Nerves That Control Sense of Touch may Play Key Role in Autism

Nerves that control the sense of touch, pain, and other sensations may play an important role in autism, stated a new study published in the online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "For some people, even a light touch can feel unbearable while others may not even notice a cut on their foot. If larger studies can confirm these results, it is possible that further insight into the peripheral nervous system could help us understand how this disorder develops and potentially light the way for treating these distressing sensory symptoms that most people with autism experience," said study author Sung-Tsang Hsieh, M.D., Ph.D., of National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

The research involved 32 men with autism, with an average age of 27. This group was compared to 27 men and women with an average age of 33 without autism symptoms or any diseases that would affect their peripheral nerves.

Autistic men in the study completed questionnaires on their sensory symptoms. All the study participants had tests of their sensory nerves, including skin biopsies to look for damage to the small fibers in their nerves. Researchers also looked at the nerves' electrical signals to see how they respond to the heat.

Limitations of the study included a small size. All study participants were men.

53% of the autistic people had reduced nerve fiber density. People with decreased nerve fiber density were more likely to report feeling pain from the heat stimulus at a higher temperature.

Response to touch in individuals with autism differed according to whether or not they had nerve fiber damage.

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"This indicates that the nerves have degenerated, similar to what happens for people with the condition of peripheral neuropathy, where the threshold for feeling heat and other sensations is higher than for other people," Hsieh said.

Autism Statistics

• About 1 in 54 children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• ASD is more than 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
• About 1 in 6 (17%) children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with a developmental disability.

Source-Medindia