The Neurological Basis of Sensory Hypersensitivity in Childhood and Its Influence on Language Development

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K17107
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52030:Psychiatry-related
• Research Institution: Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Yuko Amma 浜松医科大学, 子どものこころの発達研究センター, 特任研究員 (00836512)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 感覚過敏 / 言語機能 / コホート研究 / 自閉スペクトラム症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to examine whether perceptual sensitivity in infancy (18 months) is associated with traits of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in infancy, and whether perceptual sensitivity is associated with cognitive functions at school age (9 years). Participants were 812 children in a prospective birth cohort study (HBC Study). Results showed that perceptual sensitivity at 18 months was significantly associated with WISC-IV verbal comprehension and perceptual reasoning indices. In stratified analyses, these significant associations were found only for boys. Perceptual sensitivities in infancy were predictive of language skills as well as non-verbal reasoning in school-aged boys.

Free Research Field

子ども学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

感覚の過敏さはASDの特性の一つとされ、当事者の困り感にも直結するものである。本研究でも、幼児期の感覚の過敏さが同時期のASD特性と関連することが示された。しかし一方で、この幼児期の感覚の過敏さは、学齢期の一般知能（言語理解、知覚推理）の高さを予測した。本研究ではこの関連のメカニズムを探ることはできなかったが、今後の研究でメカニズムを解明することと、感覚の鋭敏さをポジティブにとらえて能力を育む支援に活かすことの両者が必要であると考える。