# Examining Stress and Arousal Across Pubertal Development in ASD

> **NIH NIH R01** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $318,660

## Abstract

Adolescence, the transition between childhood and adulthood, coincides with pubertal development, which is a
time of remarkable psychological, physical, hormonal and social changes – a pivotal and critical transition
for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A variety of physiological changes also occur which
is evident in primary regulatory systems including the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and the
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS). These changes result in patterns of enhanced arousal and response
to perceived stressors, which have led to a puberty-HPA stress hypothesis. Although this enhanced
responsivity may help prepare the individual to adapt to increased demands and new challenges, it may
increase vulnerability in youth with ASD who are already prone to enhanced physiological arousal and poor
adaption to change. Collectively, findings from the research team have shown: 1) children with ASD exhibit
more variability in physiological regulation and heightened response to stress over development, 2) higher
cortisol to social interaction and lower cortisol to social threat in ASD, 3) a significant rise in emotion
dysregulation (e.g., anxiety) in adolescence, 4) strong associations between social functioning, stress, and
pubertal status, and 5) developmental transitions are pivotal to predicting risk and resiliency in individuals with
ASD. Thus, we posit that there is significant need for enhanced study of the interplay between social and
emotional functioning and stress across pubertal development to examine this potentially susceptible period in
ASD. To examine developmental changes across puberty, the study will utilize a cross-sequential design by
assessing male and female) children with ASD or typical development (TD) between 10 and 15 years
measured longitudinally by following two cohorts for four years. Cohort 1 enrolled at 10-years (follow 10 to 13)
and Cohort 2 enrolled at 12-years (follow 12 to 15) will be measured annually for four years. The cross-
sectional or cohort effects will be tested when participants are 12 and 13 years of age. Pubertal development
change will be examined by physiological (cortisol, Testosterone, Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia), behavioral
(clinical, behavioral coding) and interpersonal (self-report and parent report) measures taken before and after
social tasks. The results from this investigation may provide better understanding of the physiological and
psychological processes and changes over pubertal development in children and youth with ASD. Moreover,
these indices will be examined in relation to social functioning and emotional well-being to reveal potential
relationships with comorbid conditions such as anxiety and depression. Thus, the overarching goal is to
examine stress and arousal across pubertal development in ASD to ultimately identify potential risk factors,
treatment targets, and therapeutic strategies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10178110
- **Project number:** 5R01MH111599-05
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Blythe Anne Corbett
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $318,660
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10178110

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10178110, Examining Stress and Arousal Across Pubertal Development in ASD (5R01MH111599-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10178110. Licensed CC0.

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