Sensory Processing and Executive Functioning in Autistic Adults.
Under-responding to sensory input—not over-responding—predicts executive struggles in autistic adults, and sex changes the pattern.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Menezes et al. (2025) asked autistic and non-autistic adults about daily sensory and executive-function challenges. They used standard checklists, not lab tasks. The team looked for which sensory pattern best predicted EF trouble.
What they found
Hyporeactivity—under-responding to sounds, lights, or touch—was the only sensory pattern that forecast EF problems. Hyperreactivity did not. Women and men showed different links; sex mattered.
How this fits with other research
Sapey-Triomphe et al. (2023) also found autistic adults report more sensory issues, yet their neural tests looked normal. The new study extends that work by showing hyporeactivity, not general sensitivity, drives EF deficits.
Nijs et al. (2016) used EEG to tie sensory sensitivity to auditory attention. Michelle’s team widens the lens: hyporeactivity now predicts broader executive skills like planning and impulse control.
Payne et al. (2020) saw sex-specific brain links for sensory over-responsivity in youth. The 2025 paper mirrors this in adults—sex again shapes how sensory differences play out.
Why it matters
Screen for under-responsivity when autistic adults report forgetfulness or disorganization. Add hyporeactivity items to your intake forms. Note the client’s sex when you interpret results, then build supports like visual schedules or alert systems that match their sensory profile.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
PURPOSE: One of the core features that can be experienced by adults on the autism spectrum is hyper- and hyporeactivity to sensory stimuli. Research suggests that executive functioning (EF) impairments are related to sensory issues. In this study the relationship between sensory processing issues and EF was investigated. We expected sensory processing issues to predict EF impairments. METHODS: Thirty men and 30 women on the autism spectrum, 20 men and 24 women without autism were included and matched on intelligence and age. Group comparisons were conducted to determine if groups differed regarding self-reported sensory processing issues (GSQ-NL) and self-reports on EF (BRIEF-A). Correlational and regression analyses were carried out to investigate the relationship between self-reports on GSQ-NL and BRIEF-A. RESULTS: We found significant differences between men and women on the spectrum with regard to sensory processing issues and EF. Hyporeactivity to sensory information explained most of the EF problems. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should be aware of differences in sensory experiences between adults on the spectrum and non-autistic adults and differences between men and women during assessment and subsequent counselling.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025 · doi:10.1159/000474949