1
|
Tal I, Cervin M, Liberman N, Dar R. Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Children Are Related to Sensory Sensitivity and to Seeking Proxies for Internal States. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1463. [PMID: 37891831 PMCID: PMC10605487 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder are related to atypical sensory processing, particularly sensory over-responsivity, in both children and adults. In adults, obsessive-compulsive symptoms are also associated with the attenuation of access to the internal state and compensatory reliance on proxies for these states, including fixed rules and rituals. We aimed to examine the associations between sensory over-responsivity, the tendency to seek proxies for internal states, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in children. Parents of 404 children between 5 and 10 years of age completed online measures of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, seeking proxies for internal states, sensory over-responsivity, and anxiety. Linear regression, dominance analysis, and network analysis were used to explore the unique associations between these variables. The tendency to seek proxies for internal states was more strongly associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms than with anxiety symptoms and uniquely associated with all major obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions except obsessing. Both the tendency to seek proxies for internal states and sensory over-responsivity were significantly associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, but the association was significantly stronger for the tendency to seek proxies for internal states. While limited by the sole reliance on the parent-report, the present study shows that the tendency to seek proxies for internal states could help clarify the developmental processes involved in the onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms during childhood and that sensory sensitivity may be important to consider in this process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilil Tal
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; (I.T.); (N.L.)
| | - Matti Cervin
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden;
| | - Nira Liberman
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; (I.T.); (N.L.)
| | - Reuven Dar
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; (I.T.); (N.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schwarzlose RF, Tillman R, Hoyniak CP, Luby JL, Barch DM. Sensory Over-responsivity: A Feature of Childhood Psychiatric Illness Associated With Altered Functional Connectivity of Sensory Networks. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:92-101. [PMID: 36357217 PMCID: PMC10308431 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sensory over-responsivity (SOR) is recognized as a common feature of autism spectrum disorder. However, SOR is also common among typically developing children, in whom it is associated with elevated levels of psychiatric symptoms. The clinical significance and neurocognitive bases of SOR in these children remain poorly understood and actively debated. METHODS This study used linear mixed-effects models to identify psychiatric symptoms and network-level functional connectivity (FC) differences associated with parent-reported SOR in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a large community sample (9 to 12 years of age) (N = 11,210). RESULTS Children with SOR constituted 18% of the overall sample but comprised more than half of the children with internalizing or externalizing scores in the clinical range. Controlling for autistic traits, both mild and severe SOR were associated with greater concurrent symptoms of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Controlling for psychiatric symptoms and autistic traits, SOR predicted increased anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and prodromal psychosis symptoms 1 year later and was associated with FC differences in brain networks supporting sensory and salience processing in datasets collected 2 years apart. Differences included reduced FC within and between sensorimotor networks, enhanced sensorimotor-salience FC, and altered FC between sensory networks and bilateral hippocampi. CONCLUSIONS SOR is a common, clinically relevant feature of childhood psychiatric illness that provides unique predictive information about risk. It is associated with differences in brain networks that subserve tactile processing, implicating a neural basis for sensory differences in affected children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca F Schwarzlose
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
| | - Rebecca Tillman
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Caroline P Hoyniak
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Joan L Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Interventions for Sensory Over-Responsivity in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Review. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9101584. [PMID: 36291519 PMCID: PMC9601143 DOI: 10.3390/children9101584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit sensory over-responsivity (SOR), which is characterized by an overwhelmingly negative reaction to or avoidance of sensory stimulation. Despite the detrimental effects of SOR on people’s personal and social lives, the knowledge of and interventions for the issue remain limited. This paper collates and reviews studies on SOR and information on the potential for effective interventions for people with ASD. This review reveals evidence that SOR has a close relationship with anxiety, depression, insomnia, and family life impairment and an underlying mechanism related to SOR. Four interventions and their theoretical bases in sensory-motor processing are discussed in this paper, namely, physical activity (PA), sensory integration therapy (SIT), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). These interventions focus on establishing coping strategies for regulating the emotional response to sensory information, and they have been found to be effective and to have the potential to help children with ASD reduce their SOR behaviors. This paper provides guidance for selecting appropriate interventions and for further investigation of more effective interventions in the future.
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
The experiential core of the obsessive mind rests on subtle, primary mental phenomena (such as obsessions and so called "sensory phenomena") which precede and trigger behavioral compulsions. Converging evidence supports a possible pathophysiological role for altered corollary discharge (phenotypically expressed in sensorimotor symptoms and contributing to a reduced Sense of Agency [SoA]), in the neurodevelopment of obsessions and "sensory phenomena." In phenomenological terms, "sensory phenomena" may represent the subjective experiential resonance of an individual history of persistent inaccurate sensory predictions, whereas accompanying manifestations, such as the obsessive need for order and symmetry, may represent a compensatory attempt to mitigate "sensory phenomena" (eg, by increasing the sensory predictability of the surrounding world). Since disturbances of both SoA and Sense of Ownership have been thematized as potential pathogenetic factors in the neurodevelopment of the psychotic mind, a dimensional account of altered sensorimotor prediction may partly explain the affinities (and high comorbidity) between obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
Collapse
|
5
|
Lukava T, Morgado Ramirez DZ, Barbareschi G. Two sides of the same coin: accessibility practices and neurodivergent users' experience of extended reality. JOURNAL OF ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.1108/jet-03-2022-0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
PurposeThis paper explores the accessibility barriers faced by neurodivergent individuals regarding the use of Extended Reality (XR) technologies and the difficulties faced by developers in creating neurodivergent inclusive XR experiences.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carried out a survey with neurodivergent participants, and a series of semi-structured interviews with neurodivergent adults and XR developers.FindingsNeurodivergent individuals experience sensory overload when using XR technologies; these negative experiences are exacerbated by excessive multisensory stimulation. Allowing for the customization of sensory settings was seen as the only way to potentially limit negative experiences. The authors found that XR developers lacked awareness of accessibility requirements and struggled to integrate them in current software development practices.Social implicationsAccessibility understanding regarding neurodivergence is increasingly available and the time has come to bring computing and information services within the reach of all neurodivergent individuals. The power in the design of XR, which is crucial, is decentralized from neurotypical XR developing practices to avoid artificial barriers that decrease the quality of life.Originality/valueThere is a lack of studies exploring how neurodivergent individuals experience XR considering their different sensory processing patterns. There is also no research exploring XR developers' awareness of accessibility needs of neurodivergent individuals. This paper presents an account of the challenges faced by neurodivergent XR users, the difficulties faced by XR developers to integrate neurodivergent accessibility requirements, and proposes specific strategies to overcome challenges.
Collapse
|
6
|
Isaacs D, Key AP, Cascio CJ, Conley AC, Riordan H, Walker HC, Wallace MT, Claassen DO. Cross-disorder comparison of sensory over-responsivity in chronic tic disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Compr Psychiatry 2022; 113:152291. [PMID: 34952304 PMCID: PMC8792289 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2021.152291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sensory over-responsivity (SOR) refers to excessively intense and/or prolonged behavioral responses to environmental stimuli typically perceived as non-aversive. SOR is prevalent in several neurodevelopmental disorders, including chronic tic disorders (CTDs) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Few studies have examined the extent and clinical correlates of SOR across disorders, limiting insights into the phenomenon's transdiagnostic clinical and biological relevance. Such cross-disorder comparisons are of particular interest for CTDs and OCD given their frequent co-occurrence. OBJECTIVE We sought to compare the magnitude of SOR between adults with CTD and adults with OCD and to identify the clinical factors most strongly associated with SOR across these disorders. METHODS We enrolled 207 age- and sex-matched participants across four diagnostic categories: CTD without OCD (designated "CTD/OCD-"; n = 37), CTD with OCD ("CTD/OCD+"; n = 32), OCD without tic disorder ("OCD"; n = 69), and healthy controls (n = 69). Participants completed a self-report battery of rating scales assessing SOR (Sensory Gating Inventory, SGI), obsessive-compulsive symptoms (Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, DOCS), inattention and hyperactivity (Adult ADHD Self-Report Screening Scale for DSM-5, ASRS-5), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9). CTD participants were also administered the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS). To examine between-group differences in SOR, we compared SGI score across all groups and between pairs of groups. To examine the relationship of SOR with other clinical factors, we performed multivariable linear regression. RESULTS CTD/OCD-, CTD/OCD+, and OCD participants were 86.7%, 87.6%, and 89.5%, respectively, more likely to have higher SGI total scores than healthy controls. SGI total score did not differ between CTD/OCD-, CTD/OCD+, and OCD groups. In the regression model of log-transformed SGI total score, OCD diagnosis, DOCS score, and ASRS-5 score each contributed significantly to model goodness-of-fit, whereas CTD diagnosis and YGTSS total tic score did not. CONCLUSION SOR is prevalent in adults with CTD and in adults with OCD but does not significantly differ in magnitude between these disorders. Across CTD, OCD, and healthy control adult populations, SOR is independently associated with both obsessive-compulsive and ADHD symptoms, suggesting a transdiagnostic relationship between these sensory and psychiatric manifestations. Future cross-disorder, longitudinal, and translational research is needed to clarify the role and prognostic import of SOR in CTDs, OCD, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Isaacs
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.
| | - Alexandra P Key
- Center for Cognitive Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.
| | - Carissa J Cascio
- Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.
| | - Alexander C Conley
- Center for Cognitive Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.
| | - Heather Riordan
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.
| | - Harrison C Walker
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.
| | - Mark T Wallace
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.
| | - Daniel O Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Oro V, Goldsmith HH, Lemery-Chalfant K. Elucidating the Links Between Mother and Father Alcohol Use Disorder and Adolescent Externalizing Psychopathology: A Test of Transmission Specificity Within Competing Factor Structures and Genetic and Environmental Liabilities. Behav Genet 2021; 51:512-527. [PMID: 34189652 PMCID: PMC8601653 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-021-10072-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Parental alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a substantiated risk factor for adolescent externalizing psychopathology; however, the level of specificity at which risk from parental AUD is transmitted to adolescent offspring should be interrogated further. The current study modeled competing factor structures of psychopathology in a sample of 502 adolescent twin pairs (Mage = 13.24 years) and tested associations with mother and father AUD. The bifactor model exhibited the best fit to the data when contrasted with correlated factors and general factor models. Paternal AUD predicted the externalizing and internalizing correlated factors, the adolescent P-factor but not the residual externalizing and internalizing factors, and the general factor. No significant associations with maternal AUD were noted. Lastly, the latent factors of adolescent psychopathology were all moderately heritable (h2 = 0.44-0.59) and influenced by the nonshared environment. Shared genetic factors primarily explained externalizing and internalizing covariance. Findings suggest that efforts to mitigate risk in offspring of fathers exhibiting AUD require broader approaches that address the full range of adolescent symptomology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Oro
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 871104, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
| | - H Hill Goldsmith
- Waisman Center and Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mulligan S, Douglas S, Armstrong C. Characteristics of Idiopathic Sensory Processing Disorder in Young Children. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:647928. [PMID: 33994966 PMCID: PMC8113623 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.647928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study described the developmental and behavioral characteristics of children identified with idiopathic sensory processing disorder (SPD) as well as the relations among specific types of SPD as proposed by the nosology presented by Miller et al. (2007), adaptive behavior profiles, and behaviors associated with mental functioning. A retrospective, non-experimental design applying descriptive and correlational analyses was used. Data were obtained from clinic medical records of 78 children ages 2 to 7 years who were identified with sensory processing problems affecting daily life, but who did not meet criteria for any other neurodevelopmental or mental disorders following a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation. Results revealed that all SPD types as described by current typologies were well represented with the most common being the over-responsivity sensory modulation subtype. Within the sample, 53% of the children displayed more than one SPD type. Atypical externalizing and internalizing behavior scores associated with various mental disorders as measured by the child behavior checklist (CBCL) fell in the borderline dysfunctional range. Adaptive behavior for all developmental domains was below average, and the severity of SPD symptoms moderately and positively correlated with behaviors associated with mental disorders, and with lower adaptive behavior performance. It was concluded that symptoms characteristic of the various types of idiopathic SPD overlap substantially suggesting that current typologies may include more types/subtypes than are necessary or clinically useful. Children with SPD share similar, but often less severe pathological behaviors associated with other mental or related neurodevelopmental disorders. Psychometrically sound measures of SPD are needed, and further study of the neural mechanisms involved in sensory processing deficits is vital for validating idiopathic SPD as its own diagnostic entity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shelley Mulligan
- Department of Occupational Therapy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Sarah Douglas
- Department of Occupational Therapy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Caitlin Armstrong
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Miller LJ, Marco EJ, Chu RC, Camarata S. Editorial: Sensory Processing Across the Lifespan: A 25-Year Initiative to Understand Neurophysiology, Behaviors, and Treatment Effectiveness for Sensory Processing. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:652218. [PMID: 33897385 PMCID: PMC8063042 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.652218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Jane Miller
- Department of Pediatrics (Emeritus), University of Colorado, Denver, CO, United States.,Sensory Therapies and Research Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder, Centennial, CO, United States
| | - Elysa J Marco
- Cortica (United States), San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Robyn C Chu
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Growing Healthy Children Therapy Services, Rescue, CA, United States
| | - Stephen Camarata
- School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| |
Collapse
|