Sensory Processing Profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterised by a heterogeneous array of differences in how sensory information is perceived and integrated. Many individuals exhibit atypical responses to stimuli across tactile, auditory, visual and multisensory domains, ranging from heightened sensitivity to diminished responsivity or active sensory seeking. These variations influence developmental trajectories, social communication, emotional regulation and adaptive functioning. Sensory traits may emerge prenatally or during early infancy, persist across the lifespan and interact with neural circuit maturation, particularly within somatosensory pathways. Dysregulation of inhibitory and excitatory mechanisms—both at peripheral mechanoreceptor levels and within spinal or cortical circuits—can lead to overreactivity, under-responsivity or unusual sensory patterns. Comprehensive assessment and terminology are evolving to capture the spectrum of sensory features, inform mechanistic understanding and guide personalised interventions. Global research efforts now integrate behavioural characterisation with neurophysiological and imaging studies, emphasising the translational potential of early sensory markers and the need for interdisciplinary frameworks to support learning, mental health and quality of life in autistic individuals.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent work in animal models has revealed that the timing of tactile processing disruptions critically shapes subsequent behavioural outcomes. Experimental manipulations of inhibitory circuits in peripheral mechanosensory neurons versus spinal feedforward pathways demonstrated that early-onset tactile overreactivity predicts more pronounced anxiety-like and social deficits in adulthood, whereas later-onset disturbances yield more circumscribed behavioural alterations. This delineation underscores the importance of developmental windows for sensory circuit maturation and suggests that differential onset of sensory anomalies contributes to phenotypic diversity in autism.

Sensory Processing Profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorder publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in sensory processing profiles in autism spectrum disorder across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Tactile Overreactivity: Exaggerated behavioural or physiological responses to light touch or pressure stimuli.

Internalising Problems: Psychological difficulties directed inward, such as anxiety and depression.

Externalising Problems: Behavioural difficulties directed outward, such as aggression and hyperactivity.

Connectopy: Fine-grained spatial patterning of functional connectivity within a cortical region, reflecting mesoscopic organisation.

References

1. The developmental timing of spinal touch processing alterations predicts behavioral changes in genetic mouse models of autism spectrum disorders. Nature Neuroscience (2024).
2. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between sensory processing differences and internalising/externalising problems in autism. Clinical Psychology Review (2024).
3. Fine-grained topographic organization within somatosensory cortex during resting-state and emotional face-matching task and its association with ASD traits. Translational Psychiatry (2023).
4. A working taxonomy for describing the sensory differences of autism. Molecular Autism (2023).
5. Toward an Interdisciplinary Understanding of Sensory Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Integration of the Neural and Symptom Literatures. Frontiers in Neuroscience (2016).