#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.

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Mediating role of abnormal sensory processing in the relationship between autistic traits and internalizing problems

10.31234/osf.io/t5wy9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yurika Tsuji ◽

Satoko Matsumoto ◽

Aya Saito ◽

Shu Imaizumi ◽

Yoko Yamazaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

University Students ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Internalizing Problems ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Japanese Female ◽

The Relationship

Sensory processing abnormalities are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and previous studies have shown a positive correlation between sensory processing and internalizing problems. This study examines the role of sensory processing abnormalities and difficulties resulting from sensory processing abnormalities on relationships between autistic traits and internalizing problems in Japanese female university students. One hundred and twelve female university students completed a questionnaire about their autistic traits, sensory processing, awareness of difficulties resulting from sensory processing abnormalities, and internalizing problems. Analysis of the data reveals that autistic traits correlate with low registration and sensation avoiding. Moreover, those who scored high on these indicators, demonstrated difficulties resulting from sensory processing abnormalities as the cause of internalizing problems.

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A co-twin-control study of altered sensory processing in autism

Autism ◽

10.1177/1362361321991255 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 136236132199125

Author(s):

Janina Neufeld ◽

Mark J Taylor ◽

Karl Lundin Remnélius ◽

Johan Isaksson ◽

Paul Lichtenstein ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Psychiatric Diagnoses ◽

Sensory Sensitivity ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder is associated with sensory processing alterations, such as sensory hyper- and hypo-responsiveness. Twin studies are scarce in this field, but they are necessary in order to disentangle the genetic and environmental contributions to this association. Furthermore, it is unclear how different neurodevelopmental/psychiatric conditions contribute to altering sensory processing. We investigated the association between autistic traits/autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and sensory processing alterations in twins ( N = 269), using the adult/adolescent sensory profile, which differentiates four sub-domains: Low Registration, Sensation Seeking, Sensory Sensitivity, and Sensation Avoiding. While the associations between autistic traits and Low Registration and Sensation Avoiding persisted within monozygotic (genetically identical) twins, Sensory Sensitivity was only associated with autistic traits within dizygotic twins. In multivariate analyses with different neurodevelopmental/psychiatric diagnoses as predictor variables, autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were the strongest predictors for two adult/adolescent sensory profile sub-domains each. The results suggest that the association between autistic traits and Sensory Sensitivity is influenced by genetics while non-shared environmental factors influence the associations between autistic traits and Low Registration and Sensation Avoiding. They further indicate that altered sensory processing is not specific to autism spectrum disorder, while autism spectrum disorder is a strong predictor of certain sensory processing alterations, even when controlling for other (comorbid) neurodevelopmental/psychiatric conditions. Lay abstract Individuals diagnosed with autism often describe that they process sensory information differently from others, and many experience sensory issues as problematic. For instance, an increased sensitivity to smells or sounds can make participating in social settings challenging. While sensory issues are now part of the diagnostic criteria for autism, they also co-occur with other psychiatric diagnoses such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorders. It is unclear to what extent the relationship between autism and alterations in sensory processing are due to genetics or environment. In addition, more research is needed on how autism, as compared to other diagnoses, is associated with sensory issues. Using a twin study, we found that genetic factors influenced self-reported reactivity to sensory stimuli in autism while environmental factors influenced other sensory issues (e.g. difficulties in detecting or differentiating sensory input). Hence, sensory hyper-reactivity might be an early onset core feature of autism, while other domains of alterations in sensory processing might develop later, influenced by the environment. Moreover, autism was more strongly associated with sensory issues related to increased sensitivity/reactivity as compared to other psychiatric diagnoses. However, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was more strongly related to deficits in detecting/differentiating sensory stimuli and with an increased drive to seek sensory input. Our results indicate that sensory issues are not specific to autism, but that some aspects of altered sensory processing are more relevant for autism than for other diagnoses.

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People With High Autistic Traits Show Fewer Consensual Crossmodal Correspondences Between Visual Features and Tastes

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.714277 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Na Chen ◽

Katsumi Watanabe ◽

Makoto Wada

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Prior Knowledge ◽

Statistical Learning ◽

Multisensory Integration ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Visual Features ◽

Crossmodal Correspondences ◽

Online Questionnaire

Crossmodal correspondences between visual features (e.g., color/shape) and tastes have been extensively documented in recent years. Visual colors and shapes have been shown to consensually match to specific tastes. Meanwhile, individuals with autism spectrum disorder are reported to have atypical sensory processing and deficits in multisensory integration. However, the influence of autistic traits on the formation of such correspondences is relatively unknown. Here, we examined whether autistic traits could influence visual–taste associations using an online questionnaire survey among Japanese participants. The results showed that the participants exhibited strong color–taste, shape–taste, and shape–color associations, and the proportions of choosing the consensual color–taste/shape–color associations were significantly associated with autistic traits. The participants with higher autistic quotient scores chose fewer of the consensual color–taste/shape–color associations while there was no difference in choosing shape–taste associations. We interpreted the results as statistical learning with a reduced prior knowledge effect in participants with higher autistic quotient scores.

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The Naturalness of Biological Movement by Individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions: Taking Neurotypical Individuals’ Viewpoint

Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.3889/oamjms.2019.392 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (16) ◽

pp. 2574-2578

Author(s):

Miskatyas Putri Aransih ◽

Rizki Edmi Edison

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽

Internal Representation ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽

Autistic Trait ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Screening Questionnaires ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

Tas 20

BACKGROUND: When an action is being observed, it is matched to the observer’s internal representation of the action. The more similar, the more the action is perceived as natural. A factor influencing judgement of naturalness is the kinematic features of a movement. However, these features could be altered due to certain conditions that can modify movement such as Autism Spectrum Disorders. As a result, neurotypical observers may fail to interpret the action due to impaired naturalness. AIM: This work aims to investigate (1) whether neurotypical observers judge the autistic individuals’ movement as less natural, (2) which kinematic factors (jerk, acceleration, velocity and size) contribute to their perception and (3) whether cue reliance correlates with autistic traits. METHODS: Thirty neurotypical participants (20 – 33 years old; 15 males) completed autistic trait screening questionnaires (ADC, TAS-20, AQ). They completed a computer task showing 2D side-to-side arm movements recorded from neurotypical and autistic individuals. Finally, they rated the naturalness of the observed movements, and how certain they were with their answer. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the participants’ perception of naturalness of the two movement groups. Jerk, acceleration and velocity contributed to shaping the participants’ perception with a jerk as the most significant factor. The correlation between the participants’ autistic trait and both their perception of naturalness as well as of each kinematic cue were not significant. CONCLUSION: Our neurotypical participants perceived the autistic movements as less natural. Their perceptions were influenced mainly by the jerk as well as acceleration and velocity of the autistic movements. Autistic traits in the participants did not correlate to their perception of movement naturalness nor to any of the kinematic factors.

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Is “not just right experience” (NJRE) in obsessive-compulsive disorder part of an autistic phenotype?

CNS Spectrums ◽

10.1017/s1092852916000511 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 41-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Josselyn Hellriegel ◽

Caroline Barber ◽

Maheshi Wikramanayake ◽

Naomi A. Fineberg ◽

William Mandy

Keyword(s):

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Set Shifting ◽

Obsessive Compulsive ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

Correlational Design ◽

Broader Phenotype ◽

Just Right

ObjectiveHarm avoidance (HA) and “not just right experience” (NJRE) have been proposed to be 2 core motivational processes underlying obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The objective of this study was to explore whether NJRE demarcates a neurodevelopmental OCD subgroup distinct from HA related to autistic traits and/or to a broader phenotype of cognitive rigidity and sensory processing difficulties associated with an earlier age of OCD onset.MethodsA correlational design investigated whether NJRE and HA are distinct entities in OCD and explored their relationship to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits measured by the Autism Quotient (AQ), sensory processing, set-shifting, and age of OCD onset in an OCD sample (N=25).ResultsNJRE was only moderately (r=.34) correlated to HA and not significant in this study. Consistent with predictions, NJRE was associated with sensory processing difficulties and an earlier age of OCD onset. No significant relationships were found between NJRE and ASD traits as measured by the AQ or set-shifting difficulties.ConclusionsThese preliminary findings suggest a lack of evidence demonstrating NJRE as a manifestation of core autistic traits as measured by the AQ. However, NJRE was associated with sensory abnormalities and an earlier age of OCD onset. The role of NJRE as a developmental, and possibly neurodevelopmental, risk factor for OCD possibly warrants further investigation.

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Unique Relationships Between Autistic Traits and Visual, Auditory, and Tactile Sensory Thresholds in Typically Developing Adults

Perception ◽

10.1177/0301006620907827 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 405-421

Author(s):

Ayako Yaguchi ◽

Souta Hidaka

Keyword(s):

Sensory Processing ◽

Detection Threshold ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Individual Variability ◽

Sensory Thresholds ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Restricted Interests ◽

Strong Focus ◽

And Behavior

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by symptoms such as social deficits and restricted interests and behavior. Several studies have investigated specific sensory processing in relation to ASD traits. However, findings appear to be inconsistent and inconclusive because of variation in ASD traits among participants and differences in the tasks adopted. In this study, we investigated relationships between sensory thresholds in visual, auditory, and tactile modalities and various ASD traits to account for individual variability of traits in typically developing adults using the same experimental tasks. We estimated detection and discrimination thresholds for brightness, sound pressure, and vibrotactile stimulus strength. We also estimated the degree of ASD traits in each participant with a questionnaire. We found that higher tactile detection and visual discrimination thresholds were related to ASD traits in difficulty of communication. A lower tactile discrimination threshold and higher visual detection threshold was also related to the ASD trait of strong focus of attention. These findings suggest the existence of unique relationships between particular low-level sensory processing and specific ASD traits, indicating that irregularities in sensory processing may underlie variation in ASD traits.

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Sensory Processing and Aggressive Behavior in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11010095 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 95

Author(s):

Frank van den Boogert ◽

Bram Sizoo ◽

Pascalle Spaan ◽

Sharon Tolstra ◽

Yvonne H. A. Bouman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Aggressive Behavior ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Short Form ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Sensory Profile ◽

Sensory Sensitivity ◽

Aggression Questionnaire ◽

Adults With Asd

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be accompanied by aggressive behavior and is associated with sensory processing difficulties. The present study aims to investigate the direct association between sensory processing and aggressive behavior in adults with ASD. A total of 101 Dutch adult participants with ASD, treated in outpatient or inpatient facilities, completed the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP), the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), and the Aggression Questionnaire—Short Form (AQ-SF). Results revealed that sensory processing difficulties are associated with more aggressive behavior (f2=0.25), more proactive (f2=0.19) and reactive aggression (f2=0.27), more physical (f2=0.08) and verbal aggression (f2=0.13), and more anger (f2=0.20) and hostility (f2=0.12). Evidence was found for an interaction of the neurological threshold and behavioral response on total aggression and hostility. Participants with higher scores in comparison to the norm group in sensory sensitivity had the highest risk of aggressive behavior. In conclusion, clinical practice may benefit from applying detailed diagnostics on sensory processing difficulties when treating aggressive behavior in adults with ASD.

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Developmental trajectories of autistic social traits in the general population

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291721002166 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Richard Pender ◽

Pasco Fearon ◽

Beate St Pourcain ◽

Jon Heron ◽

Will Mandy

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Full Range ◽

Population Sample ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Communication Disorders ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Growth Mixture Modelling ◽

Autistic People ◽

Social Difficulties ◽

Autism Trait

Abstract Background Autistic people show diverse trajectories of autistic traits over time, a phenomenon labelled ‘chronogeneity’. For example, some show a decrease in symptoms, whilst others experience an intensification of difficulties. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a dimensional condition, representing one end of a trait continuum that extends throughout the population. To date, no studies have investigated chronogeneity across the full range of autistic traits. We investigated the nature and clinical significance of autism trait chronogeneity in a large, general population sample. Methods Autistic social/communication traits (ASTs) were measured in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children using the Social and Communication Disorders Checklist (SCDC) at ages 7, 10, 13 and 16 (N = 9744). We used Growth Mixture Modelling (GMM) to identify groups defined by their AST trajectories. Measures of ASD diagnosis, sex, IQ and mental health (internalising and externalising) were used to investigate external validity of the derived trajectory groups. Results The selected GMM model identified four AST trajectory groups: (i) Persistent High (2.3% of sample), (ii) Persistent Low (83.5%), (iii) Increasing (7.3%) and (iv) Decreasing (6.9%) trajectories. The Increasing group, in which females were a slight majority (53.2%), showed dramatic increases in SCDC scores during adolescence, accompanied by escalating internalising and externalising difficulties. Two-thirds (63.6%) of the Decreasing group were male. Conclusions Clinicians should note that for some young people autism-trait-like social difficulties first emerge during adolescence accompanied by problems with mood, anxiety, conduct and attention. A converse, majority-male group shows decreasing social difficulties during adolescence.

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Diachronic Tendency and Thinking Style Across the Broader Autism Spectrum: Sources of Individual Differences?

Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽

10.1007/s41252-021-00209-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Stian Orm ◽

Ella Holt Holmberg ◽

Paul L. Harris ◽

Maria Nunez ◽

Francisco Pons

Keyword(s):

Autistic Traits ◽

Broader Autism Phenotype ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Inner Speech ◽

Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽

Present Moment ◽

Thinking Style ◽

Mental Images ◽

High School Degree ◽

Future Events

Abstract Objectives First, to see whether previous studies showing a limited capacity to spontaneously evoke the past and the future of a present moment (diachronic tendency) and a prevalence of mental images over inner speech (thinking style) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder could be replicated in individuals belonging to the broader autism phenotype. Second, to test the hypothesis that individuals thinking with mental images have a more limited diachronic tendency compared with individuals thinking with inner speech. Methods Adults (N = 309, Mage = 31.5 years, 76% women) with at least a high school degree were assessed with the Autism Spectrum Quotient, a test of diachronic tendency comprising four pictures varying in social interactivity and dynamicity, and a thinking style scale comprising three items representing three different everyday situations. Results The results showed that adults with many autistic traits have a limited diachronic tendency but only when the situation is socially interactive and dynamic, think more in mental images than individuals with no or few autistic traits but nevertheless still think more with inner speech than with mental images, and the more the participants reported thinking in inner speech, the more they evoked past and future events when describing a socially interactive and dynamic situation. Conclusions More autistic traits are associated with a limited diachronic tendency in socially interactive and dynamic situations and more thinking in mental images, and thinking style could be one of the determinants of diachronic tendency in socially interactive and dynamic situations.

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Implication of the Sensory Environment in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perspectives from School

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18147670 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

pp. 7670

Author(s):

Ana Gentil-Gutiérrez ◽

José Luis Cuesta-Gómez ◽

Paula Rodríguez-Fernández ◽

Jerónimo Javier González-Bernal

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Sensory Profile ◽

School Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sensory Stimuli ◽

Children With Asd

(1) Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently have difficulties in processing sensory information, which is a limitation when participating in different contexts, such as school. The objective of the present study was to compare the sensory processing characteristics of children with ASD in the natural context of school through the perception of professionals in the field of education, in comparison with neurodevelopmental children (2) Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study as conducted with study population consisting of children between three and ten years old, 36 of whom were diagnosed with ASD and attended the Autismo Burgos association; the remaining 24 had neurotypical development. The degree of response of the children to sensory stimuli at school was evaluated using the Sensory Profile-2 (SP-2) questionnaire in its school version, answered by the teachers. (3) Results: Statistically significant differences were found in sensory processing patterns (p = 0.001), in sensory systems (p = 0.001) and in school factors (p = 0.001). Children with ASD who obtained worse results. (4) Conclusions: Children with ASD are prone to present sensory alterations in different contexts, giving nonadapted behavioral and learning responses.

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