Alessia Checcone Rose Hills
Mapping Brain Networks in Children with Sensory Over-Responsivity
For some children with sensory over-responsivity (SOR), an ordinary sound or the feeling of clothing against skin can be overwhelming. Common in children with ADHD and autism, SOR also affects many children without formal diagnoses, influencing how they learn, socialize, and regulate emotions. My research examines the brain architecture of neurodivergent children with and without SOR to better understand its neural mechanisms. Using brain MRI data from nearly 200 neurodivergent children, I measure how closely gray matter regions of the cerebral cortex resemble one another in thickness and volume, creating maps of whole-brain network architecture. I relate these patterns to measures of emotional regulation to test whether the brain connectivity linked to sensory differences is associated with resilience or dysregulation. By integrating these findings with prior diffusion MRI and functional MRI work, I aim to identify converging brain-based markers of SOR. Ultimately, these insights may help distinguish children who cope more easily with sensory input from those who struggle, guiding personalized care.
Message To Sponsor
Thank you for your generous support in making this summer research possible. Sensory over-responsivity shapes a great deal of behavior and processing in formative years, and the opportunity to spend the summer working toward a better understanding of it means a great deal to me. I'm excited for the chance to contribute to research that might one day make a difference for these children.