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Psychophysical correlates in adults with sensory modulation disorder
Tami Bar-Shalita1, Jean-Jacques Vatine, Shula Parush
1School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine of Hadassah and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
Disability and Rehabilitation
|December 14, 2011
Summary
Adults with sensory modulation disorder (SMD) exhibit heightened pain responses and reduced tactile sensation. These findings suggest central nervous system involvement, consistent with previous research on children with SMD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Processing
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Sensory modulation disorder (SMD) involves abnormal responses to stimuli, impacting daily life.
- Quantitative sensory testing (QST) has not been extensively used to characterize SMD in adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess somatosensory sensitivity in adults with SMD.
- To compare sensory detection and pain thresholds between adults with and without SMD.
Main Methods:
- 151 adults (91 with SMD, 60 controls) were evaluated using the Sensory Responsiveness Questionnaire (SRQ).
- QST assessed thresholds for warmth, cooling, tactile sensation, vibration, thermal pain, and prickle stimuli.
- Duration and intensity of after-sensations were also measured.
Main Results:
- SMD adults reported significantly higher pain intensity to prickle stimuli compared to controls.
- Hypoesthesia to punctate dynamic tactile sensation was observed in SMD adults at one tested site.
- Marginally higher pain intensity to pinprick was noted in the SMD group.
Conclusions:
- Findings align with previous studies on children with SMD, indicating consistent somatosensory alterations.
- Suggests potential central nervous system (CNS) mechanisms underlying sensory modulation disorder.
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