deficits across multiple modalities (vision, hearing, touch, olfaction, gustation, and multisensory integration) could impact social functions in ASD. Theoretical models of ASD and their implications for the relationship between sensory and social functioning are discussed. Furthermore, neural differences in anatomy, function, and connectivity of different regions underlying sensory and social processing are also discussed. We conclude that there are multiple mechanisms through which early sensory dysregulation in ASD could cascade into social deficits across development. Future research is needed to clarify these mechanisms, and specific focus should be given to distinguish between deficits in primary sensory processing and altered top-down attentional and cognitive processes.
Highlights
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRB) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013); current estimates state that it affects 1 in 68 children (Christensen et al, 2016)
Relationships between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insula activation and social interaction in ASD have been reported (Schmitz et al, 2008; Doyle-Thomas et al, 2013b). These findings suggest the role of ACC and insula in both the sensory and social impairments observed in ASD
Sensory abnormalities are one of the earliest emerging markers of infants later diagnosed with ASD, with differences noted as early as 6months of age (Clifford et al, 2013)
Summary
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRB) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013); current estimates state that it affects 1 in 68 children (Christensen et al, 2016). Research focusing on the sensory domain has found that sensory processing abnormalities in ASD (see Baum et al, 2015; or Marco et al, 2011; for reviews) are reported across all ages and levels of symptom severity (Leekam et al, 2007) and adversely affect both daily functioning (Suarez, 2012) and academic performance (Howe and Stagg, 2016). The research has not progressed enough to allow for a definitive disentangling of these concepts, but evidence of sensory, perceptual, and attentional abnormalities in ASD individuals will be outlined where possible The study of these processes in each sensory modality and their role in social functioning in individual with ASD will be the primary focus of this paper
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