Associations between retained primitive reflexes and cognitive performance in autism spectrum disorder

Objective: We hypothesized that directing multimodal sensory stimulation to one side of the brain, particularly targeting theoretically underdeveloped networks, would facilitate the integration of hemispheric connectivities, and these changes would be observed alongside improvements in cognitive function in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (T.E.N.S.) was applied as the primary somatosensory modality to stimulate the right hemisphere, along with retained primitive reflex stimulation. Neuropsychological testing included behavioral scales, academic achievement measures, and IQ subtest scores. In this study, we sought evidence to identify objective deficits that correlated with retained primitive reflexes and cognitive function. We then compared the existence of retained primitive reflexes and cognitive function in each participant before and after hemispheric stimulation, as well as in comparison to a control group receiving sham treatment. Results: Support was found for the observation that reduction of retained primitive reflexes following unilateral T.E.N.S. stimulation was associated with concurrent improvements in cognitive performance in ASD. While these findings suggest parallel changes, the present study cannot determine whether reflex integration mediates the cognitive gains or whether both are influenced by broader changes in neural connectivity.