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On-line Access: 2024-12-03
Received: 2023-06-26
Revision Accepted: 2023-10-29
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Ci SONG, Runsheng MA, Wei NI, Xinyue PENG, Xue LI, Ruoxi SHI, Yuanping ZHANG, Li YI. Pupillometry reveals hyper-arousal in response to auditory stimuli in autistic children[J]. Journal of Zhejiang University Science B, 2024, 25(11): 996-1008.
@article{title="Pupillometry reveals hyper-arousal in response to auditory stimuli in autistic children",
author="Ci SONG, Runsheng MA, Wei NI, Xinyue PENG, Xue LI, Ruoxi SHI, Yuanping ZHANG, Li YI",
journal="Journal of Zhejiang University Science B",
volume="25",
number="11",
pages="996-1008",
year="2024",
publisher="Zhejiang University Press & Springer",
doi="10.1631/jzus.B2300462"
}
%0 Journal Article
%T Pupillometry reveals hyper-arousal in response to auditory stimuli in autistic children
%A Ci SONG
%A Runsheng MA
%A Wei NI
%A Xinyue PENG
%A Xue LI
%A Ruoxi SHI
%A Yuanping ZHANG
%A Li YI
%J Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B
%V 25
%N 11
%P 996-1008
%@ 1673-1581
%D 2024
%I Zhejiang University Press & Springer
%DOI 10.1631/jzus.B2300462
TY - JOUR
T1 - Pupillometry reveals hyper-arousal in response to auditory stimuli in autistic children
A1 - Ci SONG
A1 - Runsheng MA
A1 - Wei NI
A1 - Xinyue PENG
A1 - Xue LI
A1 - Ruoxi SHI
A1 - Yuanping ZHANG
A1 - Li YI
J0 - Journal of Zhejiang University Science B
VL - 25
IS - 11
SP - 996
EP - 1008
%@ 1673-1581
Y1 - 2024
PB - Zhejiang University Press & Springer
ER -
DOI - 10.1631/jzus.B2300462
Abstract: Atypical sensory responsivity is widely reported in autistic individuals and is related to elevated functional difficulties. Dynamically, altered initial responses and/or habituation rates could underlie their atypical averaged responses to repeated sensory stimuli. In this study we aimed to measure the arousal level in response to different types of auditory stimuli and the dynamic change of atypical arousal level using pupillometry in autistic children. In Experiment 1, 43 autistic children and 49 neurotypical (NT) children were asked to passively listen to a mild sound and an aversive sound repeatedly. In Experiment 2, 39 autistic children and 44 NT children who went through Experiment 1 listened to a gradually emerging non-startling sound and a suddenly emerging startling sound in a random order. We found that the autistic group showed hyper-arousal in response to the aversive sound and the startling sound as reflected by their larger change in pupil area. In comparison, these autistic children demonstrated normal arousal in response to the mild sound and the non-startling sound. Dynamically, the autistic group had a larger peak pupil area change than the NT group in the first trial and a normal habituation rate to the aversive sound. In summary, our results suggest hyper-arousal to aversive and startling stimuli and the role of larger initial responses in hyper-arousal in autism. Minimizing aversive and startling sensory stimuli or gradually increasing the volume of aversive auditory stimuli to allow autistic children to adapt using the principle of habituation is recommended to reduce the arousal level and problematic behaviors of autistic children.
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