Authors: Emy Nimbley, Lisa Golds, Helen Sharpe...

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between sensory processing and a broad range of eating behaviours across the lifespan.

METHODS

Five electronic databases of published and unpublished quantitative studies were systematically searched, evaluated for risk of bias and synthesised according to identified eating outcomes.

RESULTS

Across 25 studies, there was consistent evidence of a relationship between sensory processing and a range of eating behaviours. There was early evidence for the particular role of taste/smell sensitivities, as well as hypersensitivities, although future research is needed looking at different sensory patterns and modalities. There was also tentative evidence to suggest this relationship extends across development.

DISCUSSION

Study findings are discussed in relation to implications for sensory-based eating and feeding interventions and the development of eating disorders. Methodological and conceptual limitations are discussed and suggestions for future research are made to address these limitations. A broader investigation of multi-sensory issues and clearly defined eating behaviours, including disordered eating in clinically diagnosed samples, will allow for a more comprehensive and robust understanding of the relationship between sensory processing and eating behaviours in autism.

Topics: Autistic Disorder; Feeding Behavior; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Humans; Perception; Taste

PubMed: 35737818
DOI: 10.1002/erv.2920

Review

Authors: Elysa J Marco, Leighton B N Hinkley, Susanna S Hill...

Atypical sensory-based behaviors are a ubiquitous feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In this article, we review the neural underpinnings of sensory processing in autism by reviewing the literature on neurophysiological responses to auditory, tactile, and visual stimuli in autistic individuals. We review studies of unimodal sensory processing and multisensory integration that use a variety of neuroimaging techniques, including electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and functional MRI. We then explore the impact of covert and overt attention on sensory processing. With additional characterization, neurophysiologic profiles of sensory processing in ASD may serve as valuable biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring of therapeutic interventions for autism and reveal potential strategies and target brain regions for therapeutic interventions.

Topics: Attention; Auditory Perceptual Disorders; Autistic Disorder; Humans; Touch Perception; Visual Perception

PubMed: 21289533
DOI: 10.1203/PDR.0b013e3182130c54

Authors: Agnieszka Ptak, Diana Miękczyńska, Agnieszka Dębiec-Bąk...

Over recent years, the concept of Sensory Integration has become more popular. Knowledge about Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) also has grown, and it is often discussed in scientific research. Sensory disturbances can cause problems in learning and behaviour of children in whom no medical diagnosis has been made. These are healthy children regarding the environment, but their behaviour is often described as strange in the meaning not appropriate/not adequate to the situation. The aim of the study was to analyse if there is a correlation between occurrence of SPD and the time or the way of delivery. Participants were 75 children, ages 5-9 years old. Children born prematurely ( = 25), and children delivered by caesarean section (C-section) ( = 25) were compared to the ones born on time by natural means ( = 25). Research was based on a questionnaire filled by children's parents. Descriptive results and percentage calculations were compared. SPD were detected among 84% of pre-borns and among 80% of children delivered by C-section and it is statistically significant. Both groups are at higher risk of Sensory Processing Disorder than those delivered on time by vaginal birth. Due to the results, the time and the way of the delivery are the factors that affect Sensory Processing Disorder.

Topics: Cesarean Section; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Parturition; Perception; Pilot Projects; Pregnancy; Sensation

PubMed: 35682475
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116893

Authors: Flávia Regina Ribeiro Cavalcanti Buffone, Eliane Schochat

PURPOSE

To analyze the sensory profile of children with auditory sensory processing disorder according to the Child Sensory Profile 2 and to verify potential associations between central auditory processing and sensory processing.

METHODS

Sixty children from two public schools in the city of João Pessoa, state of Paraíba, were evaluated. All children had their cognitive skills tested and their socioeconomic and demographic information collected. The children's hearing, central auditory processing, and sensory processing were evaluated. SPSS Statistics version 25.0 was used for data analysis and the significant value adopted was 0.05. Descriptive analysis was performed using the central tendency method. The similarities among the test variables were measured by Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. The effect size (ES) between the groups was measured by Cohen's d or Rosenthal's r coefficient.

RESULTS

The average age of children with CAPD was 8.4 years, and their families had lower levels of income and education when compared to those without the disorder. Children with CAPD present more sensory differences than their peers with normative CAP. The Child Sensory Processing 2 results didn't show any statistic associations with central auditory processing, and the effect size was of moderate magnitude for the visual system.

CONCLUSION

Children with CAPD have more sensory differences than their peers according to the normative results of the Child Sensory Profile 2. An association between sensory and central auditory processing was not observed, except for the visual system.

Topics: Auditory Perception; Auditory Perceptual Disorders; Child; Hearing Tests; Humans; Language Development Disorders

PubMed: 35019061
DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/20212019282

Authors: Eirini Tsitsipa, Jonathan Rogers, Sebastian Casalotti...

Ondansetron is a selective serotonin (5HT3) receptor antagonist that is under evaluation as an adjunctive treatment for schizophrenia, and a novel treatment for hallucinations in Parkinson's disease. Ondansetron reverses sensory gating deficits and improves visuoperceptual processing in animal models of psychosis, but it is unclear to what extent preclinical findings have been replicated in humans. We systematically reviewed human studies that evaluated the effects of ondansetron and other 5HT3 receptor antagonists on sensory gating deficits or sensory processing. Of 11 eligible studies, eight included patients with schizophrenia who were chronically stable on antipsychotic medication; five measured sensory gating using the P50 suppression response to a repeated auditory stimulus; others included tests of visuoperceptual function. Three studies in healthy participants included tests of visuoperceptual and sensorimotor function. A consistent and robust finding (five studies) was that ondansetron and tropisetron (5HT3 antagonist and α7-nicotinic receptor partial agonist) improved sensory gating in patients with schizophrenia. Tropisetron also improved sustained visual attention in non-smoking patients. There was inconsistent evidence of the effects of 5HT3 antagonists on other measures of sensory processing, but interpretation was limited by the small number of studies, methodological heterogeneity and the potential confounding effects of concomitant medication in patients. Despite these limitations, we found strong evidence that selective 5HT3 antagonists (with or without direct α7-nicotinic partial agonist effects) improved sensory gating. Future studies should investigate how this relates to potential improvement in neurocognitive symptoms in antipsychotic naive patients with prodromal or milder symptoms, in order to understand the clinical implications.

Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Humans; Perception; Schizophrenia; Sensory Gating; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor

PubMed: 35017671
DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01255-4

Authors: Harriet Smith, Chloe Lane, Reem Al-Jawahiri...

Sotos syndrome (Sotos) and Tatton-Brown-Rahman Syndrome (TBRS) are two of the most common overgrowth disorders associated with intellectual disability. Individuals with these syndromes tend to have similar cognitive profiles and high likelihood of autism symptomatology. However, whether and how sensory processing is affected is currently unknown. Parents/caregivers of 36 children with Sotos and 20 children with TBRS completed the Child Sensory Profile-2 (CSP-2) and the Sensory Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ) along with other standardized questionnaires assessing autistic traits (Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition, SRS-2), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits (Conners 3), anxiety (Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, Parent Version, SCAS-P), and adaptive behavior (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Third Edition). Sensory processing differences were clearly evident in both syndromes, though there was significant variation in both cohorts. SBQ data indicated that both the and of sensory behavior were more severe when compared to neurotypicals, with levels of sensory behavior impact and frequency being similar to autistic children. CSP-2 data indicated 77% of children with Sotos and 85% children with TBRS displayed clear differences in sensory Registration (missing sensory input). Clear differences relating to Body Position (proprioceptive response to joint and muscle position; 79% Sotos; 90% TBRS) and Touch (somatosensory response to touch on skin; 56% Sotos; 60% TBRS) were also particularly prevalent. Correlation analyses demonstrated that in both syndromes sensory processing differences tend to be associated with difficulties relating to autistic traits, anxiety, and some domains of ADHD. In Sotos, sensory processing differences were also associated with lower adaptive behavior skills. This first detailed assessment of sensory processing, alongside other clinical features, in relatively large cohorts of children with Sotos and TBRS, demonstrates that sensory processing differences have a profound impact on everyday life. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Topics: Child; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Sotos Syndrome; Abnormalities, Multiple; Touch; Musculoskeletal Abnormalities; Touch Perception

PubMed: 37289542
DOI: 10.1037/abn0000837

Authors: Michael Schaefer, Anja Kühnel, Matti Gärtner...

Sensory processing sensitivity is described as a personality trait associated with a high sensitivity to environmental and social stimuli. It has been assumed that about 15-20% of the total population can be described as highly sensitive. The concept states that those individuals represent a higher sensitivity to subtle stimuli, thereby exhibiting a different somatic sensation. Here we aim to test the assumption that the brain's sensory perception is different in individuals with high sensory processing sensitivity. We used a German version of the Highly Sensitive Person scale to measure sensory processing sensitivity. Furthermore, we assessed the Big Five personality dimensions and trait empathy (using IRI). To test the hypothesis that the brain's handling of sensory information is different in individuals with high sensory-processing sensitivity, we scanned participant's brain activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they were touched by an experimenter's hand. Results showed positive correlations of sensory processing sensitivity with neuroticism, openness, and empathy. Introversion was not a significant predictor. Neuroimaging data demonstrated that sensory processing sensitivity (controlled for associated personality dimensions) was not related to primary or secondary somatosensory BOLD responses, but positively associated with BOLD activity in left posterior insular cortex. Based on these results we conclude that sensory processing sensitivity seems to represent insula-mediated affective touch. We discuss these results with previous studies reporting an engagement of the insula in individuals with high sensory processing sensitivity.

Topics: Brain; Brain Mapping; Emotions; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Somatosensory Cortex; Touch; Touch Perception

PubMed: 35835782
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15497-9

Authors: Shuhei Iimura, Satoshi Takasugi

BACKGROUND

Sensory processing sensitivity is a personality or temperamental trait defined as individual differences in the tendency to perceive and process both positive and negative stimuli and experiences. Studies have shown that high sensitivity is correlated with psychosocial health, including depression and anxiety. However, its relationship with physical health has not been clarified. To fill this gap, using a large sample size with sufficient statistical power, an adult sample not including university students, and a range of covariates, this study examined the association between gastrointestinal symptoms as an indicator of physical health and sensory processing sensitivity.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, the participants were 863 Japanese adults (female = 450; male = 413; = 30.4 years; = 4.9) who completed a web-based questionnaire. We statistically controlled for sociodemographic characteristics and examined whether sensory processing sensitivity is correlated with gastrointestinal symptoms.

RESULTS

The results showed that highly sensitive individuals were more likely to experience a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms in the past week, including reflux symptoms, abdominal pain, indigestion symptoms, diarrhea symptoms, and constipation symptoms, even when statistically controlling for the participants' sociodemographic characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that high sensory processing sensitivity is associated with physical health. Some of the potential causes of this are also discussed.

Topics: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Japan; Male; Perception; Personality

PubMed: 36011526
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19169893

Randomized Controlled Trial

Authors: Bianca P Acevedo, Novia Dattatri, Robert Marhenke...

Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a biological trait associated with enhanced awareness of and responsivity to the environment, as well as depth of cognitive processing. However, only a few studies have investigated how contextual factors impact cognition as a function of SPS. Thus, this study examined whether SPS is associated with differential changes in cognitive function resulting from participation in a 4-week app-based cognitive training program with neurofeedback (CT-NF). Participants (M age = 66 years) were randomized to either a treatment (CT-NF) or control group (Tetris). They completed a self-report measure of SPS (the Highly Sensitive Person Scale), and cognitive tests at pre- and post-intervention. Results revealed that individuals with higher levels of SPS in the treatment group showed superior improvements in memory (MEM) and visual memory (VSM), relative to other participants and other measures of cognition. These findings are consistent with theories of SPS and studies showing that enhanced visual perceptiveness and memory are associated with the trait. Moreover, they highlight the cognitive mechanisms that might be especially important for SPS. In conclusion, these findings suggest that those with high SPS may experience enhancements in MEM and VSM, resulting from a 4-week app-based CT-NF program.

Topics: Humans; Aged; Neurofeedback; Cognitive Training; Cognition; Memory; Perception

PubMed: 37499911
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114601

Authors: Deukgeun Yoon, Eun Young Kim

A sensory processing approach can be used to intervene with behaviours in individuals with autistic symptoms. However, neural mechanisms linking sensory processing patterns and autistic features are less understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether frontal alpha asymmetry could mediate the relationship between atypical sensory processing and autistic traits. Seventy-three neurotypical young adults were included in this study. Resting-state brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography. After the recording, participants completed the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile and the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. Frontal alpha asymmetry was calculated by subtracting left frontal alpha power from right frontal alpha power. Correlation analysis was performed to find which sensory processing patterns were related to frontal alpha asymmetry and autistic traits. Mediation analysis was then conducted with sensory avoiding patterns as an independent variable, autistic traits as a dependent variable, and frontal alpha asymmetry as a mediator. Interrelations between higher sensation avoiding patterns, greater right-sided cortical activity, and increased autistic traits were found. The sensation avoiding patterns affected autistic traits directly and indirectly through right-sided cortical activity. Findings of the current study demonstrate a mediating role of frontal alpha asymmetry in the relationship between sensation avoiding patterns and autistic traits in neurotypical adults. This study suggests that sensation avoiding patterns and withdrawal-related emotions, which are associated with right-sided cortical activity, need to be considered to improve autism symptoms.

Topics: Adolescent; Young Adult; Humans; Autistic Disorder; Occupational Therapy; Sensation; Emotions; Perception

PubMed: 36721758
DOI: 10.1155/2023/5065120