Sensory Gating in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Scoping Review.

This review looked at how well the brain filters sensory information (like sounds, lights, touch) in children with developmental differences. Researchers found that children with autism, ADHD, tics, and speech disorders often have different sensory experiences compared to other children. However, the research methods varied greatly between studies, making it hard to draw clear conclusions about how sensory processing works differently in these conditions.

This scoping review examined sensory gating (the brain's ability to filter sensory information) across neurodevelopmental disorders. Researchers analyzed 81 studies covering autism, ADHD, tic disorders, and childhood-onset fluency disorder. The review found that assessment methods varied widely, including habituation, prepulse inhibition, and questionnaire measures. Most consistently, individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders reported different sensory experiences on questionnaires compared to neurotypical controls.

Autistic individuals and those with tic disorders showed differences in habituation, while inhibition issues were more common in fluency disorders. However, evidence was inconsistent both within and between disorders, indicating sensory gating mechanisms remain poorly understood in neurodevelopmental conditions.

Findings suggest sensory gating may be a transdiagnostic mechanism but requires standardized assessment approaches. Clinicians should consider using validated sensory questionnaires. More research with consistent methodologies is needed before specific clinical recommendations can be made for sensory gating interventions.

Evidence was inconsistent within and between disorders. Assessment methods varied widely across studies, limiting comparability. The scoping review methodology means quality assessment of included studies was not conducted. Sample sizes and demographic details of the 81 reviewed studies were not reported.

This review aimed to explore the current understanding of sensory gating in neurodevelopmental disorders as a possible transdiagnostic mechanism. We applied methods according to the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis, following the population, concept, and context scoping review eligibility criteria. Using a comprehensive search strategy in five relevant research databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Scopus), we searched for relevant peer-reviewed, primary research articles and unpublished data. Two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts, full-texts, and completed data extraction.

We identified a total of 81 relevant articles and used descriptive analyses to summarize the characteristics and outcomes of all identified studies. Literature regarding sensory gating was most common in autistic populations with relatively fewer studies examining attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, tic disorders, and childhood-onset fluency disorder (COFD). The methods to assess sensory gating varied widely both within and between groups and included measures such as habituation, prepulse inhibition, affect-modulated inhibition, medication and other intervention trials. Most consistently, when participants complete questionnaires about their sensory experiences, those who have neurodevelopmental disorders report differences in their sensory gating.

Affect-modulated inhibition appears to be discrepant between samples with and without neurodevelopmental disorder diagnoses. Habituation was the most commonly reported phenomenon and many differences in habituation have been found in autistic individuals and individuals with tic disorders whereas concerns with inhibition seemed more common in COFD. Overall, the evidence is inconsistent within and between disorders suggesting there is still much to learn about sensory gating in neurodevelopmental disorders.