Life science
Medical & healthcare

Pathophysiology of sensory abnormality
in Autism Spectrum Disorders
United Graduate School of Child Development
Associate Professor Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono

https://researchmap.jp/osaka_rengo?lang=en

Specially Appointed Professor Masako Taniike

https://researchmap.jp/read0185088?lang=en

Brain activation during audio-visual stimuli

Life science

Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication and limited
interests and preoccupations. It is known that sensory abnormalities
such as auditory and visual hypersensitivity are common symptoms
in subjects with ASD. As sensory abnormalities are not objective,
the behaviors to avoid sensory stimuli have long been regarded
as “individual selfishness”. In the questionnaire survey on sensory
abnormalities in six senses (auditory, tactile, visual, oral, complex,and vestibular sensation), the rate of sensory abnormalities was significantly higher in children with ASD than in TD children. In addition,sensory abnormalities in children with ASD were characterized bymultiple sensory modalities and are associated with obsessive-compulsive and aggressive behaviors. We attempted to evaluate sensory abnormalities objectively and to elucidate the pathophysiology ofsensory abnormalities in children with ASD by measuring brain activity in response to sensory stimulation using magnetoencephalography magnetoencephalography (MEG). We found that ASD children
with sensory abnormalities show enhanced and delayed responses
in the primary sensory cortex to auditory and visual stimuli. We also
observed brain activity in three types of stimuli: normal video, luminance-enhanced video, and luminance-enhanced video with soundstimuli, and hound differences in responses in the association cortexof the superior temporal sulcus, which is responsible for visual andauditory integration, and correlated them with the severity of sensory
abnormalities.

R
Typical development
Child

ASD without sensory
abnormality

LRL

ASD with sensory
abnormality

RL

1: Comparison
Comparisonofof brain
brainactivity
activity during
duringaudio-visualaudio-visualstimulation.
stimulation.
Figure 1:
Activation in R-STS

Activation in R-STS
ASD withsensory
abnormality

ASD withoutsensory
abnormality▍ Background & Results

Score of sensory abnormality
Brain activity during sensory stimulation was evaluated by MEG.
V.
EV.
EV+A.
ASD children with sensory abnormalities showed enhanced and2. Therightrightsuperior
temporalsulcus(STS)
andandinsularcortexshow
enhanced
responses
in children withdelayed responses in the primary sensory cortex to auditory and Figure
Figure2. Thesuperior
temporalsulcus(STS)
insularcortexshow
enhanced
responses
are hypersensitive
sensory
stimuli. Corticalresponses
in STS weremost pronounced
childrenwith ASD whotoare
hypersensitiveto sensory
stimuli. Corticalresponses
in STS wereto thevisual stimuli. In addition, we found that the prefrontal cortex, which ASDinwho
enhanced luminance movie with sound. The magnitude of cortical response in the right STS was correlated wit
most pronounced to the enhanced luminance movie with sound. The magnitude of cortical reis associated with attentional shift and inhibition, also showed a re- the sensory
hypersensitivity score. V: visual stimuli (silent movie), EV: enhanced luminance visual stimuli ,sponsein theauditory
right STSwas correlated
duced response. Furthermore, the brain activity to the audiovisual EV+A:
EV withstimuli(sound). with the sensory hypersensitivity score. V: visual stimuli(silentmovie),
EV: enhanced luminance visual stimuli , EV+A: EV with auditory stimuli (sound).
stimuli revealed differences in the association cortex of the superior
temporal sulcus, which is responsible for visual and auditory integration, and correlated with the severity of sensory abnormality.

▍ Significance of the research and Future perspective➢ Primary somatosensory cortex:Associationcortex

E/I balance changes

Prefrontal
The present study demonstrated that sensory abnormalities incortex➢ Sensory integration （association cortex）:
Visualchildren with ASD can be assessed objectively. The pathophysioloInsular Auditory
cortexE/I balance changes
cortex cortex
gy related to sensory abnormalities in ASD involves cortical hyper➢ Dysfunction in attention/ inhibition network
sensitivity in the primary somatosensory cortex related to sensory➢ Change of projections to the insular cortex
perception and association areas of sensory integration: changes➢ Altered gating mechanisms in the thalamus
in the balance of excitatory (E)/ inhibitory (I) systems, and abnormal attention/inhibition networks in the frontal lobe. In addition, it
is speculated that thalamus-mediated regulatory mechanisms and Figure 3. Pathogenesis of sensory hypersensitivity. The cortical responses to visual and auditory sensory
Figure 3. Pathogenesis of sensory hypersensitivity. The cortical responses to visual and auditory sensory stimuli
delayed and prolonged in the primary sensory cortex, as well as enhanced in the superior temporal
insular cortical projections related to behavioral abnormalities are stimuliarearedelayed
and prolonged
in theintegration.
primary sensory
cortex,theas wellas enhancedin theandsuperior
temporalsulcus, which is involved
in sensory
In addition,
networks
of attention
inhibition
fromsulcus,
thealso involved. This study is expected to lead to objective diagnosis prefrontal
are reduced,
suggesting
thatInthesesensory-related
networks
thoughtfrom
to betheinvolved.
whichcortex
is involved
in sensory
integration.
addition,
the networksbroadof attention
andareinhibition
prefrontal
and the development of treatments for abnormal sensitivity.
cortex are reduced, suggesting that these sensory-related broad networks are thought to be involved.

P a t e n t
Matsuzaki, Junko; Kagitani-Shimono, Kuriko; Taniike, Masako et al. Abnormal cortical responses elicited by audiovisual movies in patients with autism
spectrum disorder with atypical sensory behavior: A magnetoencephalographic study. Brain & Development. 2022, 44, 81–94.
doi: 10.1016/j.braindev.2021.08.007
T r e a t i s e Aoki, Sho; Kagitani-Shimono, Kuriko; Taniike, Masako et al. Lesser suppression of response to bright visual stimuli and visual abnormality in children with
autism spectrum disorder: a magnetoencephalographic study. J Neurodev Disord. 2019, 11(1), 9. doi: 10.1186/s11689-019-9266-0
Kamiya, Chiori; Kagitani-Shimono, Kuriko; Taniike, Masako et al. The relationship between multisensory hypersensitivity and behavioral problems inchildren with autism spectrum disorders. J Brain Sci. 2021, 50, 63-100. doi: 10.20821/jbs.50.0_63UR
L https://www.ugscd-osaka-u.ne.jp/en/
K e y w o r d Autism Spectrum Disorder, sensory abnormality, MEG