Differences In Sensory Processing Research Articles

A Lot to Maintain: Caregiver Accommodation of Sensory Processing Differences in Early Childhood

A Lot to Maintain: Caregiver Accommodation of Sensory Processing Differences in Early Childhood

Sensory Processing Phenotypes in Phelan-McDermid Syndrome and SYNGAP1-Related Intellectual Disability.

Sensory processing differences are an established feature of both syndromic and non-syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Significant work has been carried out to characterize and classify specific sensory profiles in non-syndromic autism. However, it is not known if syndromic autism disorders, such as Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (PMD) or SYNGAP1-related Intellectual Disability (SYNGAP1-ID), have unique sensory phenotypes. Understanding the sensory features of these disorders is important for providing appropriate care and for understanding their underlying mechanisms. Our objective in this work was to determine the sensory processing abnormalities present in two syndromic ASDs: Phelan-McDermid Syndrome and SYNGAP1-related Intellectual Disability. Using a standardized instrument, the Short Sensory Profile-2, we characterized sensory features in 41 patients with PMD and 24 patients with SYNGAP1-ID, and sub-scores were then calculated for seeking, avoiding, sensitivity and registration, as well as overall sensory and behavior scores. We found both patient groups exhibited atypical sensory features, including high scores in the areas of avoiding and seeking. Thus, we discovered significant sensory processing abnormalities are common in these syndromic ASDs. Measurements of sensory processing could serve as useful clinical endpoints for trials of novel therapeutics for these populations.

Reciprocal processes of sensory perception and social bonding: an integrated social-sensory framework of social behavior.

Organisms filter the complexity of natural stimuli through their individual sensory and perceptual systems. Such perceptual filtering is particularly important for social stimuli. A shared "social umwelt" allows individuals to respond appropriately to the expected diversity of cues and signals during social interactions. In this way, the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of sociality and social bonding cannot be disentangled from perceptual mechanisms and sensory processing. While a degree of embeddedness between social and sensory processes is clear, our dominant theoretical frameworks favor treating the social and sensory processes as distinct. An integrated social-sensory framework has the potential to greatly expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying individual variation in social bonding and sociality more broadly. Here we leverage what is known about sensory processing and pair bonding in two common study systems with significant species differences in their umwelt (rodent chemosensation and avian acoustic communication). We primarily highlight that (1) communication is essential for pair bond formation and maintenance, (2) the neural circuits underlying perception, communication and social bonding are integrated, and (3) candidate neuromodulatory mechanisms that regulate pair bonding also impact communication and perception. Finally, we propose approaches and frameworks that more fully integrate sensory processing, communication, and social bonding across levels of analysis: behavioral, neurobiological, and genomic. This perspective raises two key questions: (1) how is social bonding shaped by differences in sensory processing?, and (2) to what extent is sensory processing and the saliency of signals shaped by social interactions and emerging relationships?

Cognitive impairment associated with global sensory processing abnormalities

AbstractBackgroundRecognition of the impact of primary sensory impairment on cognitive status and decline in the aging population has spurred research in this area. Most prior studies have focused on primary sensory function, with few studying the potential impact of central nervous system sensory processing and modulation in relation to cognitive status.MethodThis study sought to evaluate sensory processing abnormalities rather than primary sensory deficits in community‐residing older adults through administration of the Adult Sensory Profile (ASP), a 60‐item, norm‐referenced assessment evaluating central nervous system sensory processing. The ASP items assess six sensory modalities: taste/smell, movement, visual, touch, auditory, and activity level. Participants ranked items based on their likelihood to engage in activities within each group. Responses were tabulated into four processing categories (sensation avoiding, sensory sensitivity, sensation seeking, and low registration) and compared with age‐cohort normative data. Identification of more than one category outside of normative results was indicative of sensory processing abnormalities compared to same‐aged peers. Participants were categorized based on the ASP as normal (<2 categories outside of normal range) or abnormal (2‐4 categories outside of normal range). Chi‐square tests compared cognitively normal participants to those with cognitive impairment.ResultSeventeen participants completed the ASP. Eight were cognitively normal at the time of completion and nine were diagnosed with cognitive impairment. Of those with normal cognition, two were considered to have abnormal sensory processing (25%). Of those with cognitive impairment, seven were considered abnormal (78%), indicating a significant difference in global sensory processing between groups (x2=4.73, p=0.029).ConclusionGlobal sensory processing abnormalities were more frequent in those diagnosed with cognitive impairment compared to those that remained cognitively intact. It is likely that cortical neurodegeneration in sensory association areas is responsible for the increased prevalence of sensory processing abnormalities seen in the older adults with cognitive impairment in this study. Abnormal sensory processing abilities could contribute to increased behavioral and psychiatric symptoms, similar to that seen in children with severe sensory processing disorders. Larger studies are needed to confirm these results and investigate the relationship between impaired sensory processing and behavioral symptoms in dementia.

The Mediating Effects of Alexithymia, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Anxiety on the Relationship Between Sensory Processing Differences and Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours in Autistic Adults

Distress caused by sensory processing differences for autistic individuals may be reduced by repetitive behaviours (RRB), including repetitive motor (RMB) and insistence on sameness (ISB) behaviours. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and anxiety mediate the relationship between sensory processing and RRB in autistic children. We replicated this model in autistic adults, extending it to include alexithymia. Serial mediation, using data from 426 autistic adults, identified significant direct effects from sensory processing to RMB and ISB, and indirect effects through alexithymia-IU-anxiety for RMB, and IU alone, and alexithymia-IU for ISB. Different mechanisms may underpin RMB and ISB. Alexithymia alongside, IU and anxiety, should be considered when understanding the relationship between sensory processing and RRB, and when offering interventions to support autistic people.

Neural mechanisms underlying enhanced visual search performance in action video game players

Individuals who play action video games have demonstrated faster response times on a range of cognitive tasks, but various changes across the chain of processing could contribute to the ultimate quickening in response. Some research has begun to identify neural markers associated with enhanced performance in gamers and has established that there are differences in low-level visual processing, attention allocation and visual working memory. However, gaming-related improvements could also arise from quicker preparation and execution of the motor response, and potential changes in the motor-related LRP have yet to be explored. Additionally, prior work has focused on changes in a limited number of early ERP components in isolation; therefore, further research is required to identify the relative contribution of each stage of processing to the observed behavioural changes. Using similar methodology as Clark et al. (2015), we tested action video-game players and non-video-game players and recorded EEG while participants performed a visual search ‘popout’ task. We assessed amplitudes and latencies of key ERP components, specifically, the N1 (early sensory processing), N2pc (attentional orienting to stimulus), CDA (target processing, discrimination, and manipulation of information in visual short-term memory), and both the stimulus-locked and response-locked LRPs (preparation for motor response). As expected, gamers demonstrated faster response times relative to non-gamers, and EEG analyses revealed the neural mechanisms underlying these behavioural differences. Improved performance in gamers was accompanied by changes across the processing chain from stimulus to response, evidenced by differences from the early sensory-evoked N1 component through to the later motor-related LRP component. Our findings suggest that enhanced visual search performance in action video game players is driven by differences in early sensory processing in combination with changes to later cognitive and motor processes.

Long-term alterations in somatosensory functioning in survivors of childhood cancer.

Cancer and its treatment can have lasting consequences on somatosensation, including pain, which is often underrecognized and undertreated. Research characterizing the impact of cancer on pain and sensory processing in survivors of childhood cancer is scarce. This study aimed to quantify generalized differences in pain and sensory processing in survivors of childhood cancer compared with reference data using a standardized thermal and mechanical quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol. The association between demographic, clinical (eg, leukemia vs other cancers and treatment exposures), and psychosocial (eg, anxiety and pain catastrophizing) variables and sensitivity to pain and sensory stimuli were also evaluated. Participants were 56 survivors of various types of childhood cancer (52% male, Mage = 13.5 years, SD = 3.2, range = 8-17 years). On average, children were 7 years (SD = 4.1, range = 1.2-16.5) post treatment. Almost all participants (86%) had at least 1 abnormal QST parameter compared with age- and sex-matched reference data; however, few participants self-reported the presence of sensory abnormalities. Generally, participants exhibited reduced sensitivity across the QST parameters examined (Ps < 0.05, ds = 0.40-3.45). A significant minority (45%) also exhibited pain sensitization (P <0.001, d = 0.42). Several risk factors for changes in sensory processing were identified, including current age, history of leukemia, certain treatment exposures (eg, vincristine cumulative dose, major surgery, and bone marrow or stem cell transplant), time off treatment, and higher anxiety and pain catastrophizing scores. Overall, this study demonstrated that somatosensory changes are prevalent in survivors of childhood cancer years after the completion of treatment. Future research is needed to understand long-term implications of altered somatosensation in this complex population.

Implications of Sensory Processing and Attentional Differences Associated With Autism in Academic Settings: An Integrative Review.

The impact of classroom environments on student engagement and academic performance is well-documented. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with atypical sensory processing and attentional impairments, which may lead to challenges in successfully accessing educational material within these settings. These symptoms may help explain why students with ASD show discrepancies between intellectual ability and academic performance. Given the increasing number of students with ASD present in classrooms, understanding strengths and weaknesses in sensory processing and attention is necessary in order to design better classroom environments and develop more efficacious accommodations and interventions to support optimal student success. Therefore, the objectives of this review are to provide a brief review of the current literature on sensory processing and attention in ASD, survey how sensory and attentional functions affect academic outcomes in both neurotypical and ASD learners, and suggest potential accommodations/interventions for students with ASD based on these findings.

A Multi-Tiered and Multi-Dimensional Approach to Intervention in Schools: Recommendations for Children with Sensory Integration and Processing Challenges

ABSTRACT This article advocates for a conceptualization of occupational therapy service delivery and intervention for students with sensory integration and processing challenges which improves occupational participation and performance within the educational setting. By offering a full continuum of service delivery options through multi-tiered systems of support, the school-based practitioner can provide services at the appropriate level of programming. Additionally, sensory, regulatory, and relational processes are increasingly recognized as inextricably linked in development and necessary in the provision of services for students with differences in sensory integration and processing. Thus, services for this population must include a multi-tiered approach in offering a complete array of service delivery options, and intervention needs to be inclusive of strategies from three domains: sensory, regulation, and relationship.

A matter of taste: Gustatory sensitivity predicts political ideology.

Previous research has shown that political attitudes are highly heritable, but the proximal physiological mechanisms that shape ideology remain largely unknown. Based on work suggesting possible ideological differences in genes related to low-level sensory processing, we predicted that taste (i.e., gustatory) sensitivity would be associated with political ideology. In 4 studies (combined N = 1,639) we test this hypothesis and find robust support for this association. In Studies 1-3, we find that sensitivity to the chemicals PROP and PTC-2 well established measures of taste sensitivity-are associated with greater political conservatism. In Study 4, we find that fungiform papilla density, a proxy for taste bud density, also predicts greater conservatism, and that this association is partially statistically mediated by disgust sensitivity. This work suggests that low-level physiological differences in sensory processing may shape an individual's political attitudes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Sex differences in sensory processing in children with autism spectrum disorder

Despite the high prevalence of sensory processing difficulties in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), little research has focused on the sex differences in sensory processing. Furthermore, there is a lack of knowledge on the female‐specific symptoms of ASD, contributing to later referral, diagnosis and intervention. In this study, we examined the sex differences in sensory processing symptoms in large cohorts of ASD children (N = 168; 26 females, 142 males) and typically developing (TD) children (N = 439; 209 females, 230 males). For this, we translated the sensory processing measure (SPM) and SPM – Preschool (SPM‐P) Home Forms to French. The SPM/SPM‐P are parent/caregiver questionnaires that assess typical behavioral responses to sensory stimuli. Overall, our results showed that the magnitude of the differences in sensory processing between males and females is larger in ASD children relative to TD children, with females showing more severe symptoms in Hearing, as well as Balance and Motion subscales. Additionally, linear discriminant analysis showed that the SPM/SPM‐P are good at discriminating TD children from ASD, children with higher accuracy rates for females than for males. These findings are discussed in light of the heterogeneity of sensory processing difficulties present in ASD. Overall, our results suggest that there seem to be female‐specific profiles in sensory processing difficulties in ASD. Implications of findings concerning sex differences in sensory processing and their potential for improving identification and diagnosis of ASD females are discussed.Lay SummaryThe present study examined sex differences in behavioral responses to sensory stimuli in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and typically developing (TD) children. While there is a small trend for TD males to show more sensory processing atypicalities, female ASD children show significantly more atypical responses compared to their male counterparts. This has important implications for characterizing female autism profiles, and ultimately improving the chance for earlier detection, diagnosis and treatment.

#3085 Relationship between variant connective tissue (hypermobility) and autism sensory processing: externally oriented thinking as a mediator

Objectives/AimsAutism is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by differences in sensory processing, social communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors. Joint hypermobility is a common connective tissue variant, reportedly overrepresented in Autism. Alexithymia is a personality construct characterised by altered emotional awareness which has notably high rates of overlap with autism spectrum disorder. This study tested whether hypermobility was associated with autistic traits and examined alexithymia as a mediator of this association.MethodForty-two people underwent eligibility assessment for a study of joint hypermobility and anxiety (ISRCTN17018615). Hypermobility was assessed using both the Brighton Criteria for Joint Hypermobilty Syndrome (JHS) and 2017 Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) Criteria. Participants completed the Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS R: sensory/motor, language, social relatedness and circumscribed interest domains) to quantify autistic traits. No participant had a prior diagnosis of Autism. Participants also completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) to measure alexithymia. The TAS-20 has three domains: difficulty describing feelings, difficulty identifying feelings and externally oriented thinking.ResultsAll 42 participants met criteria for JHS, 26 participants also met criteria for hEDS. Strikingly, 22/42 (52.4%) scored above threshold for suspected Autism (26/42 in the sensory/motor domain; 22/42 in language domain; 22/42 in social relatedness domain; 17/42 in circumscribed interests domain). There were no significant differences in RAADS-R scores depending on hypermobility diagnosis. The number of connective tissue features (hEDS Criterion 2A) correlated with RAADS-R sensory/motor score (r = 0.418, p = 0.006) but not social relatedness nor circumscribed interests sub-scores. Full mediation of the relationship between the number of connective tissue features and RAADs sensory/motor score by TAS-20 externally oriented thinking was found using the method of Baron-Kenny (1986) and estimation of indirect effects (Hayes, 2018; bootstrapped confidence intervals (n = 5000, do not cross zero)). Difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty describing feelings domains did not mediate this relationship.ConclusionThese results add to evidence linking variant connective tissue to neurodevelopmental conditions (including Autism) and interestingly, specifically to sensory processing differences. Our study provides a strong rationale for screening for neurodevelopmental conditions in people with hypermobility and motivates further to understand symptom expression in this group. Our results also provide an insight into the processes underlying this relationship, which maybe important for informing interventions for people with hypermobility and autistic traits.

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Obesity: A Unique Challenge

Obesity is a significant problem in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Understanding that individuals with autism spectrum disorder may have different predisposing factors to weight gain compared to their neurotypical peers is important for those involved in their care and treatment. These factors include medication related weight gain, behaviour management using food to re-enforce positive behaviours, restrictive eating patterns and sensory processing differences. Effectively addressing weight gain in individuals with autism spectrum disorder requires a person specific approach and significant involvement of parents and carers. Parents, carers, and clinicians need to be willing to examine and potentially change their practice to overcome autism specific drivers of obesity.

Migraine Visual Aura and Cortical Spreading Depression-Linking Mathematical Models to Empirical Evidence.

This review describes the subjective experience of visual aura in migraine, outlines theoretical models of this phenomenon, and explores how these may be linked to neurochemical, electrophysiological, and psychophysical differences in sensory processing that have been reported in migraine with aura. Reaction–diffusion models have been used to model the hallucinations thought to arise from cortical spreading depolarisation and depression in migraine aura. One aim of this review is to make the underlying principles of these models accessible to a general readership. Cortical spreading depolarisation and depression in these models depends on the balance of the diffusion rate between excitation and inhibition and the occurrence of a large spike in activity to initiate spontaneous pattern formation. We review experimental evidence, including recordings of brain activity made during the aura and attack phase, self-reported triggers of migraine, and psychophysical studies of visual processing in migraine with aura, and how these might relate to mechanisms of excitability that make some people susceptible to aura. Increased cortical excitability, increased neural noise, and fluctuations in oscillatory activity across the migraine cycle are all factors that are likely to contribute to the occurrence of migraine aura. There remain many outstanding questions relating to the current limitations of both models and experimental evidence. Nevertheless, reaction–diffusion models, by providing an integrative theoretical framework, support the generation of testable experimental hypotheses to guide future research.

Early differences in auditory processing relate to Autism Spectrum Disorder traits in infants with Neurofibromatosis Type I

BackgroundSensory modulation difficulties are common in children with conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and could contribute to other social and non-social symptoms. Positing a causal role for sensory processing differences requires observing atypical sensory reactivity prior to the emergence of other symptoms, which can be achieved through prospective studies.MethodsIn this longitudinal study, we examined auditory repetition suppression and change detection at 5 and 10 months in infants with and without Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), a condition associated with higher likelihood of developing ASD.ResultsIn typically developing infants, suppression to vowel repetition and enhanced responses to vowel/pitch change decreased with age over posterior regions, becoming more frontally specific; age-related change was diminished in the NF1 group. Whilst both groups detected changes in vowel and pitch, the NF1 group were largely slower to show a differentiated neural response. Auditory responses did not relate to later language, but were related to later ASD traits.ConclusionsThese findings represent the first demonstration of atypical brain responses to sounds in infants with NF1 and suggest they may relate to the likelihood of later ASD.

Closing the species gap: Translational approaches to studying sensory processing differences relevant for autism spectrum disorder.

The study of sensory phenotypes has great potential for increasing research translation between species, a necessity to decipher the neural mechanisms that contribute to higher-order differences in neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Over the past decade, despite separate advances in our understanding of the structural and functional differences within the brain of autistic and non-autistic individuals and in rodent models for ASD, researchers have had difficulty translating the findings in murine species to humans, mostly due to incompatibility in experimental methodologies used to screen for ASD phenotypes. Focusing on sensory phenotypes offers an avenue to close the species gap because sensory pathways are highly conserved across species and are affected by the same risk-factors as the higher-order brain areas mostly responsible for the diagnostic criteria for ASD. By first reviewing how sensory processing has been studied to date, we direct our focus to electrophysiological and behavioral techniques that can be used to study sensory phenotypes consistently across species. Using auditory sensory phenotypes as a template, we seek to improve the accessibility of translational methods by providing a framework for collecting cohesive data in both rodents and humans. Specifically, evoked-potentials, acoustic startle paradigms, and psychophysical detection/discrimination paradigms can be created and implemented in a coordinated and systematic fashion across species. Through careful protocol design and collaboration, sensory processing phenotypes can be harnessed to bridge the gap that exists between preclinical animal studies and human testing, so that mutually held questions in autism research can be answered. LAY SUMMARY: It has always been difficult to relate results from animal research to humans. We try to close this gap by studying changes in sensory processing using careful protocol design and collaboration between clinicians and researchers. Sensory pathways are comparable between animals and humans, and are affected in the same way as the rest of the brain in ASD. Using changes in hearing as a template, we point the field in an innovative direction by providing a framework for collecting cohesive data in rodents and humans.

Printing the Past

This article describes and evaluates a 3-D scanned and printed exhibit created by students and faculty in collaboration with a local museum to increase accessibility to archaeological and historical collections for audiences with visual disabilities, neurodivergence, and sensory processing differences. 3-D technologies allowed for the creation of a hands-on exhibit, accompanied by a variety of accessible solutions, such as audio, video, and braille, allowing audiences to explore reproductions of artifacts through touch. Surveys of museum attendees and students who participated in the project revealed that the tactile exhibit and design experience were extremely positive. As museums and public historians strive for universal design and access in programs, this technology provides another opportunity for engagement. The authors explain methods and applications for public historians, museums, and outreach.

Association Between the Right Ear Advantage in Dichotic Listening and Interaural Differences in Sensory Processing at Lower Levels of the Auditory System in Older Adults.

Current evidence suggests that an enhanced right ear advantage (REA) in dichotic listening (DL) among older adults may originate from age-related structural changes in the corpus callosum and age-related decline in cognitive processes. Less is known about the effect of information processing at lower portions of the auditory system on DL performance. The present study investigates whether interaural differences (ID) in sensory processing at lower levels of the auditory system are associated with the magnitude of the REA in DL among older adults. Sixty-eight older adults participated in the study. Participants were assessed with a DL test using nonforced (NF) and forced attention paradigms. Hearing sensitivity, transient-evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE), contralateral suppression of TEOAE, a proxy measure of medial olivocochlear activation, and auditory brainstem response to speech stimuli (speech-ABR) were tested in both ears separately. The ID in sensory processing at lower levels of the auditory system was derived by calculating the difference between the RE and LE for each auditory measure. Bivariate and multivariate regression models were performed. One multivariate model for each DL paradigm (NF and forced attention) was independently constructed. Measures of cognitive speed of processing and cognitive flexibility were accounted for in the regression models. For both multivariate regression models, ID in pure-tone thresholds and ID in MOC suppression of TEOAE were significantly associated with the magnitude of the REA for DL among older adults. Cognitive measures of speed of processing and cognitive flexibility also contributed to the magnitude of the REA. These results suggest that ID in sensory processing at lower levels of the auditory system account, at least in part, for the increased magnitude of the REA in DL among older adults.

Predictive Factors for Sensory Processing Disorders

Background: Identifying sensory processing differences in children with sensory reactivity problems (both with and without prenatal and perinatal problems) is essential to providing interventions that enhance development and participation in everyday life. Methods: This study conducted a statistical analysis between the Sensory Profile-2 sensory questionnaire and the study variables: pregnancy, fertility treatment, delivery and prematurity (n=69). Results: This study yielded statistically significant differences in sensory processing at the visual level (p-value=0.003), in proprioception (body position) (p-value&lt;0.001) and in emotional problems relating to stressful and traumatic pregnancy, prematurity (p-value=0.026) and high-risk pregnancy, respectively, among children with and without perinatal and prenatal problems. Conclusions: These findings confirm that there are differences in the sensory processing of children with sensory processing disorders who have suffered perinatal and postnatal problems compared to those who have not.

Caregiver Perceptions of Child Participation in Sensory Friendly Community Events

ABSTRACT Children with disabilities, such as those with sensory processing differences or motor impairments, often have limited opportunities for community participation. Moreover, the degree to which caregivers perceive community spaces to be accessible and appropriate for their children can be a determining influence. This study evaluated caregiver perceptions of a “sensory friendly” event led by an urban university in partnership with a local children’s museum. Caregivers completed post-event surveys over a 12-month period. A total of 10 surveys (29% response rate) were completed, and questions were combined into a priori categories of interest for comparison. Results indicate that caregivers perceived child participation as significantly more favorable than many other aspects and interactions occurring during the event. In addition, mobility supports were significantly more favorable than modified sensory activities. Findings suggest that positive perceptions of child engagement in a modified community environment can decrease barriers to participation, however more research is warranted.