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Mello M, Fusaro M, Aglioti SM, Minio-Paluello I. Exploring social touch in autistic and non-autistic adults via a self-report body-painting task: The role of sex, social context and body area. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2024; 28:1985-2001. [PMID: 38179707 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231218314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT What is already known about the topic?At least in neurotypical individuals, social touch represents an important channel for emotional communication associated with social bonding and pain/anxiety modulation. Autistic adults report to avoid social touch more and to have different tactile sensitivity than their non-autistic comparisons.What this paper adds?Few studies specifically investigated social touch in autistic individuals, and none of them examined the role of participants' sex, social context in which social touch occurs, and specific body areas being touched. In our study, adult participants reported how pleasant, erogenous and appropriate they would consider touches delivered by another person over their entire body in intimate (date), friendly (dance class) and professional (physiotherapy-massage session) social contexts. Autistic adults reported social touch to be less pleasant, erogenous and appropriate specifically in intimate and friendly social contexts and in body areas typically touched in these situations. Importantly, autistic females seem more at risk to experience unpleasant social touch as, although they considered it more unpleasant than non-autistic females and autistic males, they did consider it similarly appropriate in professional social contexts where touch is normed to be socially appropriate.Implications for practice, research or policyOur results might improve awareness and understanding about autistic adults' different, and often more discomforting, experience of social touch and thus help consider and respect it during everyday social interactions. Our results might also benefit future research investigating, for instance, the neural underpinnings of social touch differences in autism or aiming at developing support for autistic individuals seeking help in the diverse spheres of social touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Mello
- Sapienza University of Rome, and Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Salvatore Maria Aglioti
- Sapienza University of Rome, and Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, Italy
- Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Minio-Paluello
- National Research Council, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Rome, Italy
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Chung WK, Herrera FF. Health supervision for children and adolescents with 16p11.2 deletion syndrome. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2023; 9:a006316. [PMID: 38050025 PMCID: PMC10815286 DOI: 10.1101/mcs.a006316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Rare genetic conditions are challenging for the primary care provider to manage without proper guidelines. This clinical review is designed to assist the pediatrician, family physician, or internist in the primary care setting to manage the complexities of 16p11.2 deletion syndrome. A multidisciplinary medical home with the primary care provider leading the care and armed with up-to-date guidelines will prove most helpful to the rare genetic patient population. A special focus on technology to fill gaps in deficits, review of case studies on novel medical treatments, and involvement with the educational system for advocacy with an emphasis on celebrating diversity will serve the rare genetic syndrome population well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy K Chung
- Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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Molloy CJ, Quigley C, McNicholas Á, Lisanti L, Gallagher L. A review of the cognitive impact of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric associated copy number variants. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:116. [PMID: 37031194 PMCID: PMC10082763 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02421-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The heritability of intelligence or general cognitive ability is estimated at 41% and 66% in children and adults respectively. Many rare copy number variants are associated with neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions (ND-CNV), including schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders, and may contribute to the observed variability in cognitive ability. Here, we reviewed studies of intelligence quotient or cognitive function in ND-CNV carriers, from both general population and clinical cohorts, to understand the cognitive impact of ND-CNV in both contexts and identify potential genotype-specific cognitive phenotypes. We reviewed aggregate studies of sets ND-CNV broadly linked to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions, and genotype-first studies of a subset of 12 ND-CNV robustly associated with schizophrenia and autism. Cognitive impacts were observed across ND-CNV in both general population and clinical cohorts, with reports of phenotypic heterogeneity. Evidence for ND-CNV-specific impacts were limited by a small number of studies and samples sizes. A comprehensive understanding of the cognitive impact of ND-CNVs would be clinically informative and could identify potential educational needs for ND-CNV carriers. This could improve genetic counselling for families impacted by ND-CNV, and clinical outcomes for those with complex needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara J Molloy
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Ciara Quigley
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Áine McNicholas
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Linda Lisanti
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- The Hospital for SickKids, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, SickKids Research Institute, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Smith H, Lane C, Al‐Jawahiri R, Freeth M. Sensory processing in 16p11.2 deletion and 16p11.2 duplication. Autism Res 2022; 15:2081-2098. [PMID: 36053814 PMCID: PMC9826336 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Deletions and duplications at the chromosomal region of 16p11.2 have a broad range of phenotypic effects including increased likelihood of intellectual disability, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, and language and motor delays. However, whether and how sensory processing is affected has not yet been considered in detail. Parents/caregivers of 38 children with a 16p11.2 deletion and 31 children with a 16p11.2 duplication completed the Sensory Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ) and the Child Sensory Profile 2 (CSP-2) along with other standardized questionnaires assessing autistic traits (SRS-2), ADHD traits (Conners 3), anxiety (SCAS-P) and adaptive behavior (VABS-3). SBQ and CSP-2 responses found that sensory processing differences were clearly evident in both 16p11.2 deletion and 16p11.2 duplication, though there was significant variation in both cohorts. SBQ data indicated the frequency and impact of sensory behavior were more severe when compared to neurotypical children, with levels being similar to autistic children. CSP-2 data indicated over 70% of children displayed clear differences in sensory registration (missing sensory input). Seventy-one percent with 16p11.2 duplications were also unusually sensitive to sensory information and 57% with 16p11.2 duplications were unusually avoidant of sensory stimuli. This first detailed assessment of sensory processing, alongside other clinical features, in relatively large cohorts of children with a 16p11.2 deletion and 16p11.2 duplication demonstrates that sensory processing differences have a profound impact on their lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet Smith
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Chloe Lane
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
- Research & Development UnitTavistock and Portman NHS Foundation TrustLondonUK
| | | | - Megan Freeth
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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