Profiles of Autonomic Activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder with and without Anxiety
- 9 February 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Vol. 51 (12), 4459-4470
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04862-0
Abstract
Both anxiety and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are associated with atypical physiological activity. Few studies have systematically assessed the resting physiological activity in ASD with co-occurring anxiety disorders. We tested 75 participants divided in four groups: youth with ASD, with (ASD + Anxiety = 22, 6F, 12.29 ± 2.83 years old) and without co-occurring anxiety (ASD Alone = 15, 6F, 11.59 ± 2.85 years old) and compared their physiological profile with that of matched typically developing controls (TDC) with (Anxiety Alone = 16, 6F, 11.24 ± 3.36 years old) and without co-occurring anxiety disorders (TDC = 22, 8F, 11.88 ± 2.88 years old). Results indicated reduced sympathetic and parasympathetic activity at rest in ASD as compared to TDC youth. ASD + Anxiety and Anxiety Alone groups showed different sympathetic, but similar parasympathetic activity. These findings suggest that autonomic profile-based approaches may advance research, diagnosis, and treatment of ASD and anxiety.Keywords
Funding Information
- Shire Pharmaceuticals
- Pennsylvania Department of Health (4100042728)
- National Institute of Child Health and Development (P30 HD026979)
- National Institute of Mental Health (RC1MH08879, R01 MH073084-01)
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