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Exploring the Relationship of Autonomic and Endocrine Activity with Social Functioning in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

Several studies indicate that autonomic and endocrine activity may be related to social functioning in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), although the number of studies in adults is limited. The present study explored the relationship of autonomic and endocrine activity with social functioning in young adult males with ASD compared to young adult males without ASD. Autonomic and endocrine activity (i.e. heart rate, heart rate variability and salivary cortisol) were measured during rest and social interaction. No differences in heart rate, heart rate variability and cortisol between both groups were found during rest and social interaction. Repeated measures ANOVA’s indicate a main effect of time for heart rate and cortisol, indicating an increase in these measures for both groups. An interaction effect between time and group was found for heart rate, with the ASD group showing a blunted increase in heart rate from rest to social interaction as compared to those without ASD. Future research should focus on replicating the present findings with larger sample sizes which also enables assessing inter-individual variability in autonomic and endocrine activity in relation to social functioning.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank M. Ronk en D. de Munnik for their help in data-collection and administering the SSPA. Moreover, the authors would like to thank T. L. Patterson and colleagues for providing the SSPA guidelines and training materials.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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  1. Department of Research and Development, Dr. Leo Kannerhuis (R&D), Houtsniplaan 1a, P.O. Box 62, 6865 ZH, Doorwerth, The Netherlands

    I. Smeekens & E. W. M. Verhoeven

  2. Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    I. Smeekens & R. Didden

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Smeekens, I., Didden, R. & Verhoeven, E.W.M. Exploring the Relationship of Autonomic and Endocrine Activity with Social Functioning in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 45, 495–505 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1947-z

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