Sensory sensitivity: Mechanisms, triggers and soothers

感觉过敏症可以被描述为对一种或多种感觉方式的刺激的敏感性，这些刺激可能会导致不适或不适，或者是抚慰和安慰，具体取决于个体。它与神经多样性以及一些健康和神经状况有关，但也有许多人在没有临床诊断的情况下报告了这种情况。有感觉过敏的人会发现日常任务，如购物或访问健康和教育机构具有挑战性，他们的应对机制通常是费力的。这项研究项目探索了视觉敏感性的机制、触发因素和安慰因素，并将神经成像与定性研究相结合。关于感觉敏感性的潜在生物机制的早期理论正在形成(例如，神经递质兴奋/抑制比增加或网络连接的个体差异)，但尚未完全阐明。此外，到目前为止，探索感官敏感度的工作使用了专门为这项任务开发的实验刺激，但忽略了对公共场所室内景观中常见的“真实世界”刺激的探索，尽管这些刺激经常被报道为视觉不适的来源。因此，本博士将试图确定以下问题：1)视觉敏感性的神经机制是什么？2)临床和商业空间中发现的物理环境中哪些常见的环境元素会引发视觉敏感性，哪些元素有助于缓解这些因素？使用建筑环境中的刺激的功能神经成像方法将试图确定建筑规范的哪些特定方面(例如，光强度和色调、墙壁图案和颜色等)会导致视觉不适，哪些有助于缓解视觉不适。新的研究表明，绿光可以降低偏头痛发作的频率和严重程度，而蓝光可以触发偏头痛发作。同样，无处不在的垂直条纹声学镶板可能对失语症患者有帮助，但会导致视觉敏感者恶心和头晕。在这项研究中，将神经成像与“真实世界”刺激结合使用，不仅有助于识别特定的触发因素和安慰因素，还可以探索视觉敏感性的潜在生物机制。与功能神经成像相结合，定性研究将支持该项目的生态有效性。听到感官敏感者在公共空间导航时的生活经历，将有助于更广泛地了解设计师和建筑师如何更好地适应建筑环境中的感官敏感者。博士学位将与学生作为室内设计师的专业角色一起兼职完成，使研究成果直接影响公共空间的设计。这是一个独特的机会，通过他们的专业经验和相关联系人，可以同时将环境刺激知识应用于这项研究，并将结果告知建筑环境指南。因此，该博士的研究成果将为公共空间带来切实的变化，使许多使用公共空间的人受益。

Sensory hypersensitivity can be described as sensitivity to stimuli across one or more sensory modalities which can cause discomfort or overwhelm, or be soothing and comforting, depending on the individual. It is associated with areas of neurodiversity and a number of health and neurological conditions, but is also reported by many without a clinical diagnosis. People who have sensory hypersensitivities can find everyday tasks such as shopping or visiting health and education settings challenging, and their coping mechanisms are often effortful. This research project explores the mechanisms, triggers and soothers of visual sensitivities and combines neuroimaging with qualitative research. Early theories as to potential biomechanisms of sensory sensitivities are emerging (E.g., increased neurotransmitter excitation/inhibition ratio or individual differences in network connectivity) but are yet to be fully elucidated. Further, work exploring sensory sensitivities to date has used experimental stimuli developed specifically for the task but has neglected the exploration of 'real world' stimuli that are commonly found in the interior landscape of public spaces, despite these being an often-reported source of visual discomfort. This PhD will therefore seek to identify the following:1) What are the neural mechanisms of visual sensitivities?2) What are common environmental elements of the physical environment found in clinical and commercial spaces which trigger visual sensitivities, and which elements help to soothe these?Functional neuroimaging methods using stimuli from the built environment will seek to identify which specific aspects of architectural specifications (e.g. light intensity and hue, wall patterns and colours etc) contribute to visual discomfort and which help to soothe it. Emerging research suggests that green light can reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks, whilst blue light can trigger them. Likewise, ubiquitous vertically striped acoustic panelling may help those with misophonia but can induce nausea and dizziness in those with visual sensitivities. Using neuroimaging with 'real world' stimuli in this research may not just help to identify specific triggers and soothers but also enables the exploration of potential biomechanisms of visual sensitivities.In tandem to functional neuroimaging, qualitative research will support the ecological validity of the project. Hearing the lived experiences of people with sensory hypersensitivity when navigating public spaces will contribute to a broader understanding of how designers and architects can better accommodate people with sensory sensitivities in the built environment. The PhD will be completed part time alongside the students' professional role as an interior designer, allowing research outcomes to directly impact the design of public spaces. This represents a unique opportunity through their professional experience and associated contacts to simultaneously apply knowledge of environmental stimuli to this research and to inform guidelines for the built environment with the results. The research outcomes of this PhD would therefore inform tangible changes to public spaces, to the benefit of many who use them.