Autonomic Dysregulation During Sensory Stimulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Schaaf, Roseann C.; Benevides, Teal; Leiby, Benjamin E.; Sendecki, Jocelyn

doi:10.1007/s10803-013-1924-6

Cited by 69 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…In one large study, Schaaf et al (2013) examined vagal activity of 59 children with autism and 30 typical controls in response to a variety of sensory stimuli, such as auditory, tactile, and olfactory signals. The vector of means across stimuli differed across the groups, with a flatter vector of mean scores in the autism group suggesting that these individuals demonstrated blunted autonomic change from one condition to the next.…”

Section: Behavioral and Genetic Correlates Of Cardiac Activity: Withimentioning

confidence: 99%

Cardiac autonomic regulation in autism and Fragile X syndrome: A review.

Klusek¹,

Roberts²,

Losh³

2015

Psychological Bulletin

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Despite the significance of efforts to understand the biological basis of autism, progress in this area has been hindered, in part, by the considerable heterogeneity in the disorder. Fragile X syndrome (FXS), a monogenic condition associated with high risk for autism, may pave the way for the dissection of biological heterogeneity within idiopathic autism. This paper adopts a cross-syndrome biomarker approach to evaluate potentially overlapping profiles of cardiac arousal dysregulation (and broader autonomic dysfunction) in autism and FXS. Approaches such as this, aimed at delineating shared mechanisms across genetic syndromes, hold great potential for improving diagnostic precision, promoting earlier identification, and uncovering key systems that can be targeted in pharmaceutical/behavioral interventions. Biomarker approaches may be vital to deconstructing complex psychiatric disorders, and are currently promoted as such by major research initiatives such as the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC). Evidence reviewed here supports physiological dysregulation in a subset of individuals with autism, as evidenced by patterns of hyperarousal and dampened parasympathetic vagal tone, which overlap with the well-documented physiological profile of FXS. Moreover, there is growing support for a link between aberrant cardiac activity and core deficits associated with autism, such as communication and social impairment. The delineation of physiological mechanisms common to autism and FXS could lend insight into relationships between genetic etiology and behavioral endstates, highlighting FMR1 as a potential candidate gene. Research gaps and potential pitfalls are discussed to inform timely, well-controlled biomarker research that will ultimately promote better diagnosis and treatment of autism and associated conditions.

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Section: Behavioral and Genetic Correlates Of Cardiac Activity: Withimentioning

confidence: 99%

Cardiac autonomic regulation in autism and Fragile X syndrome: A review.

Klusek¹,

Roberts²,

Losh³

2015

Psychological Bulletin

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“…The SNS is responsible for mobilizing resources to respond to challenges or threats [Beauchaine, 2001;Sheppes, Catran, & Meiran, 2009], whereas the PNS is involved in slowing heart rate and reducing arousal through increased output along the vagus nerve [Beauchaine, 2015a;Benevides & Lane, 2015]. To date, research on children with ASD has predominantly focused on the SNS or the PNS in isolation, with only a few studies measuring both systems concurrently [e.g., Bujnakova et al, 2016;Cohen, Masyn, Mastergeorge, & Hessl, 2015;Levine et al, 2012;Neuhaus, Bernier, & Beauchaine, 2016;Schaaf, Benevides, Leiby, & Sendecki, 2015]. Extending this work by considering interactions between the SNS and PNS increases the specificity with which psychophysiological responses can be characterized, and enhances comprehensive conceptualization of the role of autonomic activity in the manifestation of behavioral pathology [Buss, Jaffee, Wadsworth, & Kliewer, 2018;El-Sheikh et al, 2009].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sympathetic‐Parasympathetic Interaction and Externalizing Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

et al. 2019

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Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit significant difficulties with emotion regulation and reactivity, which may be linked to underlying psychophysiology. The present study examined associations between autonomic nervous system activity and individual differences in externalizing behavior problems in children with ASD. A multisystem approach was adopted to consider the interplay between markers of sympathetic (electrodermal reactivity—EDA‐R) and parasympathetic reactivity (respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity—RSA‐R) in relation to behavioral challenges. Fifty‐two children with ASD ages 6–10 years contributed complete psychophysiological data. Measures of EDA‐R and RSA‐R (RSA withdrawal) were obtained in response to a laboratory challenge task and parents reported on child externalizing behavior problems using a standardized questionnaire and a structured clinical interview. An equifinality model was supported, with two distinct psychophysiological pathways linked to heightened externalizing behavior problems. Greater RSA‐R was associated with more externalizing problems in the context of higher levels of EDA‐R, and lower EDA‐R was associated with increased externalizing problems at lower levels of RSA‐R. Findings underscore the importance of considering the role of psychophysiology in the unfolding of comorbid externalizing problems in children with ASD. Potential implications for tailoring coregulatory supports are discussed. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1805–1816. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit elevated rates of challenging behavior. This study identified specific psychophysiological profiles (low sympathetic‐low parasympathetic reactivity, and high sympathetic‐high parasympathetic reactivity) that may place these children at greater risk for behavior problems. Findings have implications for better understanding behavioral challenges in children with ASD, and for tailoring supports to address underlying psychophysiology.

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“…Differences in regulatory systems that underlie social approach and avoidance behavior, including alterations in the ANS, could be related to observable differences in social behavior in ASD (Benevides and Lane, 2013). Impedance cardiography may be particularly beneficial in assessing ANS reactivity in ASD; it is non-invasive and can act as an objective measure of reactivity to a variety of stimuli (Schaaf, Benevides, Leiby, & Sendecki, 2015). Despite the benefits of impedance cardiography both methodologically and empirically, there have been few ASD studies that utilize PEP.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the benefits of impedance cardiography both methodologically and empirically, there have been few ASD studies that utilize PEP. One study found that children with ASD did not have significantly different changes in PEP compared to controls following a sensory challenge (Schaaf et al, 2015). In another study, which asked participants to interact with a novel adult and with a parent, children with ASD demonstrated disorganized ANS responses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Altered pre-ejection period response to social evaluative threat in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

Edmiston

Muscatello

Corbett

2017

Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Introduction The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is involved in regulating social behavior; Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by alterations in social behavior and reduced physiological response to threat. We hypothesized that adolescents with ASD would show reduced ANS response to social threat. Methods Eighteen males with ASD and thirteen males with typical development (TD), ages 12 to 17, completed a social threat paradigm while wearing an impedance cardiography apparatus. We calculated pre-ejection period (PEP) and tested for between-group differences in PEP response to social threat. We also conducted correlation analyses between PEP change scores and clinical symptom scales. Results There was an effect of diagnosis on change in PEP from baseline to the onset of social threat (F=7.60, p=0.01), with greater changes in PEP in TD compared to ASD. PEP change score and the Social Communication Questionnaire (r=0.634, p=0.005) and the ADHD Problems Subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist (r=0.568, p=0.014) were correlated. Conclusions These findings suggest reduced arousal in response to social threat in ASD, with preliminary evidence that reduced sympathetic activation is associated with increased social behavior symptoms.

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Autonomic Dysregulation During Sensory Stimulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Cited by 69 publications

References 50 publications

Cardiac autonomic regulation in autism and Fragile X syndrome: A review.

Cardiac autonomic regulation in autism and Fragile X syndrome: A review.

Sympathetic‐Parasympathetic Interaction and Externalizing Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Altered pre-ejection period response to social evaluative threat in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

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