Different sensory dimensions in infancy are associated with separable etiological influences and with autistic traits in toddlerhood
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2025
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| _version_ | 1867006619907260416 |
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| author | Giorgia Bussu Ana Maria Portugal Terje Falck‐Ytter |
| author_facet | Giorgia Bussu Ana Maria Portugal Terje Falck‐Ytter Giorgia Bussu Ana Maria Portugal Terje Falck‐Ytter |
| collection | Wiley Open Access |
| contents | Different sensory dimensions in infancy are associated with separable etiological influences and with autistic traits in toddlerhood Giorgia Bussu Ana Maria Portugal Terje Falck‐Ytter Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Background Infants vary significantly in the way they process and respond to sensory stimuli, and altered sensory processing has been reported among infants later diagnosed with autism. Previous work with adolescents and adults suggests that variability in sensory processing may have a strong genetic basis. Yet, little is known about the etiological factors influencing sensory differences in infancy, when brain circuits supporting social and non‐social cognition are sculpted and learning about the world via sensory input largely occurs in interaction with caregivers. Methods We analysed data from a community sample of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) 5‐month‐old same‐sex twins ( n = 285 pairs, n = 158 MZ pairs, n = 150 male pairs) from the BabyTwins Study in Sweden (BATSS) using exploratory factor analysis, generalised estimating equations and multivariate twin models to delineate the phenotypic and etiological structure of individual variability across different sensory processing dimensions, as measured by the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile. Developmental links to later autistic traits were also assessed, as measured by total scores from the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers at 36 months. Results Results suggested separability between sensory processing dimensions (i.e. sensation seeking, sensation avoiding, sensory sensitivity and low registration) at a phenotypic and etiological level, with significant contributions from additive genetics and family environment that were unique to each sensory dimension and significant but smaller contributions from shared influences. Sensory domains also showed etiological separability, with unique genetic influences to each domain, while contributions from shared environment were in part shared across domains. A higher incidence of tactile‐related behaviours and behaviours associated with sensory sensitivity, sensation avoiding, and low registration were significantly associated with higher levels of autistic traits in toddlerhood. Conclusions This study provides a map of the phenotypic and etiological structure of sensory processing in infancy, which will be informative for studies of both typical and atypical development. 10.1111/jcpp.14143 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| doi_str_mv | 10.1111/jcpp.14143 |
| format | Artículo Open Access |
| id | wiley_oa_10_1111_jcpp_14143 |
| institution | Wiley Open Access |
| license_str_mv | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | wiley_oa |
| spellingShingle | Different sensory dimensions in infancy are associated with separable etiological influences and with autistic traits in toddlerhood Giorgia Bussu Ana Maria Portugal Terje Falck‐Ytter Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Different sensory dimensions in infancy are associated with separable etiological influences and with autistic traits in toddlerhood Giorgia Bussu Ana Maria Portugal Terje Falck‐Ytter Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Background Infants vary significantly in the way they process and respond to sensory stimuli, and altered sensory processing has been reported among infants later diagnosed with autism. Previous work with adolescents and adults suggests that variability in sensory processing may have a strong genetic basis. Yet, little is known about the etiological factors influencing sensory differences in infancy, when brain circuits supporting social and non‐social cognition are sculpted and learning about the world via sensory input largely occurs in interaction with caregivers. Methods We analysed data from a community sample of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) 5‐month‐old same‐sex twins ( n = 285 pairs, n = 158 MZ pairs, n = 150 male pairs) from the BabyTwins Study in Sweden (BATSS) using exploratory factor analysis, generalised estimating equations and multivariate twin models to delineate the phenotypic and etiological structure of individual variability across different sensory processing dimensions, as measured by the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile. Developmental links to later autistic traits were also assessed, as measured by total scores from the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers at 36 months. Results Results suggested separability between sensory processing dimensions (i.e. sensation seeking, sensation avoiding, sensory sensitivity and low registration) at a phenotypic and etiological level, with significant contributions from additive genetics and family environment that were unique to each sensory dimension and significant but smaller contributions from shared influences. Sensory domains also showed etiological separability, with unique genetic influences to each domain, while contributions from shared environment were in part shared across domains. A higher incidence of tactile‐related behaviours and behaviours associated with sensory sensitivity, sensation avoiding, and low registration were significantly associated with higher levels of autistic traits in toddlerhood. Conclusions This study provides a map of the phenotypic and etiological structure of sensory processing in infancy, which will be informative for studies of both typical and atypical development. 10.1111/jcpp.14143 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| title | Different sensory dimensions in infancy are associated with separable etiological influences and with autistic traits in toddlerhood |
| topic | Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry |
| url | https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.14143 |