Individual differences in sensory sensitivity: A synthesizing framework and evidence from normal variation and...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Sensory Processing

Background:

• Some individuals experience intense, aversive reactions to simple sensory stimuli.
• This sensory sensitivity varies across the neurotypical population and is prevalent in clinical groups like autism spectrum disorder.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate individual differences in sensory sensitivity.
• To explore the neurobiological underpinnings of sensory sensitivity.
• To propose a roadmap for future research in this domain.

Main Methods:

• Distinguishing between subjective (self-reported), neural (brain activity), and behavioral (detection/discrimination) sensory sensitivity.
• Presenting a signal detection framework to unify the study of sensory sensitivity.
• Linking the framework to theoretical accounts: excitation-inhibition ratio, predictive coding, neural noise, and brain connectivity.

Main Results:

• Subjective and neural sensory sensitivity are often correlated.
• Behavioral sensory sensitivity's relationship with neural activity depends on signal versus noise.
• A signal detection framework provides a unified approach to understanding sensory sensitivity variations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed signal detection framework offers a unifying model for sensory sensitivity research.
• Understanding the neurobiological basis of sensory sensitivity is crucial for clinical and neurotypical populations.
• Future research should leverage this framework to investigate atypical sensory processing.