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| Poster #235 Sensory Sensitivities in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Insights from the Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire |
| Isabelle Cullen1,2, Edward S. Brodkin1, Valentina Parma2 1Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States 2Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia , PA, United States |
Sensory sensitivities are a hallmark feature of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and can significantly impact daily life1. However, research on sensory experiences in ASD remains limited, particularly in comparing chemosensation in adults with and without ASD. In this study, we assessed sensory hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity using the Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire (GSQ), a 42-item self-reported measure specifically developed for adults with ASD2. The GSQ evaluates sensory experiences across seven domains (i.e., visual, auditory, tactile, proprioception, vestibular, olfactory and gustatory), investigated with 6 questions each. The total score ranges from 0 to 168, with higher scores indicating higher sensitivity (both hypo and hyper). We tested 72 participants out of the 268 participants from the University of Pennsylvania Autism Spectrum Program of Excellence (ASPE) cohort, including 38 adults with ASD (age: 33±10 years, 92% female) and 34 non-ASD controls (age: 33±10 years, 85% female). The comparison of the total GSQ score across groups reveals that participants with ASD report significantly more hypo and hypersensitivities as compared to non-ASD participants (ASD: 74±28 points, non-ASD: 24±14 points, U = 1149, p = 1.84e-10). Smell [ASD: 8 ± 4 points, non-ASD: 3±2 points, U = 1149, p = 1.84e-10] and taste [ASD: 10±5 points, NT: 3±2 points, U = 1114, p = 1.21e-7] GSQ scores are comparable to each other. Findings on chemosensory sensitivities are comparable to all other senses, except for audition, for which the sensitivity is greater in both ASD and non-ASD participants (ps <0.001). Our findings provide valuable insights into sensory processing differences in ASD as compared to non-ASD individuals, with implications for understanding chemosensory sensitivities in adults with ASD. |