Autonomic Disequilibrium at Rest in Autistic Children and Adults.

ABSTRACT: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) symptoms have been proposed to be linked to Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) atypical functioning, in particular sympathetic hyper-arousal and parasympathetic under-activation. The objective of this study was to characterize autonomic functioning at rest in autistic and neurotypical children and adults. To characterize several aspects of autonomic functioning, we recorded simultaneously pupil diameter, heart rate and electrodermal activity during 5 min of rest in 44 children (6-12 years old, 22 autistic) and 42 adults (19-52 years old, 21 autistic). Several parameters allowed to characterize tonic and phasic indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic systems at rest. Autistic children exhibited the expected pattern of parasympathetic under-activation at rest co

SUBMITTER: Bufo MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12331820 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature