Global MEG Resting State Functional Connectivity in Children with Autism and Sensory Processing Dysfunction.

Sensory processing dysfunction not only affects most individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but at least 5% of children without ASD also experience dysfunctional sensory processing. Our understanding of the relationship between sensory dysfunction and resting state brain activity is still emerging. This study compared long-range resting state functional connectivity of neural oscillatory behavior in children aged 8-12 years with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; N=18), those with sensory processing dysfunction (SPD; N=18) who do not meet ASD criteria, and typically developing control participants (TDC; N=24) using magnetoencephalography (MEG).

Sensory over-responsivity: parent report, direct assessment measures, and neural architecture.

Background: Sensory processing difficulties are common across neurodevelopmental disorders. Thus, reliable measures are needed to understand the biological underpinnings of these differences. This study aimed to define a scoring methodology specific to auditory (AOR) and tactile (TOR) over-responsivity.

Burden of de novo mutations and inherited rare single nucleotide variants in children with sensory processing dysfunction.

Background: In children with sensory processing dysfunction (SPD), who do not meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disability, the contribution of de novo pathogenic mutation in neurodevelopmental genes is unknown and in need of investigation. We hypothesize that children with SPD may have pathogenic variants in genes that have been identified as causing other neurodevelopmental disorders including ASD. This genetic information may provide important insight into the etiology of sensory processing dysfunction and guide clinical evaluation and care.