Development and Parasympathetic Regulation in Male and Female Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Two-Timepoint Longitudinal Study.
Rachael A Muscatello, Aaron Pachol, Alexandra Romines and 2 others
PMID 35829945WHAT IT FOUND
Adolescents with autism had lower resting heart rate variability than their typically developing peers.
Their levels failed to increase over the year as they matured, and psychotropic medication use was associated with even lower variability. BMI also predicted lower levels.
Key findings
01Youth with ASD had significantly lower resting RSA than TD peers, and their RSA did not increase over the year as TD peers' did.
02Psychotropic medication use was significantly associated with lower resting RSA.
03Higher BMI was associated with lower resting RSA, but age and pubertal stage were not.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The sample was heavily biased toward males, limiting the ability to detect sex differences. The study only covered early adolescence (ages 10-14), so developmental effects later in puberty may differ. Attrition occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing some participants from completing the second visit. The study did not examine the specific types of psychotropic medications, only their presence. The sample was limited to individuals with an IQ ≥70 and predominantly White participants. RSA is a single measure of parasympathetic function and may not capture the full picture of autonomic regulation.
Declared interests
The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that autism itself causes low heart rate variability. The study found that psychotropic medication use and higher BMI were also strong predictors of lower RSA, and these factors were more common in the ASD group. The contribution of autism versus these co-occurring factors cannot be separated.