Sensory Integration Dysfunction

Sensory Integration Dysfunction causes abnormalities in how a person processes the major five senses of touch, movement, smell, taste, vision, and hearing, as well as proprioception, interoception, and the vestibular system. It may be an independent disorder, or may co-occur with Autism Spectrum Disorders or Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

Sensory integration enables a person to collect information through the above five senses, to relate the new information with the information already stored in the brain (in the form of memories, knowledge, etc.), and to derive coherent meaning based on the new and the old information. Once the information is so processed by the brain (in the mid-brain and brainstem regions of the brain), the information flows to other regions of the brain ''"responsible for emotions, memory, and higher level cognitive functions." ''

Sensory integration issues can be improved in sensory integration therapy.