Different sensory dimensions in infancy are associated with separable etiological influences and with autistic traits in toddlerhood

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Sensory processing; autistic traits; etiological structure; infancy; multivariate; twin study.

Figure 1

(A) Twin correlations by zygosity for each sensory domain, as measured by the ITSP Section scores. (B) Summary of findings from univariate twin models. (C) Phenotypic correlations for the sensory domains (in green) and cross‐twin cross‐trait correlations split between monozygotic (orange) and dizygotic twins (purple). A, % variance explained by additive genetics (heritability); C, % variance explained by shared environmental influences; DZ, dizygotic twins; E, % variance explained by unique environmental influences; ITSP, Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile; MZ, monozygotic twins. Error bars are showing 95% confidence intervals

Figure 2

Common pathway model solution to the multivariate model of sensory domain scores, as measured by Sections from the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile. Observed measures are represented by squares, and latent factors by circles. Variance partitions (with 95% confidence intervals) are reported on the edges

Figure 3

(A) Twin correlations by zygosity for each sensory Quadrant. (B) Summary of findings from univariate twin models. (C) Phenotypic correlations for the sensory Quadrants (in green) and cross‐twin cross‐trait correlations split between monozygotic (orange) and dizygotic twins (purple). A, % variance explained by additive genetics (heritability); C, % variance explained by shared environment influences; CTCT, cross‐twin cross‐trait; DZ, dizygotic twins; E, % variance explained by unique environment influences; ITSP, Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile; MZ, monozygotic twins. Error bars are showing 95% confidence intervals

Figure 4

Independent pathways model solution to the multivariate model of sensory quadrants, as measured by the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile. Observed measures are represented by squares, and latent factors by circles. Variance partitions (with 95% confidence intervals) are reported on the edges

Figure 5

Bivariate ACE Cholesky models on the association between sensory scores from the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile measured at 5 months (5 m) and autistic traits measured by the Quantitative Autism Checklist for Toddlers at 36 months of age (36 m). The different panels show specific model solutions for: (A) sensory sensitivity; (B) sensation avoiding; (C) low registration; (D) tactile domain. Observed measures are represented by squares, and latent factors by circles. Variance partitions (with 95% confidence intervals) are reported on the edges