Research Findings: Health and Neurological Patterns in the Sensitive Autistic Neurotype

This page offers opportunities to participate in research and explore survey findings related to high sensitivity, adult-discovered autism, and the Sensitive Autistic Neurotype.

Participate in Research

You are invited to participate in these anonymous surveys:

• Health and Neurological Survey for Autistic Individuals (Anonymous)

• General Autism Poll (Anonymous)

Sharing and Citation

If you would like to share or reference the research on this page, please link directly to this page so the information remains connected to the full context and updated findings.

Why This Research Matters

As more adults explore the connection between high sensitivity and autism, many are beginning to recognize that what was once understood only as high sensitivity, anxiety, overwhelm, or feeling different may also reflect an autistic neurotype.

This has been especially important for women and other high-masking adults, whose autistic traits were often overlooked, misunderstood, or misattributed. Many people learned to adapt so skillfully on the outside that their internal lived experience remained unseen.

Part of the purpose of this research is to help bring greater clarity to these patterns, while also increasing awareness of the Sensitive Autistic Neurotype and the many adults who may have gone unrecognized for years.

Research Findings: Health and Neurological Patterns in the Sensitive Autistic Neurotype

Julie Bjelland, LMFT, conducted this survey to better understand the health and neurological patterns of autistic individuals.

The Health and Neurological Survey for Autistic Individuals revealed significant self-reported health trends among respondents. The survey primarily included autistic individuals or those who suspect they may be autistic, with 92.6% of respondents identifying as women. These findings highlight the broad range of co-occurring health concerns that may affect autistic adults.

Most commonly reported health concerns

1. Gastrointestinal issues (95.3%)
Many respondents reported gastrointestinal concerns, including irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, frequent diarrhea, and gastroesophageal reflux.

2. Anxiety (88.6%)
Many reported excessive worry, nervous system intensity, panic attacks, and stress related to uncertainty and transitions.

3. Sleep difficulties (87.9%)
Common challenges included trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and irregular sleep-wake cycles.

4. Auditory processing difficulties (87.2%)
Many respondents described difficulty understanding spoken information, especially in noisy environments.

5. Autoimmune and immune-related conditions (87.2%)
Frequently reported concerns included allergies, asthma, eczema, food sensitivities, and suspected autoimmune issues.

6. Executive functioning difficulties (85.2%)
Many respondents described struggles with planning, organizing, time management, task initiation, and task completion.

7. Fatigue (79.9%)
Fatigue was commonly reported, including severe exhaustion, reduced capacity, and ongoing energy regulation difficulties.

8. Depression (71.1%)
Many respondents reported sadness, hopelessness, reduced motivation, and emotional strain.

9. Chronic pain (63.8%)
Common pain-related concerns included headaches, migraines, joint hypermobility, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

10. Medication sensitivity (47.7%)
Nearly half of respondents reported strong side effects, sensitivity to dosage changes, or difficulty tolerating medications.

11. Cardiovascular issues (45%)
Respondents reported concerns such as palpitations, blood pressure fluctuations, and circulatory difficulties.

12. Thyroid disorders (32.2%)
Over one-third reported thyroid-related concerns, including hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Survey limitations

This survey is self-reported. The findings reflect the experiences and awareness of respondents at the time they participated. Some people may have undiagnosed health conditions and not yet know about them. These results are best understood as reported patterns, not formal medical assessment data.

What these findings suggest

The survey findings point to a wide range of co-occurring health conditions among autistic adults. Gut health concerns, anxiety, sleep difficulties, auditory processing differences, immune-related conditions, executive functioning challenges, fatigue, depression, chronic pain, medication sensitivity, cardiovascular issues, and thyroid concerns were among the most commonly reported.

These findings reinforce the importance of taking a more holistic view of autistic health and of supporting autistic individuals in ways that are informed by their full lived experience.

The strong representation of late-identified autistic adults and those still exploring their neurotype also highlights the importance of accessible diagnostic pathways, affirming education, and supportive community.

If you share this information, please link back to this page as these statistics may be updated.