Children with Autism Show Altered Autonomic Adaptation to Novel and Familiar Social Partners

Abstract

Social deficits are fundamental to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and a growing body of research implicates altered functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), including both sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. However, few studies have explored both branches concurrently in ASD, particularly within the context of social interaction. The current study investigates patterns of change in indices of sympathetic (pre-ejection period; PEP) and parasympathetic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) cardiac influence as boys (ages 8-11 years) with (N = 18) and without (N = 18) ASD engage in dyadic social interaction with novel and familiar social partners. Groups showed similar patterns of autonomic change during interaction with the novel partner, but differed in heart rate, PEP, and RSA reactivity while interacting with a familiar partner. Boys without ASD evinced decreasing sympathetic and increasing parasympathetic influence, whereas boys with ASD increased in sympathetic influence. Boys without ASD also demonstrated more consistent ANS responses across partners than those with ASD, with parasympathetic responding differentiating familiar and novel interaction partners. Finally, PEP slopes with a familiar partner correlated with boys' social skills. Implications include the importance of considering autonomic state during clinical assessment and treatment, and the potential value of regulation strategies as a complement to intervention programs aiming to support social cognition and behavior. Autism Res 2016, 9: 579-591. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparing stress and arousal systems in response to different social contexts in children with ASD

“…(Condy, Scarpa, & Friedman, 2017; Kushki, Brian, Dupuis, & Anagnostou, 2014; Levine et al, 2012; Watson, Roberts, Baranek, Mandulak, & Dalton, 2012). 2) Similar to previous findings for cortisol (e.g., (Corbett et al, 2012; Lanni et al, 2012)) and RSA (Edmiston et al, 2016; Neuhaus et al, 2016; Vaughan Van Hecke et al, 2009), it was predicted that children with ASD would show enhanced cortisol response and lower RSA to the TSST-F and a blunted cortisol and RSA response to the TSST. Additionally, we examined the relationship between perceived affect and physiological stress during the TSST by determining if the perception of neutral faces mediated the stress response (cortisol and RSA).…”

“…In studies requiring social engagement, children with ASD tend to show reduced parasympathetic response (e.g. (Neuhaus, Bernier, & Beauchaine, 2016; Vaughan Van Hecke et al, 2009)). For example, Vaughan Van Hecke and colleagues found that children with ASD, relative to TD children, showed overall lower RSA to unfamiliar, as well as familiar, persons while increased PNS regulation was associated with greater social skills and fewer problem behaviors (Vaughan Van Hecke et al, 2009).…”

“…For example, Vaughan Van Hecke and colleagues found that children with ASD, relative to TD children, showed overall lower RSA to unfamiliar, as well as familiar, persons while increased PNS regulation was associated with greater social skills and fewer problem behaviors (Vaughan Van Hecke et al, 2009). Similarly, children with ASD have shown lower RSA overall relative to those without autism when interacting with a novel partner (Neuhaus et al, 2016). One of the few studies to assess RSA response to social play in children with ASD found higher baseline RSA was associated with more gestures and sharing behavior during play with an adult actor (Patriquin, Scarpa, et al, 2013).…”

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

“…Recent work has centered on understanding individual differences among children with ASD through examination of psychophysiological reactivity [Baker et al, ; Fenning et al, ; Lydon et al, ; Neuhaus, Bernier, & Beauchaine, ; Neuhaus et al, ; White et al, ]. Electrodermal activity (EDA) is an SNS response and index of the behavioral inhibition system, which promotes inhibition and risk assessment in situations that involve potential negative consequences [Beauchaine, ; McNaughton & Corr, ].…”

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

“…In another study, which asked participants to interact with a novel adult and with a parent, children with ASD demonstrated disorganized ANS responses. Specifically, typically developing boys showed the expected decrease in SNS influence over heart rate when interacting with a familiar adult, while those with ASD showed similar SNS responses to both novel and familiar partners (Neuhaus, Bernier, & Beauchaine, 2016). …”