Physiological Responses in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are accompanied by a range of physiological differences that span autonomic nervous system regulation, neuroendocrine signalling, central nervous system processing and gut–brain interactions. Individuals with ASD often exhibit atypical basal and reactive profiles in heart rate, heart rate variability and electrodermal activity, reflecting an imbalance between sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. Heightened or blunted responses to social, sensory or anxiety-provoking situations have been linked to co-regulation between body and brain. Concurrently, dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in ASD manifests as altered diurnal cortisol rhythms and exaggerated stress-related cortisol release during social engagement. The gut–brain axis has also emerged as a key contributor: gastrointestinal disturbances frequently co-occur with ASD and correlate with stress biomarkers such as salivary or hair cortisol and serum leptin, suggesting bidirectional communication between enteric systems and central stress networks. Recent advances in wearable and non-invasive monitoring now allow continuous recording of electrophysiological signals—electrocardiograms, skin conductance and temperature—to detect precursors of challenging behaviour and inform personalised interventions. Collectively, these findings highlight a complex interplay of autonomic, endocrine and central responses in ASD, emphasising the need for integrative models that link physiology with behaviour and support the development of objective biomarkers for early detection, targeted therapies and improved quality of life.

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Physiological Responses in Autism Spectrum Disorders publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in physiological responses in autism spectrum disorders across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): The network of sympathetic and parasympathetic fibres that regulates involuntary physiological functions such as heart rate, digestion and sweating.

Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal (HPA) Axis: The hormonal system controlling stress response via the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV): A measure of the variation in time intervals between heartbeats, indicating autonomic balance and regulatory flexibility.

Electrodermal Activity (EDA): A measure of skin conductance reflecting sympathetic nervous system arousal and sweat gland activity.

Cortisol: A glucocorticoid hormone released by the adrenal cortex in response to stress, commonly measured in blood, saliva or hair to index HPA-axis activity.

References

1. Coactivation of Autonomic and Central Nervous Systems During Processing of Socially Relevant Information in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. Neuropsychology Review (2023).
2. Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children with Autism and ADHD: Profiles of Hair and Salivary Cortisol, Serum Leptin Concentrations and Externalizing/Internalizing Problems. Nutrients (2024).
3. ECG Recordings as Predictors of Very Early Autism Likelihood: A Machine Learning Approach. Bioengineering (2023).