Uploaded August 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Learn research updates on pain, sensory issues, and autism.
Free certificates of participation are available upon successful completion of a brief knowledge quiz after the webinar. The quiz will be posted on the playback page at autism.org/pain-sensory-issues-and-autism
Dr. Tami Bar-Shalita’s research focuses on understanding sensory processing including pain as a predisposing factor or a contributing factor in various health conditions. She received her undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy and her Ph.D. in Medical Sciences from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After Postdoctoral training at the University of Southern California, she joined Tel Aviv University, where she is now a senior lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, heading the graduate program as well as the Sensory Integration Lab.
Dr. Yelena Granovsky is a research neurophysiologist. Her research interests addressing a wide range of mechanisms underlying pain and modalities of pain treatment. She utilizes advanced neurophysiological and behavioral tools for identification of pain biomarkers. Dr. Granovsky received her M.Sc-PhD degree in Medical Sciences from the Technion. After Postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan, she joined the research team in the Lab of Clinical Neurophysiology in Rambam Health Care Campus and Technion Medical Faculty, where she is now a senior lecturer.
Merry Kalingel Levi is an occupational therapist, MSc and Ph.D. candidate in the Occupational Therapy department at the University of Haifa. Her Ph.D. is focused on studying the pain experience of autistic people using qualitative and quantitative approaches.
In this webinar:
4:00 – Introduction
7:00 – Sensory modulation dysfunction and pain perception by Dr. Tami Bar-Shalita
7:58 – Video: SOR experience
9:30 – What is pain?
10:20 – Study 1: Pain Perception in individuals with SOR
11:15 – Findings
12:50 – Published studies on SOR
13:25 – SMDolor Model – Based on E/I imbalance theory
15:08 – Historical context of autism and pain
17:00 – Study 2: Pain ratings of suprathreshold stimuli
18:20 – Findings
20:48 – Qualitative Exploration of Pain Experience by Merry Kalingal Levi
21:35 – Study 3: Qualitative exploration of pain experiences in autism
22:40 – Findings
25:30 – Lived experiences and accessibility suggestions
27:45 – Neurophysiology of pain in autism by Dr. Yelena Granovsky
28:30 – Study 4: EEG activity in autism
29:45 – Results
34:00 – Study 5: Pain-evoked potentials
37:00 – Findings
38:36 – Study 6: Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
40:00 – Findings
44:00 – Summary and conclusions
46:00 – Q&A
Learn research updates on pain, sensory issues, and autism.
Free certificates of participation are available upon successful completion of a brief knowledge quiz after the webinar. The quiz will be posted on the playback page at autism.org/pain-sensory-issues-and-autism
Dr. Tami Bar-Shalita’s research focuses on understanding sensory processing including pain as a predisposing factor or a contributing factor in various health conditions. She received her undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy and her Ph.D. in Medical Sciences from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After Postdoctoral training at the University of Southern California, she joined Tel Aviv University, where she is now a senior lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, heading the graduate program as well as the Sensory Integration Lab.
Dr. Yelena Granovsky is a research neurophysiologist. Her research interests addressing a wide range of mechanisms underlying pain and modalities of pain treatment. She utilizes advanced neurophysiological and behavioral tools for identification of pain biomarkers. Dr. Granovsky received her M.Sc-PhD degree in Medical Sciences from the Technion. After Postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan, she joined the research team in the Lab of Clinical Neurophysiology in Rambam Health Care Campus and Technion Medical Faculty, where she is now a senior lecturer.
Merry Kalingel Levi is an occupational therapist, MSc and Ph.D. candidate in the Occupational Therapy department at the University of Haifa. Her Ph.D. is focused on studying the pain experience of autistic people using qualitative and quantitative approaches.
In this webinar:
4:00 – Introduction
7:00 – Sensory modulation dysfunction and pain perception by Dr. Tami Bar-Shalita
7:58 – Video: SOR experience
9:30 – What is pain?
10:20 – Study 1: Pain Perception in individuals with SOR
11:15 – Findings
12:50 – Published studies on SOR
13:25 – SMDolor Model – Based on E/I imbalance theory
15:08 – Historical context of autism and pain
17:00 – Study 2: Pain ratings of suprathreshold stimuli
18:20 – Findings
20:48 – Qualitative Exploration of Pain Experience by Merry Kalingal Levi
21:35 – Study 3: Qualitative exploration of pain experiences in autism
22:40 – Findings
25:30 – Lived experiences and accessibility suggestions
27:45 – Neurophysiology of pain in autism by Dr. Yelena Granovsky
28:30 – Study 4: EEG activity in autism
29:45 – Results
34:00 – Study 5: Pain-evoked potentials
37:00 – Findings
38:36 – Study 6: Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
40:00 – Findings
44:00 – Summary and conclusions
46:00 – Q&A
