Neurophysiological Correlates of Sensory-Based Phenotypes in ASD

Patterns of equipment use for autistic children in multi-sensory environments: Time spent with sensory equipment varies by sensory profile and intellectual ability

LAY ABSTRACT

Multi-sensory environments, often called sensory rooms, are widely used with autistic children. However, we know very little about how autistic children choose to spend their time in multi-sensory environments. We also do not know how their equipment preferences relate to their individual characteristics such as their sensory differences, level of ability or general autistic behaviours. We measured the frequency and duration of visits to multi-sensory environment equipment of 41 autistic children during 5 min of free play. The bubble tube and touch, sound and light board were both highly popular, with the fibre optics and tactile board receiving less attention. The children displayed significantly more sensory seeking behaviours in the multi-sensory environment than sensory-defensive behaviours. These sensory seeking behaviours, as well as the sensory behaviours that their parents reported they showed in daily life, were associated with specific patterns of multi-sensory environment equipment use. Non-verbal ability was also associated with multi-sensory environment equipment use, but broader autistic behaviours were not. Our findings show that the multi-sensory environment equipment preferences of autistic children are related to individual differences in sensory behaviours and non-verbal ability. This information could be useful for teachers and other practitioners who want to know how best to use multi-sensory environments with autistic children.

A multilevel investigation of sensory sensitivity and responsivity in autistic adults

Atypical sensory processing is a core symptom of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We aimed at better characterizing visual sensitivity and responsivity in ASD at the self-reported, behavioral and neural levels, and at describing the relationships between these levels. We refer to sensory sensitivity as the ability to detect sensory stimuli and to sensory responsivity as an affective response to sensory stimuli. Participants were 25 neurotypical and 24 autistic adults. At the self-reported level, autistic participants had higher scores of sensory sensitivity and responsivity than neurotypicals. The behavioral and neural tasks involved contrast-reversing gratings which became progressively (in)visible as their contrast or spatial frequency evolved. At the behavioral level, autistic participants had higher detection and responsivity thresholds when gratings varied in spatial frequency, but their thresholds did not differ from neurotypicals when gratings varied in contrast. At the neural level, we used fast periodic visual stimulations and electroencephalography to implicitly assess detection thresholds for contrast and spatial frequency, and did not reveal any group difference. Higher self-reported responsivity was associated with higher behavioral responsivity, more intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety, in particular in ASD. At the self-reported level, higher sensitivity was associated with more responsivity in both groups, contrary to the behavioral level where these relationships were not found. These heterogeneous results suggest that sensitivity and responsivity per se are not simply increased in ASD, but may be modulated by other factors such as environmental predictability. Multi-level approaches can shed light on the mechanisms underlying sensory issues in ASD.

Effects of Square-Stepping Exercise on Motor and Cognitive Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder Children and Adolescents: A Study Protocol

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses present not only cognitive, emotional, communicative, and social challenges but also movement issues that affect their everyday activities, learning, and leisure. The use of the square-stepping exercise (SSE), a motor program initially created to strengthen the lower limbs of older adults, is spreading because of its advantages (e.g., balance and lower limb strength improvements). A study protocol to assess the SSE effects on motor, sensory, and cognitive skills in Spanish children and adolescents between 6 and 12 years old with ASD diagnoses is presented. A randomised clinical will be performed, recruiting 52 children and adolescents with ASD who will be distributed into two groups: an experimental (n = 26) and a control (n = 26) group. The SSE sessions will be held for 9 weeks (two times per week). The main variable will be balance, which will be measured with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 (MABC2), and secondary outcomes will include sensory processing, attention, and executive functions. Assessments will be carried out before and at the end of the program implementation, including an additional follow up one month later. If this program obtains positive results, it should be implemented in different settings (schools, clinics, associations, etc.) to improve the quality of movement and development in children and adolescents with ASD, as it is an easy-to-use and structured tool.