Cross-disorder comparison of sensory reactivity, pain, gastro-intestinal symptoms and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in adolescents and young adults with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

There is considerable evidence of the relationship among sensory reactivity, abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Furthermore, these events are linked to the gut-microbiota-brain axis via the enteric nervous system. However, few studies have compared autism with other neurodevelopmental disorders in terms of sensory reactivity, pain, or gastrointestinal symptoms. Consequently, this study aimed to analyze the differences in sensory reactivity, pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms between adolescents and young adults with ASD and other neurodevelopmental and neurotypical disorders. Differences in sensory reactivity, pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms between a group of individuals with ASD level I (n = 37), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD (n = 15), Learning Difficulties or LD (n = 23), and a control or neurotypical group (n = 76) were analyzed. Higher levels of sensory hyperreactivity were found in individuals with ASD than in the other clinical (ADHD and LD) and neurotypical groups. Sensory hyporeactivity was greater in individuals with ASD as well as in individuals with ADHD than that in the neurotypical group. Higher levels of pain were found in the ADHD group than in the ASD or neurotypical group. Gastrointestinal symptoms of the abdominal type were more severe in the ASD group than in the ADHD, and LD groups, whereas dyspepsia was more severe in the ADHD group. The results indicate a sensory and gastrointestinal profile in individuals with ASD and ADHD. Future studies should increase the number of participants for each neurodevelopmental disorder and perform a more comprehensive analysis of the gut microbiota-brain axis.