Sensory processing disorder. Example of how visual, auditory and somatosensory information merge into multisensory integration representation in the superior colliculus Sensory processing disorder (SPD; also known as sensory integration dysfunction) is a condition that exists when multisensory integration is not adequately processed in order to provide appropriate responses to the demands of the environment. Sensory integration was defined by occupational therapist Anna Jean Ayres in 1972 as "the neurological process that organizes sensation from one's own body and from the environment and makes it possible to use the body effectively within the environment".[3][4] Classification[edit] Sensory processing disorders are classified into three broad categories: sensory modulation disorder, sensory based motor disorders and sensory discrimination disorders.[5][6][7] Sensory modulation disorder (SMD) consists of over-responding,[5][8] or under-responding to sensory stimuli or seeking sensory stimulation.
Causes[edit] Sensory Processing Disorder Is Common Among Those On The Spectrum. But What’s It Like? Breakthrough Study Reveals Biological Basis for Sensory Processing Disorders in Kids. Sensory processing disorders (SPD) are more prevalent in children than autism and as common as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, yet the condition receives far less attention partly because it’s never been recognized as a distinct disease. Pratik Mukherjee, MD, PhD In a groundbreaking new study from UC San Francisco, researchers have found that children affected with SPD have quantifiable differences in brain structure, for the first time showing a biological basis for the disease that sets it apart from other neurodevelopmental disorders. One of the reasons SPD has been overlooked until now is that it often occurs in children who also have ADHD or autism, and the disorders have not been listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by psychiatrists and psychologists.
“Until now, SPD hasn’t had a known biological underpinning,” said senior author Pratik Mukherjee, MD, PhD, a professor of radiology and biomedical imaging and bioengineering at UCSF. ‘Out of Sync’ Kids. Sensory Processing Disorder Checklist.