Heterogeneity of Sensory Traits in ASD

Phenotypic differences of autistic traits are characterized in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The term, “spectrum” defines the heterogeneity of specific traits between developmental, social, behavioral, and cognitive deficits in ASD. Particularly, sensory processing atypicality is a heterogenic trait that presents a diverse range of sensory symptoms and behavioral responses to sensory stimuli. Neuroimaging studies identify aberrant sensory features in ASD, expressed by the type of sensory stimuli and behavioral response that share a relation to the expression of aberrant patterns on brain activity. Often the level of sensory severity in ASD is tied within the core symptoms of autism and are rarely viewed separately to assess the heterogeneity. Understanding the neurobiological implications on the heterogeneity of sensory traits in ASD gives rise to accurate clinical approaches and uncover the challenge of pre-evidencebased therapy techniques that are unable to account for this heterogeneity. A review of different ASD sensory traits and responses are discussed to reveal the impact of targeted interventions