Shared and distinct biological mechanisms for anxiety and sensory over-responsivity in youth with autism versus anxiety disorders

© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Neuroscience Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC..

Sensory over-responsivity (SOR) is a prevalent cross-diagnostic condition that is often associated with anxiety. The biological mechanisms underlying the co-occurrence of SOR and anxiety symptoms are not well understood, despite having important implications for targeted intervention. We therefore investigated the unique associations of SOR and anxiety symptoms with physiological and neural responses to sensory stimulation for youth with anxiety disorders (ANX), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or typical development (TD). Age/IQ-matched youth aged 8-18 years (22 ANX; 30 ASD; 22 TD) experienced mildly aversive tactile and auditory stimuli during functional magnetic resonance imaging and then during skin conductance response (SCR) and heart rate (HR) measurements. Caregivers reported on participants' SOR and anxiety symptoms. ASD/ANX youth had elevated SOR and anxiety symptoms compared to TD. ASD/ANX youth showed similar, heightened brain responses to sensory stimulation compared to TD youth, but brain responses were more highly related to SOR symptoms in ASD youth and to anxiety symptoms in ANX youth. Across ASD/ANX youth, anxiety symptoms uniquely related to greater SCR whereas SOR uniquely related to greater HR responses to sensory stimulation. Behavioral and neurobiological over-responsivity to sensory stimulation was shared across diagnostic groups. However, findings support SOR and anxiety as distinct symptoms with unique biological mechanisms, and with different relationships to neural over-reactivity dependent on diagnostic group. Results indicate a need for targeted treatment approaches.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:102

Enthalten in:

Journal of neuroscience research - 102(2024), 1 vom: 07. Jan., Seite e25250

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Cummings, Kaitlin K [VerfasserIn]
Jung, Jiwon [VerfasserIn]
Zbozinek, Tomislav D [VerfasserIn]
Wilhelm, Frank H [VerfasserIn]
Dapretto, Mirella [VerfasserIn]
Craske, Michelle G [VerfasserIn]
Bookheimer, Susan Y [VerfasserIn]
Green, Shulamite A [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Anxiety
Autism spectrum disorders
FMRI
Journal Article
Physiology
Sensory over-responsivity

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 30.01.2024

Date Revised 07.02.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1002/jnr.25250

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM363332707