title: Physiologic Arousal to Social Stress in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Pilot Study.
abstract: Little is known about arousal to socially stressful situations in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. This preliminary study investigates physiologic arousal in children with high functioning autism (HFA, n=19) compared to a comparison group (n=11) before, during, and after the Trier Social Stress Test. The HFA group was more likely to have a decrease in salivary cortisol following the stressor, while the comparison group was more likely to have an increase (p=.02). However, there was no difference in electrodermal activity, a measure of sympathetic arousal, or vagal tone, a measure of parasympathetic activity, between groups. These findings implicate a differential neuroendocrine response to social stress in children with HFA despite similar sympathetic and parasympathetic responses during a stressor. Further studies are required to substantiate this finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
authors.forename: Todd P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sheinkopf
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pescosolido
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodino
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elia
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lester
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