Self-reported sensory responsiveness patterns in typically-developing and early-onset schizophrenia adolescents: Its relationship with schizotypal and autistic traits

The Multi-Modal Evaluation of Sensory Sensitivity (MESSY): Assessing a commonly missed symptom of acquired brain injury

Objective: Sensory hypersensitivity is common after acquired brain injury. Since appropriate diagnostic tools are lacking, these complaints are overlooked by clinicians and available literature is limited to light and noise hypersensitivity after concussion. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of sensory hypersensitivity in other modalities and after other types of brain injury. Method: We developed the Multi-Modal Evaluation of Sensory Sensitivity (MESSY), a patient-friendly questionnaire that assesses sensory sensitivity across multiple sensory modalities. 818 neurotypical adults (mean age = 49; 244 male) and 341 chronic acquired brain injury patients (including stroke, traumatic brain injury, and brain tumour patients) (mean age = 56; 126 male) completed the MESSY online. Results: The MESSY had a high validity and reliability in neurotypical adults. Post-injury sensory hypersensitivity (examined using open-ended questions) was reported by 76% of the stroke patients, 89% of the traumatic brain injury patients, and 82% of the brain tumour patients. These complaints occurred across all modalities with multisensory, visual, and auditory hypersensitivity being the most prevalent. Patients with post-injury sensory hypersensitivity reported a higher sensory sensitivity severity on the multiple-choice items of the MESSY as compared to neurotypical adults and acquired brain injury patients without post-injury sensory hypersensitivity (across all sensory modalities) (effect sizes (partial eta squared) ranged from .06 to .22). Conclusions: These results show that sensory hypersensitivity is prevalent after different types of acquired brain injury as well as across several sensory modalities. The MESSY can improve recognition of these symptoms and facilitate further research.

Vasotocin receptor gene genotypes moderate the relationship between cortical thickness and sensory processing

Sensory processing is the process by which the central nervous system gathers, interprets, and regulates sensory stimuli in response to environmental cues. However, our understanding of the genetic factors and neuroanatomical correlations that influence sensory processing is limited. The vasotocin system modulates sensory input responsiveness, making it a potential candidate for further investigation. Additionally, human neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that the ability to modulate sensory stimuli is related to neuroanatomical features such as cortical thickness. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between functional polymorphisms in vasotocin receptor (VTR) genes, sensory profiles, and neuroanatomical correlations. We used structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP) questionnaire in 98 healthy adult participants to assess sensory processing and identified seven single nucleotide polymorphisms. We found that A-allele carriers of rs1042615 in VTR had higher scores for "sensory sensitivity" and "sensation avoiding". Moreover, higher scores for three AASP subscales were associated with decreased cortical thickness in various regions, including the right precentral, paracentral, and fusiform gyri, as well as bilateral inferior temporal gyri. This study sheds light on the potential role of genetic variations in the VTR in modulating sensory processing and correlation with cortical thickness which has future implications for better understanding sensory abnormalities in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Sensation seeking correlates with increased white matter integrity of structures associated with visuospatial processing in healthy adults

Introduction

The ability to process sensory information is an essential adaptive function, and hyper- or hypo-sensitive maladaptive profiles of responses to environmental stimuli generate sensory processing disorders linked to cognitive, affective, and behavioral alterations. Consequently, assessing sensory processing profiles might help research the vulnerability and resilience to mental disorders. The research on neuroradiological correlates of the sensory processing profiles is mainly limited to the young-age population or neurodevelopmental disorders. So, this study aims to examine the structural MRI correlates of sensory profiles in a sample of typically developed adults.

Methods

We investigated structural cortical thickness (CT) and white matter integrity, through Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), correlates of Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP) questionnaire subscales in 57 typical developing subjects (34F; mean age: 32.7 ± 9.3).

Results

We found significant results only for the sensation seeking (STS) subscale. Positive and negative correlations emerged with fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD) in anterior thalamic radiation, optic radiation, superior longitudinal fasciculus, corpus callosum, and the cingulum bundle. No correlation between sensation seeking and whole brain cortical thickness was found.

Discussion

Overall, our results suggest a positive correlation between sensation seeking and higher white matter structural integrity in those tracts mainly involved in visuospatial processing but no correlation with gray matter structure. The enhanced structural integrity associated with sensation seeking may reflect a neurobiological substrate linked to active research of sensory stimuli and resilience to major psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.

Qualitative data on triggers and coping of sensory hypersensitivity in acquired brain injury patients: A proposed model

Sensory hypersensitivity (SHS) is a frequently heard complaint after acquired brain injury (ABI) and is related to reduced quality of life and physical and mental health. This study aimed to identify triggers for SHS after ABI and investigate how individuals cope with SHS. Nineteen adults with ABI took part in 45-min individual interviews. Data were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive thematic analysis revealed five themes: (1) A mismatch between resources and demands, (2) Altered experience of ordinary stimuli, (3) It affects all aspects of living, (4) Avoid, approach, accept, (5) It's highly heterogeneous. A model explaining the impact of triggers on subjective SHS after ABI is proposed, which states that SHS arises from a mismatch between the demands of a sensory environment (triggers) and the available biopsychosocial resources of an individual to meet these demands. The elicited SHS can affect and be affected by levels of fatigue, which limits the resources and creates a loop. Coping strategies can act on various stages of this model, i.e., to reduce the mismatch and potentially alter the loop. This model can contribute to the identification of mechanisms behind SHS in ABI patients and other populations, ultimately leading to evidence-based treatments.

Sensory processing difficulties in psychiatric disorders: A meta-analysis

In clinical practice, many individuals with psychiatric disorders report difficulties in sensory processing, including increased awareness or sensitivity to external stimuli. In this meta-analysis, we examined the sensory processing patterns of adolescent and adult individuals with a broad spectrum of different psychiatric conditions. A systematic search in various databases resulted in the inclusion of 33 studies (N=2008), all using the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP). By comparing diagnostic subgroups to the corresponding reference group of the AASP, we detected a general pattern of sensory processing, indicating elevated levels of low registration, sensory sensitivity and sensory avoiding and lowered sensory seeking behavior in patients with different types of psychiatric disorders. The majority of effect sizes were large to very large. In conclusion, sensory processing difficulties can be considered as a non-specific transdiagnostic phenotype associated with a broad spectrum of psychiatric conditions. Further research into the relevance and role of sensory processing difficulties in psychiatric disorders may improve long-term prognosis and treatment.

Reduced intrinsic neural timescales in schizophrenia along posterior parietal and occipital areas

We computed intrinsic neural timescales (INT) based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) data of healthy controls (HC) and patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SZ) from three independently collected samples. Five clusters showed decreased INT in SZ compared to HC in all three samples: right occipital fusiform gyrus (rOFG), left superior occipital gyrus (lSOG), right superior occipital gyrus (rSOG), left lateral occipital cortex (lLOC) and right postcentral gyrus (rPG). In other words, it appears that sensory information in visual and posterior parietal areas is stored for reduced lengths of time in SZ compared to HC. Finally, we found that symptom severity appears to modulate INT of these areas in SZ.

Clinical features and psychiatric comorbidities in military veterans with schizophrenia with or without suicidality

Suicide is currently among the leading causes of death among individuals with schizophrenia. Reducing mortality from suicide remains a major clinical challenge in the care of veterans with schizophrenia. There is a need to increase our understanding of what elevates suicide risk in veterans with schizophrenia as a first step towards the future development of suicide prevention interventions. This study compared demographic and clinical features of military veterans with schizophrenia with vs. without suicidality to determine specific risk factors for suicidality. The sample consisted of two groups of veterans with schizophrenia: suicide ideators and/or attempters (SIA) and individuals without a history of suicidal ideation or attempts (no-SIA). Participants were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Axis I disorders (SCID-I), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). In bivariate analyses, the PANSS-Positive Symptom scores, PANSS-General Psychopathology scores, HDRS total score, HDRS-Paranoid symptoms item score, and SPQ total scores were higher among SIA compared with no-SIA patients. In this unique clinical sample of veterans with schizophrenia, SIA patients were more likely to have mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and/or alcohol use disorder in comparison to the no-SIA group. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the HDRS total score and presence/absence of comorbid mood disorder drive the difference between the groups. These results indicate that suicide risk assessment in veterans with schizophrenia should include identifying individuals with comorbid mood disorders/symptoms, PTSD, alcohol use disorder, marked positive symptoms, and schizotypal features.