Ming X, Patel R, Kang V, Chokroverty S, Julu PO. Respiratory and autonomic dysfunction in children with autism spectrum disorders.
Brain Dev 2016;
38:225-32. [PMID:
26235973 DOI:
10.1016/j.braindev.2015.07.003]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Revised: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Cardiac parasympathetic hypofunction has been reported in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This usually is linked to respiratory dysrhythmia which has been documented in some children with ASD.
OBJECTIVES
This study evaluated the cardiorespiratory functions in ASD to elucidate the physiologic basis of behaviors.
METHODS
Nineteen children with ASD and 18 age matched controls underwent autonomic function monitoring at a defined resting state using the NeuroScope. The non-invasive real time beat-to-beat blood pressure was measured by Portapres and fed into the NeuroScope where heart rate, cardiac vagal tone and cardiac sensitivity to baroreceptor were derived from the EKG and blood pressure waveforms using the Vagosoft software; and respiratory rate and rhythm were measured simultaneously by plethysmograph. Respiration was analyzed breath by breath using our prior published methods.
RESULTS
Various respiratory dysrhythmias, particularly Biot's and Cheyne-Stokes respiration, were detected in children with ASD, who also exhibited greater variability in respiratory rhythm and amplitudes than controls. The respiratory dysrhythmia in children with ASD was associated with a lower cardiac vagal activity.
CONCLUSION
The Biot's breathing and Cheyne-Stokes respiration coupled with cardiac vagal hypofunction in ASD suggest a brainstem dysfunction consistent with our previous findings. The low parasympathetic activity could explain in part the chronic sensory hyperarousal state in children with ASD.
Collapse