PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
The pupil light reflex (PLR), a marker of neuronal response to light, is a well-studied index of autonomic functioning. Studies have found that autistic children and adults have slower and weaker PLR responses compared to non-autistic peers, suggesting lower autonomic control. Altered autonomic control has also been associated with increased sensory difficulties in autistic children. With autistic traits varying in the general population, recent studies have begun to examine similar questions in non-autistic individuals. The current study looked at the PLR in relation to individual differences in autistic traits in non-autistic children and adults, asking how differences in the PLR could lead to variation in autistic traits, and how this might change across development. Children and adults completed a PLR task as a measure of sensitivity to light and autonomic response. Results showed that, in adults, increased levels of restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) were associated with a weaker and slower PLR. However, in children, PLR responses were not associated with autistic traits. Differences in PLR were also found across age groups, with adults showing smaller baseline pupil diameter and stronger PLR constriction as compared with children. The current study expanded on past work to examine the PLR and autistic traits in non-autistic children and adults, and the relevance of these findings to sensory processing difficulties is discussed. Future studies should continue to examine the neural pathways that might underlie the links between sensory processing and challenging behaviors.
摘要：
瞳孔光反射(PLR),神经元对光反应的标记，是一个经过充分研究的自主功能指标。研究发现，与非自闭症同龄人相比，自闭症儿童和成人的PLR反应较慢且较弱，表明自主神经控制较低。自主控制的改变也与自闭症儿童的感觉困难增加有关。自闭症特征在普通人群中有所不同，最近的研究已经开始研究非自闭症患者的类似问题。当前的研究着眼于PLR与非自闭症儿童和成人自闭症特征的个体差异，询问PLR的差异如何导致自闭症特征的变化，以及这可能如何在整个发展过程中发生变化。儿童和成人完成了PLR任务，以衡量对光和自主神经反应的敏感性。结果表明,在成年人中,限制和重复行为（RRB）水平的增加与PLR较弱和较慢相关。然而,在儿童中，PLR反应与自闭症特征无关。PLR的差异也在各年龄组中发现，与儿童相比，成人表现出较小的基线瞳孔直径和较强的PLR收缩。当前的研究扩展了过去的工作，以检查非自闭症儿童和成人的PLR和自闭症特征，并讨论了这些发现与感官加工困难的相关性。未来的研究应该继续研究可能是感觉加工和挑战性行为之间联系的基础的神经通路。
