Sensory Habituation in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Stopped early · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Sensory Over-Responsivity

In brief

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most common developmental disabilities and often people with ASD have sensory processing disorders. These sensory processing disorders are often associated with problem behaviors and, more recently, have been connected to anxiety disorders in people with ASD. While it has been suggested that sensory processing responses in ASD could be malleable, current treatment strategies for sensory processing disorders in ASD have inconsistent results or lack large-sample sized data. This investigation will explore changes in neurophysiological activity in people with ASD and neurotypical peers after they are exposed to an unpleasant visual stimulus through a virtual reality systematic desensitization protocol. 30 people with ASD and 30 neurotypical people between the ages 7 - 35 will be recruited. The study have, 1) a practice magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visit with questionnaires, 2) a per-exposure MRI with structural and functional MRI collections, 3) a virtual reality systematic desensitization session where we will record the participant's physiological response using an Emotibit device, and 4) a post-exposure MRI session with structural and functional MRI collections. This investigation aims to quantify changes in neurophysiological responses in order to determine the effect of systematic desensitization.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06247176

Run by

University of Nebraska

People needed

1

Starts

2024-01-08

Expected to finish

2024-10-07

Last updated by the study team

2026-05-29

Who can join

Age: 7 and older, up to 18. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• For our patient population
• people with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder
• people who have sensory over-responsivity
• can wear a VR headset for up to 20 minutes
• can understand and follow directions
• For neurotypical participants
• can wear a VR headset for up to 20 minutes
• can understand and follow directions

You may not qualify if…

• 1) if you have any known visual impairment that will make it difficult to watch an object in a VR headset 2) inability to wear a VR headset 3) a history of seizures 4) A subject with orthodontic braces or metallic implants, such as prostheses, shrapnel, or aneurysm clips, or persons with electronic implants, such as cardiac pacemakers. The magnetic field generated by the MRI machine can cause a displacement or malfunctioning of these devices; 5) A subject who is claustrophobic, unable to stay still in the scanner for 40 minutes, or unable to be in the MRI scanner room alone;

Where it is running

• University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Insitute — Omaha, Nebraska, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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