UCSF study identifies neural signatures of sensory overload in children

In the search for a way to measure different forms of a condition called sensory processing disorder, neuroscientists are using imaging to see how young brains process sensory stimulation.

Now, investigators at UC San Francisco have found a distinctive pattern for overwhelm in some children who are overly sensitive to sound, touch, and visual information. The finding could one day help clinicians refine treatments for kids who have strong emotional and behavioral reactions, such as tantrums, to their sensory environment.

Sensory processing disorder affects how the brain understands and responds to sensory information but still lacks an official medical diagnosis. The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), appears in the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders on Nov. 21, 2025.

Researchers at UCSF studied 83 neurodivergent children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old. About half were highly sensitive to certain noises, lights, or tactile sensations, while the other half weren't. When scientists imaged their brains using functional MRI, which measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood oxygenation levels, they found significant differences between the two groups.

For over-responsive children, the activity in brain networks that govern so-called "outward" functions, such as motor skills and sensation, was low, while the activity in brain networks that regulate "inward" functions, like cognition and impulse control, was high. This was exactly opposite of the pattern that scientists observed in the less sensitive children.

"We think that when you are overstimulated by sensory input, you compensate by dialing up your brain's inward-focused networks to gain self-control. You also dial down your outward-focused networks to minimize sensory input," said Pratik Mukherjee, MD, PhD, a UCSF neuroradiology professor and co-senior author of the study with Elysa Marco, MD, a pediatric neurologist. "The kids who aren't emotionally overwhelmed by the input - some are even under-responsive to it - do the opposite."

Past research indicates 5% to 12% of children in the U.S. have sensory processing challenges, and this may explain much of the emotional volatility in the school-age population. 

Treatment for over-responsive children often focuses on gradually exposing them to sensory input over time so they learn to tolerate it. Mukherjee said the team's findings could help improve these therapies: "If we know an individual child's brain patterns and how that maps to emotion and behavior, we may be able to use this to personalize treatments."