Sleep Problems in Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder Are Associated With Sensory Sensitivities and Thalamocortical Overconnectivity

Overview

Journal Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging

Specialties Neurology
Psychiatry
Radiology

Date 2021 Aug 3

PMID 34343726

Citations 19

Authors

Annika Carola Linke

Bosi Chen

Lindsay Olson

Cynthia Ibarra

Chris Fong

Sarah Reynolds

Michael Apostol

Mikaela Kinnear

Ralph-Axel Muller

Inna Fishman

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Projections between the thalamus and sensory cortices are established early in development and play an important role in regulating sleep as well as in relaying sensory information to the cortex. Atypical thalamocortical functional connectivity frequently observed in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might therefore be linked to sensory and sleep problems common in ASD.

Methods: Here, we investigated the relationship between auditory-thalamic functional connectivity measured during natural sleep functional magnetic resonance imaging, sleep problems, and sound sensitivities in 70 toddlers and preschoolers (1.5-5 years old) with ASD compared with a matched group of 46 typically developing children.

Results: In children with ASD, sleep problems and sensory sensitivities were positively correlated, and increased sleep latency was associated with overconnectivity between the thalamus and auditory cortex in a subsample with high-quality magnetic resonance imaging data (n = 29). In addition, auditory cortex blood oxygen level-dependent signal amplitude was elevated in children with ASD, potentially reflecting reduced sensory gating or a lack of auditory habituation during natural sleep.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that atypical thalamocortical functional connectivity can be detected early in development and may play a crucial role in sleep problems and sensory sensitivities in ASD.

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