Neural Correlates of Sensory Hyporesponsiveness in Toddlers at High Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

David M Simon; Cara R Damiano; Tiffany G Woynaroski; Lisa V Ibañez; Michael Murias; Wendy L Stone; Mark T Wallace; Carissa J Cascio

doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3191-4

Neural Correlates of Sensory Hyporesponsiveness in Toddlers at High Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

J Autism Dev Disord. 2017 Sep;47(9):2710-2722. doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3191-4.

Authors

David M Simon^{1

2}, Cara R Damiano³, Tiffany G Woynaroski^{4

5}, Lisa V Ibañez⁶, Michael Murias⁷, Wendy L Stone⁶, Mark T Wallace^{2

4

5

8

9}, Carissa J Cascio^{10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
² Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
³ Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
⁴ Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
⁵ Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
⁷ Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
⁸ Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
⁹ Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
¹⁰ Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. carissa.cascio@vanderbilt.edu.
¹¹ Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. carissa.cascio@vanderbilt.edu.

Abstract

Altered patterns of sensory responsiveness are a frequently reported feature of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Younger siblings of individuals with ASD are at a greatly elevated risk of a future diagnosis of ASD, but little is known about the neural basis of sensory responsiveness patterns in this population. Younger siblings (n = 20) of children diagnosed with ASD participated in resting electroencephalography (EEG) at an age of 18 months. Data on toddlers' sensory responsiveness were obtained using the Sensory Experiences Questionnaire. Correlations were present between hyporesponsiveness and patterns of oscillatory power, functional connectivity, and signal complexity. Our findings suggest that neural signal features hold promise for facilitating early identification and targeted remediation in young children at risk for ASD.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Electroencephalogram (EEG); Frontal EEG asymmetry; Functional connectivity; Infant siblings; Sensory hyporesponsiveness.

MeSH terms

Autism Spectrum Disorder / diagnosis*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / genetics
Brain Waves*
Child, Preschool
Female
Humans
Male
Perception
Sensation
Siblings

Abstract

MeSH terms

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