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SIGNIFICANCE: Pain comprises a complex interaction between motor action and somatosensation that is dependent on dynamic interactions between the brain and spinal cord. This makes understanding pain particularly challenging as it involves rich interactions between many circuits (e.g., neural and vascular) and signaling cascades throughout the body. As such, experimentation on a single region may lead to an incomplete and potentially incorrect understanding of crucial underlying mechanisms. AIM: We aimed to develop and validate tools to enable detailed and extended observation of neural and vascular activity in the brain and spinal cord. The first key set of innovations was targeted to developing novel imaging hardware that addresses the many challenges of multisite imaging. The second key set of innovations was targeted to enabling bioluminescent (BL) imaging, as this approach can address limitations of fluorescent microscopy including photobleaching, phototoxicity, and decreased resolution due to scattering of excitation signals. APPROACH: We designed 3D-printed brain and spinal cord implants to enable effective surgical implantations and optical access with wearable miniscopes or an open window (e.g., for one- or two-photon microscopy or optogenetic stimulation). We also tested the viability for BL imaging and developed a novel modified miniscope optimized for these signals (BLmini). RESULTS: We describe universal implants for acute and chronic simultaneous brain-spinal cord imaging and optical stimulation. We further describe successful imaging of BL signals in both foci and a new miniscope, the BLmini, which has reduced weight, cost, and form-factor relative to standard wearable miniscopes. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of 3D-printed implants, advanced imaging tools, and bioluminescence imaging techniques offers a coalition of methods for understanding spinal cord-brain interactions. Our work has the potential for use in future research into neuropathic pain and other sensory disorders and motor behavior.

Elevated "neural noise" has been advanced as an explanation of autism and autistic sensory experiences. However, functional neuroimaging measures of neural noise may be vulnerable to contamination by recording noise. This study explored variability of electrophysiological responses to tones of different intensities in 127 autistic and 79 typically-developing children aged 2-5 years old. A rigorous data processing pipeline, including advanced visualizations of different signal sources that were maximally independent across different time lags, was used to identify and eliminate putative recording noise. Inter-trial variability was measured using median absolute deviations (MADs) of EEG amplitudes across trials and inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC). ITPC was elevated in autism in the 50 and 60 dB intensity conditions, suggesting diminished (rather than elevated) neural noise in autism, although reduced ITPC to soft 50 dB sounds was associated with increased loudness discomfort. Autistic and non-autistic participants did not differ in MADs, and indeed, the vast majority of the statistical tests examined in this study yielded no significant effects. These results appear inconsistent with the neural noise account.

This study delves into how various musical factors influence the experience of auditory illusions, building on Diana Deutsch's scale illusion experiments and subsequent studies. Exploring the interaction between scale mode and timbre, this study assesses their influence on auditory misperceptions, while also considering the impact of an individual's musical training and ability to discern absolute pitch. Participants were divided into non-musicians, musicians with absolute pitch, and musicians with relative pitch, and were exposed to stimuli modified across three scale modes (tonal, dissonant, atonal) and two timbres (same, different). The findings suggest that scale illusions occur less frequently with different timbres and vary with scale mode. Crucially, the absolute pitch ability appears to have a more significant impact on the perception of illusions than the duration of musical training. This research contributes to understanding the complex interplay between various factors in auditory perception and the mechanisms behind the experience of auditory illusions.

Decoding naturalistic stimuli from neural recordings is a significant challenge in systems neuroscience, primarily due to the high-dimensional and nonlinear nature of stimulus-response interactions, and is further exacerbated by the limited availability and noisiness of neural data. While contemporary approaches that incorporate generative models, such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), attempt to address these issues by mapping neural responses to latent representations, they do not fully overcome these obstacles. In this work, we present a novel paradigm of differential neural decoding (dicoding) that focuses on the relative changes in response patterns, which not only expands the neural training data quadratically but also inherently denoises it. To determine the corresponding stimulus changes, this method leverages the Euclidean and feature-disentangled properties of the underlying latents through vector arithmetic. As such, we not only effectively exploit the latent space but also achieve semantically meaningful latent offsets in the context of the stimuli, resulting in improved sample efficiency. We trained a decoder to predict changes in latent vectors based on the corresponding changes in neural responses. The absolute latent vector itself was derived by vector addition of the predicted latent change (indicative of stimulus shift) to a reference latent, which was fed to the generator for the reconstruction of the perceived stimulus. Our results show that this geometrically principled approach facilitates more effective reconstruction of naturalistic stimuli from noisy and limited neural data.

This study investigates the phenomenon of verbal overshadowing in olfaction. It focuses on how odor recognition is impacted after individuals sniffed and then described odors. Three key findings emerged. First, participants who refrained from describing a previously encountered target odor (control group) showed significantly superior performance in recognizing the target odor compared to those who had described it (verbal group). Second, the verbal overshadowing effect tended to diminish or completely disappear when participants were required to respond rapidly. Third, providing participants with instructions highlighting potential conflicts between olfactory and verbal representations did not alleviate the influence of the verbal overshadowing effect. To conclude, describing an odor elaborately can adversely affect odor memory, even when one is aware of this, but this is mitigated under speeded conditions.

In teleoperation, the spatiotemporal calibration of the system can significantly impact both performance and user experience, which may not necessarily be causally linked. This study asks if Sense of Embodiment (SoE) varies with spatiotemporal calibration of a teleoperated system, which in turn affects task performance. Most SoE studies are passive and they do not represent a great paradigm to study the impact of calibration on SoE in active teleoperation. Therefore, we designed an active RHI in mixed reality where we manipulated both the spatial calibration (shifts) and visuo-proprioceptive synchronicity (temporal delay). We investigated if this manipulation affected performance, proprioceptive mapping, SoE and the perception of the setup as a mediator. The results suggest a potential direct influence of SoE on task performance, particularly through enhanced calibration due to synchronicity, indicating potential benefits for sustained usage. Additionally, SoE is explored comprehensively, employing multiple tests assessing implicit and explicit dimensions of calibration.

Autistic and neurotypical children do not handle audiovisual speech in the same manner. Current evidence suggests that this difference occurs at the level of cue combination. Here, we test whether differences in autistic and neurotypical audiovisual speech perception can be explained by a neural theory of sensory perception in autism, which proposes that heightened levels of neural excitation can account for sensory differences in autism. Through a linking hypothesis that integrates a standard probabilistic cognitive model of cue integration with representations of neural activity, we derive a model that can simulate audio-visual speech perception at a neural population level. Simulations of an audiovisual lexical identification task demonstrate that heightened levels of neural excitation at the level of cue combination cannot account for the observed differences in autistic and neurotypical children's audiovisual speech perception.

Models of bottom-up visual attention such as the "saliency map" predict overt gaze under laboratory conditions while subjects view static images or videos while seated. Here, we show that the saliency map model predicts gaze at similar rates even when applied to video from a head-camera as part of a wearable eye-tracking system (Tobii Pro Glasses 2) while subjects drive an automobile or are passively driven while sitting in the front passenger-side seat. The ability of saliency to predict gaze varies depending on the driving task (saliency better predicts passenger gaze) and external conditions (saliency better predicts gaze at night). We further demonstrate that predictive performance is improved when the head-camera video is transformed to retinal coordinates before feeding it to the saliency model.

Crossmodal correspondences are associations between perceptual features from different senses that aid in crossmodal binding. The semantic coding of these correspondences is expected to capture and mediate the emergence of perceptual crossmodal correspondences. However, the cross-cultural nature of such semantic coding has not been thoroughly studied. This research involved five languages across three different linguistic families (English, Dutch, Turkish, Chinese and Italian). Using distributional semantics, modality exclusivity norms and emotional lexicons, networks were constructed to represent semantic crossmodal correspondences and assess their relationship with Valence, Arousal and Dominance. Results indicate that emotions, particularly Valence and Dominance, play pivotal roles in shaping the structure of semantic crossmodal correspondences networks across languages. Moreover, the findings reveal that some types of semantic crossmodal correspondences might be shared among different languages in various language families, suggesting shared cognitive processes. This supports the significance of emotions as fundamental components in semantic crossmodal correspondences. Additionally, the study provides evidence supporting shared crossmodal correspondences among languages and cultures.

In this paper, we argue that action is involved in the creation and representation of perceptual objects. We introduce leading philosophical theories regarding the structure of perceptual objects in modality-independent and multisensory settings. These accounts omit action as a causal factor that can facilitate feature binding and serve as a structural component of perceptual objects. We argue that action does play this causal role due to the connections between the brain's motor system and perceptual processing as evidenced by neurophysiological and behavioral studies. These data include research on view-independent representations, peripersonal space, and event file coding. We conclude that to omit the influence of the motor system on the structure of perceptual objects is to have an incomplete account of object perception. Motor action is often required to drive the integration of sensory features into corresponding perceptual objects.

How to best and robustly detect human systemic cognitive states like workload, sense of urgency, mind wandering, interference, and others is still an open question as the answer essentially depends both on the employed physiological measurements as well as the trained computational classification models. In this paper, we analyze data from a human driving experiment to explore the validity of eye gaze in assessing different systemic cognitive states and relations among them. Our statistical analyses and classification results indicate that eye gaze, in particular the percentage change in pupil size (PCPS), is a reliable physiological biomarker in assessing multiple systemic human cognitive states including workload, sense of urgency (SoU), and mind wandering (MW) while it does not seem suitable to detect task interference (which can be assessed based on participant's response times.

The present study investigated online neural indices of statistical learning of silent speech. Adult participants were exposed to naturally mouthed, silent syllable streams in an artificial language in two conditions. In one condition, 12 syllables occurred randomly; in the other the syllables were structured into four syllable triplets, i.e. statistical words. In the recorded EEG signal, phase synchronisation in neural oscillations was assessed at the rate of syllables and words occurring in the exposure streams. Largest phase synchronisation was detected for the word rate during exposure to the structured stream. Moreover, the neural synchronisation to word rate increased throughout the exposure within the structured stream. In a behavioural post-test, however, no learning effects were detected. The EEG results demonstrate sensitivity to statistical regularities in viewed silent speech. These findings indicate that statistical learning in speech and language can be effectively measured online even in the absence of auditory cues.

Voice identity recognition in auditory-only conditions is facilitated by knowing the face of the speaker. This effect is called the ‘face-benefit'. Based on neuroscience findings, we hypothesized that this benefit emerges from two factors: First, a generative world model integrates information from multiple senses to better predict the sensory dynamics. Second, the model substitutes absent sensory information, e.g., facial dynamics, with internal simulations. We have developed a deep generative model that learns to simulate such multisensory dynamics, developing latent speaker characteristic contexts. We trained our model on synthetic audio-visual data of talking faces and tested its ability to recognize speakers from their voice only. We found that the model recognizes previously seen speakers better than previously unseen speakers when given their voice only. The modeling results confirm that multisensory simulations and predictive substitutions of missing visual inputs result in the face-benefit

Studies investigating the effects of focused attention (FA) meditation on mismatch negativity (MMN) have produced inconsistent and conflicting findings, highlighting the need for well-powered studies exploring different meditation styles to fully understand MMN modulation. Addressing methodological concerns from prior research, the current study specifically examines expertise in mantra meditation, a form of focused attention meditation, utilizing a sufficiently powered investigation with an intensity MMN paradigm. This paradigm incorporates both louder and quieter deviant stimuli to assess the impact of meditation expertise and to discern whether meditation-induced MMN effects reflect higher-order cognitive processes or result from sensory adaptation. While the results suggest a trend of higher MMN in novices compared to experts, statistical significance was not achieved. The modest effect observed is likely due to using novices as an active control group, benefiting from enhanced attention skills fostered by the repetitive speech and rhythmic nature inherent in mantra meditation. The consistent unidirectional polarity shift in event-related potential (ERP) responses to both types of deviant stimuli implies that intensity-related MMN effects may not solely depend on loudness-dependent modulation of sensory components but could signify higher-order deviance detection. Complementary findings from eLORETA source localization indicate consistent bilateral temporal and frontal cortex activity, with lower amplitudes observed in the expert mantra meditator group compared to novices.

Emotions can be insensitive to certain attributes of a situation. A large body of evidence shows that information on probabilities, large numerical counts, or intentions is frequently disregarded in the elicitation and regulation of emotions. To date, no existing theory comprehensively accounts for the features that tend to be overlooked by emotion. In this paper I call attention to the common denominator of such features: they cannot be perceived nor contribute to the iconic representation of events. For instance, the exceedingly low probability of a plane crash does not affect its imagistic representation (i.e., the iconic representation of the event is silent about the event's probability). I introduce the Iconic Prioritization Hypothesis, positing that the prioritization of the iconic format in emotion can explain the neglect of information that is representationally silent in this format. Emotion may favour iconicity as it is the format of immediate, first-hand evidence about our surroundings.

Representational overlap is debated as the neural basis of multitasking costs. Cognitive theories propose that overlapping task representations lead to an unintended exchange of information between tasks (e.g., crosstalk). Recently, modality-based crosstalk was suggested as a source for multitasking costs in multisensory settings. Robust findings of increased costs for certain modality mappings, even when both tasks use non-overlapping stimulus and response modalities, may be explained by crosstalk between the stimulus modality in one task and sensory action consequences in the concurrently performed task. This study (N = 54) employs functional neuroimaging, multivariate pattern analysis, and modality-specific interventions to investigate neural overlap in multitasking, emphasizing modality compatibility. Noteworthy, differences in single-task representations were found in the auditory cortex but not in fronto-parietal regions. Improved auditory decoding accuracy in modality-incompatible tasks predicted dual-task performance gains, eliminating modality-specific costs, exclusively for the modality-incompatible intervention group. This study provides neural evidence for modality-based crosstalk in sensory regions.

Language-specific accounts of bilingual learning advantages suggest that advantages in language learning are tied to an individual's linguistic experience, with learning advantages stemming from transfer effects between known and to-be-learnt language features. To test this hypothesis, we trained Singapore English-Mandarin bilinguals on a synthesised alveolar-retroflex [ts ∞u…ôÃÅn]-[ à Ç ∞u…ôÃÅn] contrast with a bimodal distributional learning paradigm. We reasoned that participants with higher Mandarin understanding proficiencies would show larger distributional learning effects due to transfer between real-world Mandarin experience and the training stimuli. We examined overall learning effects in a pilot study (N = 20) and a preregistered main study (N = 50). We found evidence of learning in both the pilot and the main study. We also found evidence of a transfer effect tied to individual Mandarin skills, with larger learning effects linked to higher Mandarin understanding proficiencies. This study demonstrates specific advantages of language background on perceptual learning at the individual level.

According to Bayesian accounts, perception is the consequence of integrating sensory input with prior expectations, resulting in biased percepts attracted towards our expectations. Contrary to this logic, Phan et al. show that downward motion is perceived as less accelerating than upward motion: a repulsion from the expectation that downward-moving objects should accelerate. This is one of a small number of reported effects where perception is repulsed from expectation. The question then arises, what conditions result in repulsive effects, and why? Here we manipulated the expected acceleration profiles for context and object identity along the horizontal axis, asking whether we see repulsion effects similar to those observed by Phan et al. We find repulsion when expectations are related to the context in which a ball moves, but attraction when an association is made between the ball's colour and the acceleration profile. We discuss possible reasons and implications for the contradictory results.

Extensive research from both sensorimotor and perceptual domains has shown that people make decisions by combining prior and current information according to their relative uncertainties, following Bayesian statistics predictions. However, less is known about visual search, a task that requires people to determine the presence/absence of a search target (T) amongst distractors (Ls). Here, we examined decision-making behavior in a visual search task which manipulated the target prevalence rate (prior: 25% or 50%) and the portion of the display that was visible (sensory information: 0%, 30%, or 60%). Participants' (N=56) decision-making behavior qualitatively reflected Bayesian predictions, relying more on the information that was less uncertain. When no items were visible, participants were highly accurate in making present/absent decisions based on the prevalence rate learned through feedback. But when provided sensory information, participants' decision-making was more strongly influenced by visibility. Thus, reliance on sensory information may dominate priors in visual search.

Peripersonal space (PPS) is the multisensory representation of the near-body space. Several factors modulate PPS size and the sharpness of the boundary separating PPS and the far extrapersonal space, suggesting that PPS may be involved in the subjective experience and in the self-other representation. Such representations seem to be shaped by mindfulness meditation (MM); however, evidence on the effects of MM on PPS is limited. To test the hypothesis that MM modulates both PPS size and the sharpness of PPS boundary, we enrolled 26 non-meditators, who performed an audio-tactile task before and after a 15-minute guided focused attention meditation (FAM). Despite no changes of PPS size, after FAM we found a significantly reduced sharpness of PPS boundary, as if it dissolved. We suggest that the reduced separation between the self and the environment, reported by meditators in some phenomenological studies, may relate to the altered PPS sharpness.

The McGurk effect is a demonstration of the multimodal nature of speech perception; listening to /b/ while watching visual mouth movements for /g/ is expected to result in a “fusion” perception of /d/. A majority of studies on the effect use isolated syllables, whereas our goal was to enhance ecological validity by examining word stimuli. We varied task (forced-choice vs. open-ended) and stimuli (words vs. non-words) between participants. In the word condition, all three stimuli formed words (e.g., beer/deer/gear), and in the non-word condition, the B, D, or G stimulus was a word while the other two were nonwords (e.g., besk/desk/gesk). Fusion responses were much lower than in previous studies, but importantly, participants showed the most fusion responses when the D stimulus was a word and B and G were non-words. These results challenge assumptions about the underlying mechanisms of the McGurk effect, arguing against a purely perceptual illusion.

Studies have reported that prestimulus brain oscillations guide perceptual experiences during AV speech perception. However, 'what' features in such oscillations drive perception remains unknown. In this EEG study (n=18), we investigated how prestimulus periodic oscillations and aperiodic components influence the perception of the McGurk illusion on a trial-by-trial basis. Using logistic mixed-effect models, we determined the topology of spectral markers that predict the brain response to illusory perception. We found lower levels of alpha (8-12 Hz) and beta (15-30 Hz) band oscillations over parieto-occipital sensors, lower aperiodic offset values over parietal-temporal sensors, and a lower global effect of exponent over the scalp that predicted the response to McGurk illusion. We conclude that the predominant source of variations in the prestimulus oscillatory state is manifested by aperiodic background activity and that variations in these oscillations and aperiodic activity, account for inter-trial and inter-individual variability in perception of the McGurk illusion.

Our senses receive a continuous stream of complex information. According to Event Segmentation Theory (EST), we parse this information into meaningful events, allowing us to extract relevant information, remember it, and act upon it. Previous research has related these events to so-called ‘neural states': temporally and regionally specific stable patterns of brain activity, which tend to coincide with events in the stimulus. Here we show that these neural states additionally align with stable features in a movie stimulus that are relevant to a specific brain region. This supports the idea that many brain areas across the cortex apply event segmentation in a hierarchical manner. Using intracranial measurements, we further investigate whether neural states are present at a much smaller timescale and how their characteristics correspond to EST. Our findings provide support for the idea that neural states could underlie the cognitive skill of event segmentation.

Children with challenges processing sensory information can have difficulties affecting their ability to participate in school activities, which may affect their potential for learning. The aim of this study was to examine the possible effects of an intervention with three weeks use of ball-vests that provide proprioceptive-tactile stimulation for children exhibiting sensory seeking behaviour. Methods: The study was a pragmatic randomized controlled trial that included 142 children (105 boys and 37 girls, mean age 8.9 years) with dysfunction in sensory processing and sensory seeking behaviour. The children´s ability for attention was measured with the “Test of Everyday Attention-Children” (TEA-Ch), their occupational competence in school activities with the “Child Occupational Self-Assessment” (COSA) and the extent of off-task behaviour with the “Observational off-task Behavior among School-children” (OBS-Children). Data was analysed using linear mixed model regression. Results: Children in the intervention group had a significantly larger increase in self-assessed occupational competence than children in the control group (B = 5.78, p = 0.004). No differences regarding attention or extent of off-task behaviour between intervention and control group were found.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04173871.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: After stroke, upper limb somatosensation can be impaired which affects motor control. Vision is often used to compensate for this. A clinical assessment which assesses the combined sensorimotor function in the absence of vision would be beneficial in studies targeting sensorimotor improvement. Methods and materials: We adapted the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) to be performed without vision and called this modified version the sensorimotor ARAT (sARAT). Sixty healthy participants and 22 participants with chronic stroke performed the ARAT, sARAT, Fugl-Meyer upper extremity assessment (FM-UE) and Erasmus modified Nottingham sensory assessment (EmNSA). Discriminative validity of sARAT was evaluated by comparing performance between healthy participants and participants with chronic stroke. Convergent validity was evaluated by correlating sARAT with FM-UE and EmNSA. Results: Participants with stroke performed worse on the sARAT compared to healthy participants (p < 0.001), with median scores of 52 (IQR 32-57) and 57 (IQR 57-57), respectively. The sARAT showed high correlations with FM-UE and EmNSA (r = 0.80-0.90). Conclusions: The sARAT shows good discriminative and convergent validity in people with chronic stroke. It allows a quick assessment of the combined upper limb sensorimotor function, by performing the well-known ARAT with the eyes closed. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: The sensorimotor adaptation of the Action Research Arm Test (sARAT) is a clinical assessment of upper limb activity which is performed with the eyes closed. Combining the gold standard ARAT with the sensorimotor adaptation sARAT can inform about the influence of somatosensory impairments on upper limb activity in stroke survivors when vision is blocked. The sARAT shows good discriminative and convergent validity in persons with chronic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite findings from translational and genetic studies in the event-related potential (ERP) literature, the validity and reliability of P50 suppression as a schizophrenia spectrum endophenotype has been questioned. Here, we aimed to examine sensory registration and gating measures derived from P50 and N100 amplitude, as well as N100 area—a novel approach proposed herein—in early psychosis versus health. Individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR; n = 77), first-episode psychosis (FE; n = 52), and healthy controls (HC; n = 65) were assessed in a paired-click auditory ERP paradigm. Eight CHR converted to psychosis (CHR C) and 39 did not (CHR-NC) by 24 months, while 30 CHR were lost to follow-. Group differences, test-retest reliability, and associations with neurocognitive function were assessed in nine ERP measures. Significant differences were observed in N100 S1 amplitude, S1 area, and area difference between HC and FE, as well as in N100 S1 area between HC and CHR, among the total population. Furthermore, significant differences were found in N100 S1 area between HC and CHR-NC (Cliff's delta, Δ = 0.32), as well as in N100 area difference between HC and CHR-C (Δ = 0.55). Both N100 S1 area and area difference demonstrated moderate to acceptable reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients: 0.61–0.78). Processing speed negatively correlated with both N100 S1 area and area difference, while executive function negatively correlated with N100 S1 area alone in CHR and FE. Among the ERP measures studied, N100 area measures may serve as a reliable biomarker of aberrant sensory processing and neurocognition in early psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luxury consumption studies have largely focused on tangible products with less attention paid to experiential services. However, consumers are becoming increasingly interested in the luxury services. Taking a mental imagery perspective, this study delineates the role of sensory integration in luxury hotel experiences among Chinese with Zaltman metaphor elicitation technique (ZMET). We engaged Chinese informants in a multi-sensory exploration of their experiences, soliciting abundant verbal and non-verbal data, and analyzed how experiences emerge from their multisensory processing of hotel offerings. Findings conceptualize experiential luxury consumption from a multisensory perspective and recommend how luxury hotels should better leverage their market potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effect of attention on auditory processing in autistic individuals. Electroencephalography data were recorded during two attention conditions (passive and active) from 24 autistic adults and 24 neurotypical controls, ages 17–30 years. The passive condition involved only listening to the clicks and the active condition involved a button press following single clicks in a modified paired-click paradigm. Participants completed the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile and the Social Responsiveness Scale 2. The autistic group showed delayed N1 latencies and reduced evoked and phase-locked gamma power compared to neurotypical peers across both clicks and conditions. Longer N1 latencies and reduced gamma synchronization predicted greater social and sensory symptoms. Directing attention to auditory stimuli may be associated with more typical neural auditory processing in autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although psychotic disorders are characterized by an impaired ability to discriminate internal and external worlds, the role of interoceptive and exteroceptive perceptions in determining this alteration is still unclear. This observational study aimed at investigating (a) increases/decreases in interoceptive and exteroceptive perceptions in patients with psychosis (PSY) compared to healthy controls (HC); (b) the association between interoception and exteroception in HC and PSY. Two hundred and ten HC and 72 PSY completed the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive awareness (MAIA, 8 domains) and the Adolescent-Adult Sensory Profile (AASP, 4 domains). MAIA/AASP differences were evaluated with MANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests. MAIA and AASP scores were correlated to quantify the interoceptive–exteroceptive coupling as Spearman's rho coefficients. Subgroup analyses were performed dividing PSY in schizophrenia/schizoaffective versus other psychosis. Compared to HC, PSY showed increased mean scores in four MAIA and two AASP domains (Bonferroni-p < 0.01). The interoceptive–exteroceptive coupling followed two correlation patterns in HC. A first pattern displayed negative correlations between MAIA not-worrying and AASP sensory sensitivity/sensation avoidance, while the second pattern highlighted positive correlations between MAIA scores and AASP sensation seeking. The two correlation patterns between HC and other-PSY subgroup were similar. However, schizophrenia/schizoaffective PSY did not show positive correlations in the second pattern, rather displaying negative correlations between MAIA scores and AASP domains related to passive behavioral responses. Correlation values were more extreme in PSY subgroups, indicating stronger interoceptive–exteroceptive coupling compared to HC. This study demonstrates that interoception and exteroception are atypical and excessively coupled in psychosis compared to the general population. Clinical Trials Registration: Protocol Number 20210003663 (Pavia, Ethical Committee IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute low back pain has a high prevalence, and when persisting into chronicity, it results in enormous socio-economic consequences. Sensory preferences may be key factors in predicting central sensitization as the main mechanism of nociplastic pain and chronicity. Objectives: Build a model to predict central sensitization symptoms using sensory profiles based on the PROGRESS framework. Methods: A Prognostic Model Research study was carried out to predict central sensitization symptoms at 12 weeks, using baseline sensory profiles, based on 114 patients with acute low back pain. Independent variables were sensory profiles, state and trait anxiety, age, duration, pain severity, depressive symptoms, and pain catastrophizing. Results: This model, based on continuous data, significantly predicts central sensitization symptoms at 12 weeks. It contains two significantly contributing variables: sensory profile Sensory Sensitive (unstandardized B-value = 0.42; p = 0.01) and trait anxiety (unstandardized B-value = 0.53; p ≤ 0.001). The model has a predictive value of R2 = 0.38. Conclusions: This model significantly predicts central sensitization symptoms based on sensory profile Sensory Sensitive and trait anxiety. This model may be a useful tool to intervene in a bottom–up and top–down approaches to prevent chronicity in clinical practice, including individual sensory preferences and behavioral responses to sensory stimulation in rehabilitation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue is prevalent amongst people with long COVID, but is poorly understood. The sensory attenuation framework proposes that impairments in sensory processing lead to heightened perception of effort, driving fatigue. This study aims to investigate the role of somatosensory processing impairments in long COVID fatigue and quantify how sensory processing relates to other prominent symptoms of long COVID including autonomic dysfunction, mood and illness beliefs in driving the experience of fatigue. We will recruit 44 individuals with long COVID fatigue and 44 individuals with neither long COVID nor fatigue (controls). Our primary objective is to compare baseline somatosensory processing between individuals with long COVID fatigue and controls. Additionally, we will explore the associations between somatosensory processing, fatigability and the level of fatigue induced by cognitive and physical exertion. Due to the complex nature of fatigue, we will also investigate how long COVID, state fatigue, perceived effort, mood, illness beliefs, autonomic symptoms and autonomic nervous system function interact to predict trait fatigue. This comprehensive investigation aims to elucidate how sensory processing and other prominent symptoms interact to impact the experience of fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Sensory processing sensitivity is a neurobiological trait that is related to many areas of life. The purpose of this study was to translate the original Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire to Persian and access the psychometric properties of the translated questionnaire in adults aged 18–45 years old. Methods: The questionnaire was translated using the International Quality of Life Assessment project's protocol. Face and content validity were checked by consulting 15 occupational therapists. The study included 142 participants aged 18–45 years with a mean age of 25.11 ± 7.825 years, without any disabilities. They were selected using non-probability sampling and were from all areas of Tehran. The participants completed Persian versions of the Mini-Mental State Examination, General Health Questionnaire-12, and Highly Sensitive Person Scale, as well as the translated Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire. They also completed the Goldberg Depression Scale, Beck's Anxiety Inventory and the neuroticism sub-scale of the Big Five Inventory. Convergent validity was investigated using the Highly Sensitive Person Scale to ensure reliability, and internal consistency analysis was used. Results: The quality of the translation was good. All items of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire maintained a high item impact score index, with values higher than 1.5, a content validity ratio higher than 0.60, and a content validity index higher than 0.80. A significant positive correlation (r=0.443, P<0.01) was found between the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire scores and the Highly Sensitive Person Scale. The Persian translation of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire showed optimal internal consistency (α=0.826) based on Cronbach's alpha. The questionnaire demonstrated good test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.863). A significant positive correlation exists between sensory processing sensitivity and anxiety (r=0.188, P<0.05) and neuroticism (r=0.186, P<0.05), but no significant difference was found between sensory processing sensitivity and depression despite their direct relationship (r=0.138, P>0.05). In the control condition, similar results were observed. A significant and positive correlation was found between sensory processing sensitivity and neuroticism in both the depression control (r=0.289, P<0.05) and the anxiety control state (r=0.265, P<0.01). Furthermore, a significant and positive relationship was found between sensory processing sensitivity and anxiety in the control of neuroticism (r=0.305, P<0.01). However, no significant relationship was observed between sensory processing sensitivity and depression in the states of anxiety and neuroticism control (0.1000.05). The results of data analysis revealed that women (P=0.002) and employed people (P=0.059) had higher sensory processing sensitivity. Conclusions: The Persian version of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire has acceptable validity and reliability in Persian-speaking adults aged 18-45 years old. Implications for practice: The Sensory Processing Sensitivity Questionnaire represents a convenient research tool for measuring sensory processing sensitivity because of its simple scoring system, it is quick to complete and it can be used in different situations, by rehabilitation service providers, especially occupational therapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous activity refers to the firing of action potentials by neurons in the absence of external stimulation. Initially considered an artifact or "noise" in the nervous system, it is now recognized as a potential feature of neural function. Spontaneous activity has been observed in various brain areas, in experimental preparations from different animal species, and in live animals and humans using non-invasive imaging techniques. In this review, we specifically focus on the spontaneous activity of dorsal horn neurons of the spinal cord. We use a historical perspective to set the basis for a novel classification of the different patterns of spontaneous activity exhibited by dorsal horn neurons. Then we examine the origins of this activity and propose a model circuit to explain how the activity is generated and transmitted to the dorsal horn. Finally, we discuss possible roles of this activity during development and during signal processing under physiological conditions and pain states. By analyzing recent studies on the spontaneous activity of dorsal horn neurons, we aim to shed light on its significance in sensory processing. Understanding the different patterns of activity, the origins of this activity, and the potential roles it may play, will contribute to our knowledge of sensory mechanisms, including pain, to facilitate the modeling of spinal circuits and hopefully to explore novel strategies for pain treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated attention, sensory processing, and social responsiveness and the relationship between these constructs among autistic and neurotypical adults. Participants included 24 autistic adults (17–30 years) and 24 neurotypical peers who completed the Test of Everyday Attention, Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP), and the Social Responsiveness Scale-2. Autistic individuals showed greater attention, sensory processing, and social responsiveness challenges compared to neurotypical peers. Using mediation models, we showed that the relationship between attention and social responsiveness was mediated by sensory processing, specifically the low registration and sensation-seeking AASP quadrants. The relationship between attention, sensory processing, and social responsiveness suggests that adults with greater attention issues may have greater sensory and social challenges. Specifically, having poor attention may lead to poor sensory processing skills which compound poor social responsiveness. Understanding the relationships between these domains is critical for developing effective interventions and support for autistic adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensory Over-Responsivity (SOR) is an increasingly recognized challenge among children with neurodevelopmental concerns (NDC). To investigate, we characterized the incidence of auditory and tactile over-responsivity (AOR, TOR) among 82 children with NDC. We found that 70% of caregivers reported concern for their child's sensory reactions. Direct assessment further revealed that 54% of the NDC population expressed AOR, TOR, or both – which persisted regardless of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. These findings support the high prevalence of SOR as well as its lack of specificity to ASD. Additionally, AOR is revealed to be over twice as prevalent as TOR. These conclusions present several avenues for further exploration, including deeper analysis of the neural mechanisms and genetic contributors to sensory processing challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asthma during pregnancy is associated with a range of adverse perinatal outcomes. It is also linked to increased rates of neurodevelopmental conditions in the offspring. We aimed to assess whether fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO)-based asthma management during pregnancy improves child developmental and behavioural outcomes compared to usual care. The Breathing for Life Trial was a randomised controlled trial that compared FENO-based asthma management during pregnancy to usual care. Participants were invited to the developmental follow-up, the Breathing for Life Trial – Infant Development study, which followed up infants at 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. The primary outcomes were measured in infants at 12 months using the Bayley-III: Cognitive, Language and Motor composite scores. Secondary outcomes included Bayley-III social-emotional and adaptive behaviour scores, autism likelihood and sensory and temperament outcomes. The exposure of interest was the randomised intervention group. Two hundred and twenty-two infants and their 217 participating mothers were recruited to the follow-up; 107 mothers were in the intervention group and 113 were in the control group. There was no evidence of an intervention effect for the primary outcomes: Bayley-III cognitive (mean = 108.9 control, 108.5 intervention, p = 0.93), language (mean = 95.9 control, 95.6 intervention, p = 0.87) and motor composite scores (mean = 97.2 control, 97.9 intervention, p = 0.25). Mean scores for secondary outcomes were also similar among infants born to control and FENO group mothers, with few results reaching p < 0.05. Conclusion: In this sample, FENO-guided asthma treatment during pregnancy did not improve infant developmental outcomes in the first year of life. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: ACTRN12613000202763. What is Known: • Maternal asthma during pregnancy has been associated with increased rates of neurodevelopmental conditions in offspring, including intellectual disability and autism. What is New: • This is the first study to examine how managing asthma during pregnancy via a FENO-guided algorithm or usual care affects infant developmental and behavioural outcomes. While the results of the study showed no impact of the intervention, and therefore do not support the integration of FENO-based management of asthma in antenatal settings for optimal infant development, they do send a positive message about the implications of active asthma management during pregnancy on infant developmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous research indicates that children with Paediatric Acute‐onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) experience sensory reactivity differences that impact occupational performance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are differences in sensory reactivity in these children across two different time points; during exacerbation and during remission, using the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM) Home‐Form. The study also sought to investigate whether children with PANS experience sensory differences during remission periods, when compared with SPM Home‐Form norms. Methods: A two‐period bidirectional case‐crossover design was used, and an online assessment was conducted to measure sensory reactivity. Parents of children aged 4.6 to 13.1 years with a diagnosis of PANS were recruited from various sites across Australia, USA, England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and New Zealand. The SPM Home‐Form was used to measure sensory reactivity at two time points, when PANS was in remission (T‐R) and in exacerbation (T‐E). Study entry was permitted at either T‐E or T‐R. Participant exacerbation status was monitored over a maximum 12‐month period, and a follow‐up SPM Home‐Form was sent when a change in exacerbation status was indicated. A linear mixed model was used to assess the difference between SPM Home‐Form norm‐referenced scores during exacerbation and remission. Results: The study included 82 participants, with 80 providing data at study entry, and 27 providing data at follow‐up. Results showed a statistically significant decline in performance across the SPM Home‐Form domains of Hearing, Social Participation, Planning and Ideas, and Total Sensory Systems T‐scores during exacerbation when compared with remission data. Results also demonstrated atypical sensory reactivity across Vision, Hearing, Touch, Balance and Motion, and Total Sensory Systems domains during periods of remission compared with SPM Home‐Form norms. Conclusion: This study found that children with PANS experience significant sensory reactivity differences during exacerbation and remission across multiple sensory domains, with a decline in performance during exacerbation. Where there are occupational performance challenges, occupational therapists should consider administering sensory assessments so that effective intervention plans addressing the unique sensory reactivity needs of children with PANS can be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe selection of high-tech AAC for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder can be a challenging process due to the vast array of options available. One of the decisions that clinicians need to make involves how vocabulary will be organized on the display. This study aimed to compare a visual scene display (VSD) with a grid display using a multiple-probe design across participants with an embedded adapted alternating treatment design. Four young children with autism spectrum disorder who were beginning communicators were recruited and taught to request preferred items using two display formats: VSD and grid layout on a mainstream tablet with an AAC app. Two of the participants achieved criterion with both displays, the other two participants failed to achieve criterion in either display. For all participants, progress was similar in both displays. The results are discussed through the lens of each participant’s characteristics with suggestions for clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysfunctions in sensory processing are widely described in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), although little is known about the developmental course and the impact of these difficulties on the learning processes during the preschool and school ages of ASD children. Specifically, as regards the interplay between visual and haptic information in ASD during developmental age, knowledge is very scarce and controversial. In this study, we investigated unimodal (visual and haptic) and cross-modal (visuo-haptic) processing skills aimed at object recognition through a behavioural paradigm already used in children with typical development (TD), with cerebral palsy and with peripheral visual impairments. Thirty-five children with ASD (age range: 5–11 years) and thirty-five age-matched and gender-matched typically developing peers were recruited. The procedure required participants to perform an object-recognition task relying on only the visual modality (black-and-white photographs), only the haptic modality (manipulation of real objects) and visuo-haptic transfer of these two types of information. Results are consistent with the idea that visuo-haptic transfer may be significantly worse in ASD children than in TD peers, leading to significant impairment in multisensory interactions for object recognition facilitation. Furthermore, ASD children tended to show a specific deficit in haptic information processing, while a similar trend of maturation of visual modality between the two groups is reported. This study adds to the current literature by suggesting that ASD differences in multisensory processes also regard visuo-haptic abilities necessary to identify and recognise objects of daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the nature, prevalence, and developmental profiles of sensory processing disorders among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The participants comprised 119 children with ASD and 30 typically developing children and their parents. The Child Sensory Profile-2 was used to assess the children's sensory processing characteristics. The children with ASD exhibited elevated sensory processing difficulties. Deficits were observed in all the sensory modalities among the children with ASD, except the visual processing modality. Age-related improvements were observed in most sensory processing domains, although non-significant differences were noted in three domains. These findings should enhance understanding of the sensory challenges faced by children with ASD and contribute to the development of individually tailored, targeted, and age-specific therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to provide an overview and critique of the newly updated Sensory Processing Measure – second edition (SPM-2) to assist clinicians in understanding its strengths and limitations and in selecting an appropriate sensory processing scale that best meets their clients' needs. Using four established research methodological quality critique tools, the SPM-2's family of age-related versions was evaluated by administering the tools separately and discussed their scoring and findings to reach a consensus on all ratings. The tools identified several strengths and weaknesses of the SPM-2. The SPM-2's items on its age-related versions scored well in the criteria of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, explanation of the instrument design, construct validity, content validity, criterion validity and ease of administration, and scoring. However, a lack of normative data for participant groups outside of the United States, methodological limitations, and a lack of investigation into some important psychometric properties, particularly responsiveness, were identified as notable weaknesses of the SPM-2's items on its age-related versions based on the critique criteria. Overall, despite the areas needing further development and investigation, the SPM-2 is considered a psychometrically sound tool that provides a reliable and valid approach to measuring aspects of the sensory processing construct across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore sensory processing abilities in kindergarten children based on parents' perceptions of their children's sensory functioning. Employing a non-probability sampling technique, parents of 957 typical kindergarteners (52% males, 48% females) aged between four and six years in Amman-Jordan were surveyed via Arabic-Short Sensory Profile (A-SSP). Results showed that 37% and 24% of children exhibited definite difference and probable difference, respectively. These proportions indicate the importance of including sensory processing as a variable in studies that target children typical development, and to support the development of sensory processing among Jordanian children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This pilot study sought to determine the feasibility of quantifying sensory processing, postural control, motor skill development and participation in daily life in children with idiopathic toe walking (ITW) compared to children without ITW. A nonrandomized, prospective case-control design was employed. Twenty participants were recruited. Computerized weight bearing and postural control data was successfully collected. Differences were found in forefoot/rearfoot weight bearing, balance, sensory-motor abilities and parent reported participation challenges. Sensory processing results were inconclusive. Findings can inform standardized assessment and treatment of ITW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This review investigated the extant literature regarding the relationship between eating disorder diagnoses and sensory processing as measured by validated and reliable self‐report inventories. Increasing evidence highlights the role of sensory processing in cognitive functions. Sensory processing is implicated in mental‐ill health, including eating disorders (ED) and body image disturbances. However, the pathophysiological underpinnings of sensory processing, encompassing exteroception and interoception, in relation to ED remain underexplored. Method: We included studies involving participants aged 15 years or older with an eating disorder diagnosis confirmed by semi‐structured or structured interviews. We further limited inclusion to articles using validated and reliable self‐report instruments to measure sensory processing. Our meta‐analysis focused on studies using the interoceptive awareness subscale from the second version of the Eating Disorder Inventory. We used the Critical Appraisal checklist for quasi‐experimental studies to assess the quality of included articles. Results: There were 19 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Most studies showed moderate‐to‐high quality. Anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) were associated with heightened exteroception. Moreover, people with AN reported a heightened sense of taste compared to those with BN. Our meta‐analysis comprising 10 studies, 19 samples, and 6382 participants revealed that AN (binge‐purge subtype) and BN were associated with increased interoceptive difficulties compared to AN (restrictive subtype) or binge‐eating disorder. Discussion: Overall, this review emphasizes the need for a deeper investigation into sensory processing, spanning both exteroception and interoception, in relation to ED. This may prove important for individualizing person‐centered care. Public significance: How people process internal, for example, hunger, and external, for example, taste and sensations is known to influence cognition and mental‐ill health, including ED and body image disturbances. However, the ways in which sensory processing may contribute to ED are incompletely understood. We found that individuals with AN or BN experienced heightened exteroception, while people with an eating disorder characterized by purging reported increased interoceptive difficulties. These patterns could inform the development of more personalized treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite significant advancements in the care of premature infants, it must be acknowledged that premature infants, especially low birth weight infants, are prone to problems such as sensory, cognitive, neuro-motor, visual, and hearing problems. Their objective future difficulties are behavioral abnormalities, socio-emotional difficulties, and impaired school performance. Methods: This research aimed to predict behavioral problems based on attachment styles and sensory processing in children with a history of prematurity at birth. The research method was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of all 5 to 12-year-old children in Tehran in the year 2022; among them, 154 children aged 5 to 12 years old with a history of prematurity at birth were selected by the convenience sampling methods. Data were collected using the Sensory profile2-child, Kinship Center Attachment Questionnaire, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis. Results: The findings demonstrated a significant negative correlation between adaptive development and children's behavioral problems (r=-0.65, p<0.05). Moreover, a significant positive relationship was found between attachment styles and emotional reactivity (r=0.64, p<0.05), negative behaviors, and avoidance of attachment figure support (r=0.67, p<0.05), as well as sensory processing and behavioral problems in children with a history of prematurity at birth (r=0.67, p<0.05). Additionally, motor processing (β=0.22, p<0.05), emotional reaction (β=0.17, p<0.05), and avoidance of attachment figure support (β=0.17, p<0.29) were capable of predicting behavioral problems in children with a history of prematurity at birth. Conclusion: It was concluded that as the levels of attachment styles, emotional reactions, negative behaviors, and avoidance of attachment increase in children with a history of prematurity, their behavioral problems increase as well. Conversely, increased positive adaptive development is associated with decreased behavioral problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rising prevalence of mental and psychological issues among immigrants has garnered increased attention due to the significant growth in immigrant populations in recent years. In this context, exploring the connection between psychological health, cognitive flexibility, brain-behavioral systems, and sensory processing in Iranian immigrants in Canada is becoming an essential research goal. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between psychological health, cognitive flexibility, brain-behavioral systems, and sensory processing among Iranian immigrants in Canada. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used, gathering data from 400 Iranian students (198 males and 202 females) enrolled at universities in Canada and Iran. We collected participants' demographic details and assessed their psychological health, cognitive flexibility, brain-behavioral systems, and sensory processing through standardized instruments. Psychological health was evaluated using the Beck Anxiety Inventory, cognitive flexibility was measured with the Dennis and Vander Wall Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire, and sensory processing was appraised via the adolescent/adult sensory profile. The Carver and White behavioral inhibition system (BIS)/behavioral activation system (BAS) scales were utilized to measure brain-behavioral systems. Statistical analyses, including correlation analysis and multivariate regression, were conducted to investigate the relationships among these variables. Results: The correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between anxiety and low registration (r = 0.283, P < 0.001), sensory sensitivity (r = 0.442, P < 0.001), and sensory avoiding (r = 0.307, P < 0.001) in immigrant students. Anxiety also showed nonsignificant negative correlations with the behavioral activation system-drive (r = -0.042, P = 0.551) and behavioral activation system-reward responsiveness (r = -0.090, P = 0.203). The multivariate regression analysis found that low registration (B = 0.177, P = 0.036), sensory sensitivity (B = 0.336, P < 0.001), and cognitive flexibility (B = 0.119, P = 0.025) significantly predicted anxiety levels in immigrant students. An adjusted R-squared value of 0.191 indicated that these variables together explained 19.1% of the variance in anxiety levels. Conclusions: This study underscores the significant links between sensory processing patterns, cognitive flexibility, brain-behavioral systems, and anxiety among Iranian immigrant students. These findings highlight the need for interventions focusing on teaching cognitive skills strategies and increasing awareness of sensory needs to help reduce anxiety levels in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although aversive responses to sensory stimuli are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it remains unknown whether the social relevance of aversive sensory inputs affects their processing. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate neural responses to mildly aversive nonsocial and social sensory stimuli as well as how sensory over‐responsivity (SOR) severity relates to these responses. Participants included 21 ASD and 25 typically‐developing (TD) youth, aged 8.6–18.0 years. Results showed that TD youth exhibited significant neural discrimination of socially relevant versus irrelevant aversive sensory stimuli, particularly in the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), regions that are crucial for sensory and social processing. In contrast, ASD youth showed reduced neural discrimination of social versus nonsocial stimuli in the amygdala and OFC, as well as overall greater neural responses to nonsocial compared with social stimuli. Moreover, higher SOR in ASD was associated with heightened responses in sensory‐motor regions to socially‐relevant stimuli. These findings further our understanding of the relationship between sensory and social processing in ASD, suggesting limited attention to the social relevance compared with aversiveness level of sensory input in ASD versus TD youth, particularly in ASD youth with higher SOR. Lay Summary: In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain responses to aversive sensory stimuli with and without social relevance in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically‐developing (TD) youth. TD youth showed greater neural responses to social compared with nonsocial sensory inputs, whereas the opposite was true in ASD youth. Results suggest that compared with TD youth, ASD youth (particularly those with more severe sensory over‐responsivity symptoms) attend more to the level of aversiveness rather than to the social relevance of sensory input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disorders in sensory processing can cause problems in intellectual, emotional, motor, and social development, manifesting as behavioral and learning difficulties. Researchers have identified many possible causes, such as genetic, environmental, and perinatal factors. Detecting and identifying disturbances in the development of sensory processing and initiating early therapy is crucial for growth and preventing the development of secondary problems. In spontaneous labor, the first contact between mother and child is timely, which is crucial for establishing mother-child coordination and the child's psychological development. However, in Cesarean section, the first contact time is delayed. Tactile processing plays a critical role in early physical and social development. This study aims to explore the impact of the mode of delivery on the occurrence of tactile sensitivity in preschool children through a retrospective cohort study and provide a scientific basis for primary prevention and early intervention of the disease. Our analysis of the Short Sensory Profile data revealed that tactile sensitivity exhibited the greatest deficit among the seven assessed areas, and children born by C-section showed a statistically significant higher tactile sensitivity compared to children born by normal vaginal delivery. This difference was greater than the observed differences in taste/smell sensitivity and visual sensitivity. The study concluded that tactile sensitivity is more common in infants delivered by Cesarean section than in infants born by normal vaginal delivery. Early diagnosis and possible therapy for improvement, especially in children born by Cesarean sections, is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensory processing issues are frequent in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), with very variable prevalence rates ranging from 20% to 95%. This study aimed to investigate sensory processing in preschool-aged children with NDDs, to clarify the epidemiology, and to identify associated or correlated clinical and psychometric variables. Methods: A total of 141 NDD children (age range 2–5 years old) were included and enrolled in two subgroups: 72 with ASD and 69 with other NDDs. A standardized neuropsychological evaluation was assessed (Griffiths III/WPPSI-III/Leiter-R, ADOS-2) and the parents completed the CBCL ½–5, the SPM-P, and the ADI-R. Results: Atypical sensory processing was reported in 39.7% of the total sample, more frequently in ASD (44.4%) than in other NDDs (34.8%). No statistically significant differences were found regarding gender and developmental level. A positive correlation was found between sensory processing abnormalities and behavioral problems (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Compared to other NDDs, ASDs more frequently have atypical sensory processing and appear to present a specific vulnerability in the processing of proprioceptive and vestibular inputs. Our results suggest that sensory processing difficulties should be considered regardless of developmental level and in children with behavioral problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early caregiving adversity (ECA) is associated with elevated psychological symptomatology. While neurobehavioral ECA research has focused on socioemotional and cognitive development, ECA may also increase risk for low-level sensory processing challenges. However, no prior work has compared how diverse ECA exposures differentially relate to sensory processing, or, critically, how this might influence psychological outcomes. We examined sensory processing challenges in 183 8-17-year-old youth with and without histories of institutional (orphanage) or foster caregiving, with a particular focus on sensory over-responsivity (SOR), a pattern of intensified responses to sensory stimuli that may negatively impact mental health. We further tested whether sensory processing challenges are linked to elevated internalizing and externalizing symptoms common in ECA-exposed youth. Relative to nonadopted comparison youth, both groups of ECA-exposed youth had elevated sensory processing challenges, including SOR, and also had heightened internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Additionally, we found significant indirect effects of ECA on internalizing and externalizing symptoms through both general sensory processing challenges and SOR, covarying for age and sex assigned at birth. These findings suggest multiple forms of ECA confer risk for sensory processing challenges that may contribute to mental health outcomes, and motivate continuing examination of these symptoms, with possible long-term implications for screening and treatment following ECA.