Initial action output and feedback-guided motor behaviors in autism spectrum disorder.
Kathryn E Unruh, Walker S McKinney, Erin K Bojanek and 3 others
PMID 34246292WHAT IT FOUND
Adults and children with autism showed weaker grip strength and less stable force control.
Their eye movements became less accurate with age, unlike controls. Initial force output and reaction times were normal. These motor differences correlated with symptom severity.
Key findings
01Individuals with autism spectrum disorder showed reduced maximum voluntary contraction in both hands, with a greater reduction in the dominant hand, indicating reduced lateralization of grip strength.
02Force variability during sustained gripping was elevated in individuals with autism at medium and high force levels, and at high visual gain conditions.
03Saccade accuracy decreased with age in individuals with autism, whereas it increased with age in typically developing controls.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot determine if the age-related changes in eye movements are due to development or cohort effects. Most participants with ASD had average to above-average IQ, so results may not generalize to those with intellectual disability. There were fewer participants over age 15, which may limit the robustness of findings in older adolescents and adults. The study relied on self-report for handedness. Some findings, particularly for oculomotor variables, had small effect sizes.
Declared interests
Funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Mental Health. No other conflicts declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that initial motor planning is impaired. The study found that reaction time and the accuracy of the initial force pulse were normal in individuals with ASD. The deficits were in sustained force control and eye movement accuracy.