Multisensory Processing Differences in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by a constellation of symptoms, including impairments in social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Although sensory issues have long been reported in clinical descriptions of ASD, only the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) has included differences in sensory processing as part of the diagnostic profile for ASD. Indeed, sensory processing differences are among the most prevalent findings in ASD, and these differences are increasingly recognized as a core component of ASD. Furthermore, characterizing ASD phenotypes on the basis of sensory processing differences has been suggested as a constructive means of creating phenotypic subgroups of ASD, which may be useful to better tailor individualized treatment strategies. Although sensory processing differences are frequently approached from the perspective of deficits in the context of ASD, there are a number of instances in which individuals with ASD outperform their neurotypical counterparts on tests of sensory function. Here, the current state of knowledge regarding sensory processing in ASD is reviewed, with a particular emphasis on auditory and multisensory (i.e., audiovisual) performance. In addition to characterizing the nature of these differences in sensory performance, the chapter focuses on the neurological correlates of these sensory processing differences and how differences in sensory function relate to the other core clinical features of ASD, with an emphasis on speech and language.