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Focaroli V, Taffoni F, Velardi A, Caravale B, Keller F. Object Exploration and Manipulation in Infants at Typical vs. Elevated Likelihood for ASD: A Review. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:825. [PMID: 39062274 PMCID: PMC11276247 DOI: 10.3390/children11070825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The present review considers the growing body of literature on fine motor skills in infants at elevated genetic likelihood (EL) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This area of study aims to identify crucial motor markers associated with the disorder, facilitating earlier and more accurate identification of ASD, using various experimental methodologies, including standardized assessments, observational measures, and technological tools. The reviewed evidence revealed distinct developmental trajectories in EL infants, marked by differences in fine motor skills and exploratory behaviors compared to typically developing infants. We discuss the developmental trajectory of fine motor skills in infants and their predictive value for later ASD diagnosis, highlighting the significance of fine motor skills as early indicators of ASD risk in infants and emphasizing the need for further research to elucidate their predictive value and underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Focaroli
- Department of Economic, Psychological and Communication Sciences, Niccolò Cusano University, 00166 Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Taffoni
- CREO LAB, Advanced Robotics and Human Centred-Technologies Laboratory, Campus Bio-Medico University, 00128 Rome, Italy;
| | - Andrea Velardi
- Department of Humanities, Motor Sciences and Education, Niccolò Cusano University, 00166 Rome, Italy;
| | - Barbara Caravale
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Flavio Keller
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience, Campus Bio-Medico University, 00128 Rome, Italy;
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2
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Meads J, Shepherd D, Landon J, Goedeke S. Brief Report: Investigating Temporal Factors in the Context of Parenting an Autistic Child. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:2411-2417. [PMID: 35902417 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05642-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The current study was a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data collected in New Zealand. Parents (n = 291) of an autistic child completed an online survey that included temporal/demographic questions relating to the parent and child, and parent ratings of the child's core ASD symptoms, their parenting stress, and psychological well-being. Child and parent ages were related to ASD core symptoms, parenting stress, and psychological well-being, the parent-child age gap was not. Diagnostic delay was only positively associated with parent depression and negatively associated with child communication impairment. Findings indicated that temporal variables can be predictive of parent well-being and child autism symptoms. The findings suggest that focusing interventions on communication abilities may have positive impacts parental mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Meads
- Department of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, 1142, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Daniel Shepherd
- Department of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, 1142, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Jason Landon
- Department of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, 1142, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sonja Goedeke
- Department of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, 1142, Auckland, New Zealand
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3
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Su WC, Mutersbaugh J, Huang WL, Bhat A, Gandjbakhche A. Developmental Differences in Reaching-and-Placing Movement and Its Potential in Classifying Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder: Deep Learning Approach. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3959596. [PMID: 38496641 PMCID: PMC10942561 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3959596/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is among the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders, yet the current diagnostic procedures rely on behavioral analyses and interviews and lack objective screening methods. This study seeks to address this gap by integrating upper limb kinematics and deep learning methods to identify potential biomarkers that could be validated in younger age groups in the future to enhance the identification of ASD. Forty-one school-age children, with and without an ASD diagnosis (Mean age ± SE = 10.3 ± 0.4; 12 Females), participated in the study. A single Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) was affixed to the child's wrist as they engaged in a continuous reaching and placing task. Deep learning techniques were employed to classify children with and without ASD. Our findings suggest delays in motor planning and control in school-age children compared to healthy adults. Compared to TD children, children with ASD exhibited poor motor planning and control as seen by greater number of movement units, more movement overshooting, and prolonged time to peak velocity/acceleration. Compensatory movement strategies such as greater velocity and acceleration were also seen in the ASD group. More importantly, using Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) model, we demonstrated an accuracy of ~ 78.1% in classifying children with and without ASD. These findings underscore the potential use of studying upper limb movement kinematics during goal-directed arm movements and deep learning methods as valuable tools for classifying and, consequently, aiding in the diagnosis and early identification of ASD upon further validation in younger children.
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Nies KJ, Baldwin J, Kaur M. Early Motor Delays During the First 2 Years of Life in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review. Pediatr Phys Ther 2024; 36:19-35. [PMID: 37816166 DOI: 10.1097/pep.0000000000001068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To summarize and appraise the emerging evidence on early motor skills of infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the association of early motor delays to later ASD diagnosis/characteristics. METHODS A literature search was conducted for studies published from 2000 to 2023 on the motor skills of infants later diagnosed with ASD, followed by screening and data extraction. RESULTS Current evidence suggested presence of early motor deficits including poor anticipatory movements, postural control, and gross/fine motor skills during the first 2 years of ASD. However, there was variability among studies with regard to study sample and methodology. CONCLUSION Although motor deficits are evident in infants, it is unclear whether these are specific to ASD or a consequence of general developmental disorder. Future research is needed on the investigation of specificity and severity of early motor delays, which can potentially assist in early identification of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara J Nies
- Physical Therapy Department (Dr Nies), Cambridge Public Schools, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Physical Therapy Program (Drs Baldwin and Kaur), MGH Institute of Health Professions, Charlestown, Massachusetts
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Smith LM, Yurkovic-Harding J, Carver LJ. Multimodal pathways to joint attention in infants with a familial history of autism. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 64:101325. [PMID: 37972500 PMCID: PMC10684378 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Joint attention (JA) is an early-developing behavior that allows caregivers and infants to share focus on an object. Deficits in JA, as measured through face-following pathways, are a defining feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are observable as early as 12 months of age in infants later diagnosed with ASD. However, recent evidence suggests that JA may be achieved through hand-following pathways by children with and without ASD. Development of JA through multimodal pathways has yet to be studied in infants with an increased likelihood of developing ASD. The current study investigated how 6-, 9- and 12-month-old infants with (FH+) and without (FH-) a family history of ASD engaged in JA. Parent-infant dyads played at home while we recorded the interaction over Zoom and later offline coded for hand movements and gaze. FH+ and FH- infants spent similar amounts of time in JA with their parents, but the cues available before JA were different. Parents of FH+ infants did more work to establish JA and used more face-following than hand-following pathways compared to parents of FH- infants, likely reflecting differences in infant motor or social behavior. These results suggest that early motor differences between FH+ and FH- infants may cascade into differences in social coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Smith
- University of California, San Diego - Department of Psychology, Ja Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | | | - Leslie J Carver
- University of California, San Diego - Department of Psychology, Ja Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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6
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Mosconi MW, Stevens CJ, Unruh KE, Shafer R, Elison JT. Endophenotype trait domains for advancing gene discovery in autism spectrum disorder. J Neurodev Disord 2023; 15:41. [PMID: 37993779 PMCID: PMC10664534 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-023-09511-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with a diverse range of etiological processes, including both genetic and non-genetic causes. For a plurality of individuals with ASD, it is likely that the primary causes involve multiple common inherited variants that individually account for only small levels of variation in phenotypic outcomes. This genetic landscape creates a major challenge for detecting small but important pathogenic effects associated with ASD. To address similar challenges, separate fields of medicine have identified endophenotypes, or discrete, quantitative traits that reflect genetic likelihood for a particular clinical condition and leveraged the study of these traits to map polygenic mechanisms and advance more personalized therapeutic strategies for complex diseases. Endophenotypes represent a distinct class of biomarkers useful for understanding genetic contributions to psychiatric and developmental disorders because they are embedded within the causal chain between genotype and clinical phenotype, and they are more proximal to the action of the gene(s) than behavioral traits. Despite their demonstrated power for guiding new understanding of complex genetic structures of clinical conditions, few endophenotypes associated with ASD have been identified and integrated into family genetic studies. In this review, we argue that advancing knowledge of the complex pathogenic processes that contribute to ASD can be accelerated by refocusing attention toward identifying endophenotypic traits reflective of inherited mechanisms. This pivot requires renewed emphasis on study designs with measurement of familial co-variation including infant sibling studies, family trio and quad designs, and analysis of monozygotic and dizygotic twin concordance for select trait dimensions. We also emphasize that clarification of endophenotypic traits necessarily will involve integration of transdiagnostic approaches as candidate traits likely reflect liability for multiple clinical conditions and often are agnostic to diagnostic boundaries. Multiple candidate endophenotypes associated with ASD likelihood are described, and we propose a new focus on the analysis of "endophenotype trait domains" (ETDs), or traits measured across multiple levels (e.g., molecular, cellular, neural system, neuropsychological) along the causal pathway from genes to behavior. To inform our central argument for research efforts toward ETD discovery, we first provide a brief review of the concept of endophenotypes and their application to psychiatry. Next, we highlight key criteria for determining the value of candidate endophenotypes, including unique considerations for the study of ASD. Descriptions of different study designs for assessing endophenotypes in ASD research then are offered, including analysis of how select patterns of results may help prioritize candidate traits in future research. We also present multiple candidate ETDs that collectively cover a breadth of clinical phenomena associated with ASD, including social, language/communication, cognitive control, and sensorimotor processes. These ETDs are described because they represent promising targets for gene discovery related to clinical autistic traits, and they serve as models for analysis of separate candidate domains that may inform understanding of inherited etiological processes associated with ASD as well as overlapping neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
| | - Cassandra J Stevens
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Kathryn E Unruh
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Robin Shafer
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Jed T Elison
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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7
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Doi H, Furui A, Ueda R, Shimatani K, Yamamoto M, Sakurai K, Mori C, Tsuji T. Spatiotemporal patterns of spontaneous movement in neonates are significantly linked to risk of autism spectrum disorders at 18 months old. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13869. [PMID: 37620366 PMCID: PMC10449803 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40368-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Infants make spontaneous movements from the prenatal period. Several studies indicate that an atypical pattern of body motion during infancy could be utilized as an early biomarker of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, to date, little is known about whether the body motion pattern in neonates is associated with ASD risk. The present study sought to clarify this point by examining, in a longitudinal design, the link between features of spontaneous movement at about two days after birth and ASD risk evaluated using the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers by their caregivers at 18 months old. The body movement features were quantified by a recently developed markerless system of infant body motion analysis. Logistic regression analysis revealed that ASD risk at 18 months old is associated with the pattern of spontaneous movement at the neonatal stage. Further, logistic regression based on body movement features during sleep shows better performance in classifying high- and low-risk infants than during the awake state. These findings raise the possibility that early signs of ASD risk may emerge at a developmental stage far earlier than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirokazu Doi
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
- School of Science and Engineering, Kokushikan University, 4-28-1 Setagaya, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 154-8515, Japan.
- Department of Information and Management Systems Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata, 940-2188, Japan.
| | - Akira Furui
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8527, Japan.
| | - Rena Ueda
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8527, Japan
| | - Koji Shimatani
- Faculty of Health and Welfare, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, 1-1, Gakuen-machi, Mihara, Hiroshima, 734-8558, Japan
| | - Midori Yamamoto
- Department of Sustainable Health Science, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Kenichi Sakurai
- Department of Nutrition and Metabolic Medicine, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
| | - Chisato Mori
- Department of Sustainable Health Science, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan
- Department of Bioenvironmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan
| | - Toshio Tsuji
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8527, Japan.
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8
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Mendez AI, Tokish H, McQueen E, Chawla S, Klin A, Maitre NL, Klaiman C. A Comparison of the Clinical Presentation of Preterm Birth and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Commonalities and Distinctions in Children Under 3. Clin Perinatol 2023; 50:81-101. [PMID: 36868715 PMCID: PMC10842306 DOI: 10.1016/j.clp.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Premature infants and infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) share many commonalities in clinical presentations. However, prematurity and ASD also have differences in clinical presentation. These overlapping phenotypes can lead to misdiagnoses of ASD or missing a diagnosis of ASD in preterm infants. We document these commonalities and differences in various developmental domains with the hope of aiding in the accurate early detection of ASD and timely intervention implementation in children born premature. Given the degree of similarities in presentation, evidence-based interventions designed specifically for preterm toddlers or toddlers with ASD may ultimately aid both populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana I Mendez
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Marcus Autism Center, 1920 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Hannah Tokish
- Marcus Autism Center, 1920 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Emma McQueen
- Marcus Autism Center, 1920 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Shivaang Chawla
- Marcus Autism Center, 1920 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Ami Klin
- Marcus Autism Center, 1920 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Nathalie L Maitre
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Cheryl Klaiman
- Marcus Autism Center, 1920 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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9
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Kozioł A, López Pérez D, Laudańska Z, Malinowska-Korczak A, Babis K, Mykhailova O, D’Souza H, Tomalski P. Motor Overflow during Reaching in Infancy: Quantification of Limb Movement Using Inertial Motion Units. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:2653. [PMID: 36904857 PMCID: PMC10007533 DOI: 10.3390/s23052653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Early in life, infants exhibit motor overflow, which can be defined as the generation of involuntary movements accompanying purposeful actions. We present the results of a quantitative study exploring motor overflow in 4-month-old infants. This is the first study quantifying motor overflow with high accuracy and precision provided by Inertial Motion Units. The study aimed to investigate the motor activity across the non-acting limbs during goal-directed action. To this end, we used wearable motion trackers to measure infant motor activity during a baby-gym task designed to capture overflow during reaching movements. The analysis was conducted on the subsample of participants (n = 20), who performed at least four reaches during the task. A series of Granger causality tests revealed that the activity differed depending on the non-acting limb and the type of the reaching movement. Importantly, on average, the non-acting arm preceded the activation of the acting arm. In contrast, the activity of the acting arm was followed by the activation of the legs. This may be caused by their distinct purposes in supporting postural stability and efficiency of movement execution. Finally, our findings demonstrate the utility of wearable motion trackers for precise measurement of infant movement dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Kozioł
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-378 Warsaw, Poland
- Graduate School for Social Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-330 Warsaw, Poland
| | - David López Pérez
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-378 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zuzanna Laudańska
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-378 Warsaw, Poland
- Graduate School for Social Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-330 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Malinowska-Korczak
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-378 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Babis
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-378 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Oleksandra Mykhailova
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-378 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Hana D’Souza
- Centre for Human Developmental Science, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Przemysław Tomalski
- Neurocognitive Development Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-378 Warsaw, Poland
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10
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Doi H, Iijima N, Furui A, Soh Z, Yonei R, Shinohara K, Iriguchi M, Shimatani K, Tsuji T. Prediction of autistic tendencies at 18 months of age via markerless video analysis of spontaneous body movements in 4-month-old infants. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18045. [PMID: 36302797 PMCID: PMC9614013 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21308-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Early intervention is now considered the core treatment strategy for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Thus, it is of significant clinical importance to establish a screening tool for the early detection of ASD in infants. To achieve this goal, in a longitudinal design, we analyzed spontaneous bodily movements of 4-month-old infants from general population and assessed their ASD-like behaviors at 18 months of age. A total of 26 movement features were calculated from video-recorded bodily movements of infants at 4 months of age. Their risk of ASD was assessed at 18 months of age with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlerhood, a widely used screening questionnaire. Infants at high risk for ASD at 18 months of age exhibited less rhythmic and weaker bodily movement patterns at 4 months of age than low-risk infants. When the observed bodily movement patterns were submitted to a machine learning-based analysis, linear and non-linear classifiers successfully predicted ASD-like behavior at 18 months of age based on the bodily movement patterns at 4 months of age, at the level acceptable for practical use. This study analyzed the relationship between spontaneous bodily movements at 4 months of age and the ASD risk at 18 months of age. Experimental results suggested the utility of the proposed method for the early screening of infants at risk for ASD. We revealed that the signs of ASD risk could be detected as early as 4 months after birth, by focusing on the infant's spontaneous bodily movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirokazu Doi
- grid.411113.70000 0000 9122 4296Department of Science and Engineering, Kokushikan University, Setagaya, Japan
| | - Naoya Iijima
- grid.257022.00000 0000 8711 3200Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Akira Furui
- grid.257022.00000 0000 8711 3200Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Zu Soh
- grid.257022.00000 0000 8711 3200Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Rikuya Yonei
- grid.257022.00000 0000 8711 3200School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Shinohara
- grid.174567.60000 0000 8902 2273Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Mayuko Iriguchi
- grid.174567.60000 0000 8902 2273Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Koji Shimatani
- grid.412155.60000 0001 0726 4429Faculty of Health and Welfare, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Toshio Tsuji
- grid.257022.00000 0000 8711 3200Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
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11
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Crippa A. Motor abilities as a possible specifier of autism: A response to Bhat (2021). Autism Res 2022; 15:1794-1795. [PMID: 36036959 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Crippa
- Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy
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12
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Melillo R, Leisman G, Machado C, Machado-Ferrer Y, Chinchilla-Acosta M, Kamgang S, Melillo T, Carmeli E. Retained Primitive Reflexes and Potential for Intervention in Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Front Neurol 2022; 13:922322. [PMID: 35873782 PMCID: PMC9301367 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.922322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We provide evidence to support the contention that many aspects of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are related to interregional brain functional disconnectivity associated with maturational delays in the development of brain networks. We think a delay in brain maturation in some networks may result in an increase in cortical maturation and development in other networks, leading to a developmental asynchrony and an unevenness of functional skills and symptoms. The paper supports the close relationship between retained primitive reflexes and cognitive and motor function in general and in ASD in particular provided to indicate that the inhibition of RPRs can effect positive change in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Melillo
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Gerry Leisman
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neurology, University of the Medical Sciences of Havana, Havana, Cuba
| | - Calixto Machado
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana, Cuba
| | - Yanin Machado-Ferrer
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana, Cuba
| | | | - Shanine Kamgang
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ty Melillo
- Northeast College of the Health Sciences, Seneca Falls, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eli Carmeli
- Movement and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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13
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Pant SW, Skovgaard AM, Ammitzbøll J, Holstein BE, Pedersen TP. Motor development problems in infancy predict mental disorders in childhood: a longitudinal cohort study. Eur J Pediatr 2022; 181:2655-2661. [PMID: 35384508 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-022-04462-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The purpose of this study is to examine whether motor development problems in infancy predicted mental disorders later in childhood, taking a wide array of potential confounding variables into consideration. This longitudinal study included an unselected study population of 33238 newborn children from the Copenhagen area, Denmark. Data on the predictor variable, motor development problems at 8-10 months of age, were obtained from the community health nurses' systematic evaluation of the child's motor development during a home visit and stored in the Child Health Database. Data on outcome, diagnosed mental disorders before the age of 8 years, were obtained from the Danish National Patient Register. Potential confounding variables were obtained from the Child Health Database, the National Birth Register and the Civil Registration System. The prevalence of motor development problems at 8-10 months of age was 19.3%; the incidence of any diagnosed mental disorder from 11 months of age to the 8th birthday was 4.0%. Motor development problems were associated with an increased risk of being diagnosed with a mental disorder before the 8th birthday, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.47 (1.29-1.67). Motor development problems were associated with later neurodevelopmental disorders, AOR 1.77 (1.52-2.06), in particular autism spectrum disorders, AOR 1.63 (1.31-2.03), hyperactivity/attention deficit disorders, AOR 1.29 (1.03-1.61) and disorders of intellectual disability, AOR 3.28 (2.39-4.49). CONCLUSION Motor development problems as early at 8-10 months of age were predictive of neurodevelopmental disorders before the 8th birthday. The findings call for clinical attention and more research on preventive potentials in the community child health care. WHAT IS KNOWN • Children with ASD, ADHD and ID have high prevalence of early motor development problems. WHAT IS NEW • Motor development problems in infancy predicted neurodevelopmental disorders before the 8th birthday. • This observation could improve early identification and prevention of mental health problems in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Weber Pant
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, DK-1455, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Mette Skovgaard
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, DK-1455, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Janni Ammitzbøll
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, DK-1455, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bjørn E Holstein
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, DK-1455, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Trine Pagh Pedersen
- University of Southern Denmark, National Institute of Public Health, Studiestræde 6, DK-1455, Copenhagen, Denmark
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14
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Migó M, Guillory SB, McLaughlin CS, Isenstein EL, Grosman HE, Thakkar KN, Castellanos FX, Foss-Feig JH. Investigating Motor Preparation in Autism Spectrum Disorder With and Without Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 52:2379-2387. [PMID: 34160725 PMCID: PMC10015467 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05130-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated motor preparation and action-consequence prediction using the lateralized readiness potential (LRP). Motor impairments are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which commonly co-occur. Alterations in predictive processes may impact motor planning. Whether motor planning deficits are characteristic of ASD broadly or magnified in the context of co-morbid ADHD is unclear. ASD children with (ASD + ADHD; n = 12) and without (ASD - ADHD; n = 9) comorbid ADHD and typical controls (n = 29) performed voluntary motor actions that either did or did not result in auditory consequences. ASD - ADHD children demonstrated LRP enhancement when their action produced an effect while ASD + ADHD children had attenuated responses regardless of action-effect pairings. Findings suggest influence of ADHD comorbidity on motor preparation and prediction in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Migó
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sylvia B Guillory
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Christopher S McLaughlin
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Emily L Isenstein
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Hannah E Grosman
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Katharine N Thakkar
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY, 10029, USA
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Francisco X Castellanos
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Clinical Research, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer H Foss-Feig
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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15
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Posar A, Visconti P. Early Motor Signs in Autism Spectrum Disorder. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9020294. [PMID: 35205014 PMCID: PMC8870370 DOI: 10.3390/children9020294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
A growing number of literature data suggest the presence of early impairments in the motor development of children with autism spectrum disorder, which could be often recognized even before the appearance of the classical social communication deficits of autism. In this narrative review, we aimed at performing an update about the available data on the early motor function in children with autism spectrum disorder. Early motor impairment in these children can manifest itself both as a mere delay of motor development and as the presence of atypicalities of motor function, such as a higher rate and a larger inventory, of stereotyped movements both with and without objects. In the perspective of a timely diagnosis, the presence of early motor signs can be an important clue, especially in an individual considered at high risk for autism. Motor and communication (both verbal and non-verbal) skills are connected and a pathogenetic role of early motor dysfunctions in the development of autism can be hypothesized. From this, derives the importance of an early enabling intervention aimed at improving motor skills, which could also have favorable effects on other aspects of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annio Posar
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOSI Disturbi dello Spettro Autistico, 40139 Bologna, Italy;
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-051-6225111
| | - Paola Visconti
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOSI Disturbi dello Spettro Autistico, 40139 Bologna, Italy;
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16
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Zhou B, Xu Q, Li H, Zhang Y, Li D, Dong P, Wang Y, Lu P, Zhu Y, Xu X. Motor impairments in Chinese toddlers with autism spectrum disorder and its relationship with social communicative skills. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:938047. [PMID: 36311507 PMCID: PMC9613953 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.938047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Motor impairments are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and persistent across age. Our current study was designed to investigate motor deficits in Chinese toddlers with ASD and to explore the relationships between motor deficits and social communication skills. METHODS For this cross-sectional study, we recruited a total of 210 Chinese toddlers with ASD aged between 18 and 36 months in the study during December 2017 to December 2020. Griffiths Developmental Scales-Chinese (GDS-C), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) and Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile-Infant-Toddler Checklist (CSBS-DP-ITC) were administered in these toddlers to evaluate their development, social communicative skills, and autism severity. We compared the developmental and social communicational profiles of ASD toddlers in different gross and fine motor subgroups, and explored potential associated factors. The univariate generalized linear model tested the relationship of fine and gross motor skills and social communicative skills. RESULTS The prevalence of gross and fine motor deficits were 59.5 and 82.5%, respectively, which are almost equivalent in boys and girls. The motor impairments tended to be more severe with age in toddlers. After adjusting for age, sex, non-verbal development quotient (DQ) and restricted, repetitive behaviors, severer gross motor impairments were significantly related to higher comparison score of ADOS-2 and higher social composite score of CSBS-DP-ITC, without interactions with other variables. Meanwhile, lower fine motor skills were associated with more deficits of social communication and higher severity of ASD, also depending on non-verbal DQ. In the lower non-verbal DQ subgroup, both fine motor deficits and restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs) might have effects on autism symptomology. CONCLUSION Motor impairments are common in Chinese toddlers with ASD. Toddlers with weaker gross and fine motor skills have greater deficits in social communicative skills. Gross motor impairment might be an independent predictor of the severity of autism and social communication skills, while the effect of fine motor deficits might be affected by non-verbal DQ and RRBs of toddlers with ASD. We provide further justification for the inclusion of motor impairments in the early intervention for toddlers with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingrui Zhou
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiong Xu
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huiping Li
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongyun Li
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Dong
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Lu
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ye Zhu
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiu Xu
- Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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17
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Zhou J, Smith BA. Infant Reaching in the First Year of Life: A Scoping Review of Typical Development and Examples of Atypical Development. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr 2022; 42:80-98. [PMID: 33975491 DOI: 10.1080/01942638.2021.1921092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Our objective was to identify the most common variables used for infant reaching assessment, describe values of these variables across the first year of life, and identify methodological considerations and knowledge gaps for future research. METHODS Studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) assessed infant reaching in any position, (2) included a sample of infants with typical development: healthy, full-term, with no known impairments, (3) infants were under one year old at the first data collection, and (4) counted successful reaches resulting in object contact. RESULTS We identified 6 commonly assessed kinematic reaching variables: frequency, duration, movement units, peak velocity, average velocity, and straightness index. Methodological inconsistencies limit our ability to interpret values of these variables across studies. CONCLUSIONS Eliminating inconsistencies in study design and data analysis methods is the next step to defining a normative reference standard for reaching development. Establishing a normative reference standard for reaching in the first year of life will be important for assessment of typical and atypical reaching development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy Zhou
- Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Beth A Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Division of Research on Children, Youth, and Families, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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18
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Wang LAL, Petrulla V, Zampella CJ, Waller R, Schultz RT. Gross motor impairment and its relation to social skills in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and two meta-analyses. Psychol Bull 2022; 148:273-300. [PMID: 35511567 PMCID: PMC9894569 DOI: 10.1037/bul0000358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Gross motor ability is associated with profound differences in how children experience and interact with their social world. A rapidly growing literature on motor development in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) indicates that autistic individuals exhibit impairment in gross motor skills. However, due to substantial heterogeneity across studies, it remains unclear which gross motor skills are impaired in ASD, when and for whom these differences emerge, and whether motor and social impairments are related. The present article addressed these questions by synthesizing research on gross motor skills in ASD in two separate meta-analyses. The first examined gross motor deficits in ASD compared to neurotypical (NT) controls, aggregating data from 114 studies representing 6,423 autistic and 2,941 NT individuals. Results demonstrated a significant overall deficit in gross motor skills in ASD (Hedges' g = -1.04) that was robust to methodological and phenotypic variation and was significant at every level of the tested moderators. However, moderation analyses revealed that this deficit was most pronounced for object control skills (i.e., ball skills), clinical assessment measures, and movements of the upper extremities or the whole body. The second meta-analysis investigated whether gross motor and social skills are related in ASD, synthesizing data from 21 studies representing 654 autistic individuals. Findings revealed a modest but significant overall correlation between gross motor and social skills in ASD (r = 0.27). Collectively, results support the conclusion that motor deficits are tied to the core symptoms of ASD. Further research is needed to test the causality and directionality of this relationship. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah A. L. Wang
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States,Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania
| | | | - Casey J. Zampella
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | | | - Robert T. Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States,Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
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19
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Patterson JW, Armstrong V, Duku E, Richard A, Franchini M, Brian J, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson SE, Sacrey LAR, Roncadin C, Smith IM. Early trajectories of motor skills in infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2021; 15:481-492. [PMID: 34826349 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Delays in motor development are not considered a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, recent studies of infant siblings of children with ASD suggest that early delays in motor skills may be associated with later delays in developmental areas considered to be core features of an ASD diagnosis. While these studies demonstrate the longitudinal association between core features and motor delays observed at single time points, there is considerable interest in studying the trajectories of motor development over the first 3 years of life. To accomplish this, we investigated early trajectories of motor development in a cohort of 499 infant siblings of children with ASD and 176 children with no family history of ASD. Data for the current study were drawn from the prospective, multi-site, Canadian Infant Sibling Study. We evaluated trajectories of fine and gross motor development over the first 3 years using group-based trajectory modeling. Our results show that membership for both fine and gross motor trajectory groups was related to expressive language skills, receptive language skills, ASD symptom severity scores, and diagnostic classification at age 3. These results provide evidence that the trajectory of a child's early motor development may have important prognostic implications in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eric Duku
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Annie Richard
- Autism Research Centre, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
| | | | - Jessica Brian
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Autism Research Center, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Susan E Bryson
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Lori-Ann R Sacrey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Autism Research Center, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Caroline Roncadin
- McMaster Children's Hospital Autism Program, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Isabel M Smith
- Autism Research Centre, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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20
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Rixon L, Hastings RP, Kovshoff H, Bailey T. Sibling Adjustment and Sibling Relationships Associated with Clusters of Needs in Children with Autism: A Novel Methodological Approach. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 51:4067-4076. [PMID: 33442858 PMCID: PMC8510907 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04854-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We tested a novel methodological approach to examine associations between characteristics of autistic children and outcomes for siblings. Cluster analysis was used to define five groups of children with autism (n = 168) based on autism symptoms, adaptive behavior, pro-social behavior, and behavior problems. Primary and secondary parent carers, and siblings themselves, reported on sibling relationship quality and psychological adjustment. Siblings of autistic children with a mild symptom profile, high levels of adaptive skills, but high internalizing and externalizing problems had the highest level of these problems themselves and more conflict in their relationship. Siblings of autistic children with the most complex support needs (adaptive skills deficits, severe autism symptoms) reported lower warmth relationships but not elevated internalizing and externalizing problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Rixon
- Centre for Educational Development Appraisal and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 8UW, UK.
| | - Richard P Hastings
- Centre for Educational Development Appraisal and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 8UW, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Hanna Kovshoff
- The Centre for Innovation in Mental Health (CiMH), School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Tom Bailey
- Centre for Educational Development Appraisal and Research (CEDAR), University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 8UW, UK
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21
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Zampella CJ, Wang LAL, Haley M, Hutchinson AG, de Marchena A. Motor Skill Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Clinically Focused Review. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2021; 23:64. [PMID: 34387753 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-021-01280-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review synthesizes recent, clinically relevant findings on the scope, significance, and centrality of motor skill differences in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). RECENT FINDINGS Motor challenges in ASD are pervasive, clinically meaningful, and highly underrecognized, with up to 87% of the autistic population affected but only a small percentage receiving motor-focused clinical care. Across development, motor differences are associated with both core autism symptoms and broader functioning, though the precise nature of those associations and the specificity of motor profiles to ASD remain unestablished. Findings suggest that motor difficulties in ASD are quantifiable and treatable, and that detection and intervention efforts targeting motor function may also positively influence social communication. Recent evidence supports a need for explicit recognition of motor impairment within the diagnostic framework of ASD as a clinical specifier. Motor differences in ASD warrant greater clinical attention and routine incorporation into screening, evaluation, and treatment planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey J Zampella
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Leah A L Wang
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Margaret Haley
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anne G Hutchinson
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ashley de Marchena
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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22
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Nishibe M, Toyoda H, Hiraga SI, Yamashita T, Katsuyama Y. Synaptic and Genetic Bases of Impaired Motor Learning Associated with Modified Experience-Dependent Cortical Plasticity in Heterozygous Reeler Mutants. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:504-519. [PMID: 34339488 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with neurodevelopmental disorders show impaired motor skill learning. It is unclear how the effect of genetic variation on synaptic function and transcriptome profile may underlie experience-dependent cortical plasticity, which supports the development of fine motor skills. RELN (reelin) is one of the genes implicated in neurodevelopmental psychiatric vulnerability. Heterozygous reeler mutant (HRM) mice displayed impairments in reach-to-grasp learning, accompanied by less extensive cortical map reorganization compared with wild-type mice, examined after 10 days of training by intracortical microstimulation. Assessed by patch-clamp recordings after 3 days of training, the training induced synaptic potentiation and increased glutamatergic-transmission of cortical layer III pyramidal neurons in wild-type mice. In contrast, the basal excitatory and inhibitory synaptic functions were depressed, affected both by presynaptic and postsynaptic impairments in HRM mice; and thus, no further training-induced synaptic plasticity occurred. HRM exhibited downregulations of cortical synaptophysin, immediate-early gene expressions, and gene enrichment, in response to 3 days of training compared with trained wild-type mice, shown using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemisty, and RNA-sequencing. We demonstrated that motor learning impairments associated with modified experience-dependent cortical plasticity are at least partially attributed by the basal synaptic alternation as well as the aberrant early experience-induced gene enrichment in HRM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Nishibe
- Office of Strategic Innovative Dentistry, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Anatomy, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
| | - Hiroki Toyoda
- Department of Oral Physiology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichiro Hiraga
- Department of Neuromedical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Toshihide Yamashita
- Department of Neuromedical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Molecular Neuroscience, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.,Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yu Katsuyama
- Department of Anatomy, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
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23
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Characterization of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) subtypes based on the relationship between motor skills and social communication abilities. Hum Mov Sci 2021; 77:102802. [PMID: 33894651 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2021.102802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Motor abnormalities are generally observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and motor difficulties are certainly evident during the early years of life and may thus precede social-communication impairments. The main aim of the present study was to examine ASD subtypes based on the relationship between motor skills and social communication abilities. Motor skills and social communication abilities were evaluated through the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Version and the Psychoeducational Profile-Third Edition. In addition, social communication abilities were classified according to the Autism Classification System of Functioning: Social Communication-ACSF:SC criteria. We found that children with ASD presented poorer motor skills than their TD peers, and motor impairments correlated with poorer social communication abilities in children with ASD. In addition, children with lower social and communication functioning showed a more prominent impairment in manual dexterity and fine motor skills than children with better social and communication functioning. In conclusion, we suggest that stratifying children with ASD based on motor and social endophenotypes may be useful to understand the neurobiological mechanisms of ASD and lead to new types of treatment.
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24
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Whishaw IQ, Burke CJ, Pellis SM. Does play shape hand use skill in rats? Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:1895-1909. [PMID: 33870438 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06097-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Hand use is a widespread act in many vertebrate lineages and subserves behaviors including locomotion, predation, feeding, nest construction, and grooming. In order to determine whether hand use is similarly used in social behavior, the present paper describes hand use in the social play of rats. In the course of rough and tumble play sessions, rats are found to make as many as twenty different movements a minute with each hand for the purposes of manipulating a partner into a subordinate position or defending against a partner's attack. The hand movements comprise signaling movements of touching, offensive manipulating of a partner to control a play engagement, and defensive hand movements directed toward blocking, pushing and pulling to parry an attack. For signaling, attack and defense, hand movements have a structure that is similar to the structure of hand movements used for other purposes including eating, but in their contact points on an opponent, they are tailored for partner control. Given the time devoted to play by rats, play likely features the social rat behavior with the most extensive use of hand movements. This extensive use of hand movements for social play is discussed in relation to the ubiquity of hand use in adaptive behavior, the evolution of hand use in the play of mammals, and in relation to extending the multifunctional theory of the purposes of play to include the education of skilled hand movements for various adult functions including as feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Q Whishaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Research, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Candace J Burke
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Research, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Sergio M Pellis
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Research, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
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25
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Canu D, Van der Paelt S, Canal-Bedia R, Posada M, Vanvuchelen M, Roeyers H. Early non-social behavioural indicators of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD: a systematic review. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 30:497-538. [PMID: 32088859 PMCID: PMC8041710 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01487-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We aimed at identifying early non-social behavioural indicators that predict later ASD. Likewise, we were interested in the moment in which non-social signs discriminate between children at elevated likelihood for ASD with a later diagnosis of ASD, and children at elevated likelihood for ASD with a typical developmental outcome. In addition, we intended to explore the developmental evolution of children's symptomatology over time. A systematic literature search was conducted for longitudinal studies on early non-social behavioural indicators among siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD. The following databases were searched: PUBMED, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL and EMBASE. The study identification process was conducted by two reviewers independently. Compared to siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD with a typical developmental outcome, siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD with later ASD show impairments in attention disengagement, in gross and fine motor development and characteristic restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours, starting at 12 months of age. Moreover, early attention disengagement exerts a predictive role towards a later ASD diagnosis, given that from 12 months siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD who will receive an independent ASD diagnosis towards 24-36 months present marked difficulties in disengaging in comparison with siblings at elevated likelihood for ASD that will not satisfy the criteria for an ASD diagnosis. The findings call for a more comprehensive vision on early indicators of ASD. Further research is needed to extend results to other behavioural domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Canu
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rehabilitation Research Center (REVAL), Hasselt Unversity, Agoralaan, Building A, 3590 Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium.
- Research in Developmental Disorders Lab, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Sara Van der Paelt
- Research in Developmental Disorders Lab, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ricardo Canal-Bedia
- Instituto Universitario de Integración en la Comunidad (INICO), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Manuel Posada
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research & CIBERER, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marleen Vanvuchelen
- Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rehabilitation Research Center (REVAL), Hasselt Unversity, Agoralaan, Building A, 3590 Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Herbert Roeyers
- Research in Developmental Disorders Lab, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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26
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Crippa A, Craig F, Busti Ceccarelli S, Mauri M, Grazioli S, Scionti N, Cremascoli A, Ferrante C, Visioli C, Marzocchi GM, Molteni M, Nobile M. A multimethod approach to assessing motor skills in boys and girls with autism spectrum disorder. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 25:1481-1491. [PMID: 33653167 DOI: 10.1177/1362361321995634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Motor peculiarities are often reported in children with autism spectrum disorder and may predict subsequent adaptive functioning and quality of life. Although the sex bias in the prevalence of the disorder is well documented, little is known about differences in motor profile in males and females with autism spectrum disorder. Our goal was to study differences in motor functioning of boys and girls with autism spectrum disorder aged 3-11 years compared with typically developing children. Their motor performances were evaluated using a multimethod approach, including standardized motor tests, caregiver reports, and a detailed motion capture analysis of a simple reach-to-drop movement. We found that, irrespective of sex, children with autism spectrum disorder had worse scores than typically developing children on standardized tests and on caregiver reports. Interestingly, girls with autism spectrum disorder, but not boys, presented altered motor anticipation in reach-to-drop. Our findings emphasize the need for more sex-specific assessment of motor function in autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesco Craig
- IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Italy.,University of Calabria (UNICAL), Italy
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27
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Gabis LV, Shaham M, Leon Attia O, Shefer S, Rosenan R, Gabis T, Daloya M. The Weak Link: Hypotonia in Infancy and Autism Early Identification. Front Neurol 2021; 12:612674. [PMID: 33613430 PMCID: PMC7891038 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.612674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Presenting symptoms and age specific differential diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), determine the age of initial assessment and the age of a definite diagnosis. The AAP recommends screening all children for ASD at 18 and 24 months followed by a comprehensive evaluation for children with developmental concerns. More recently it has been recommended that the evaluation should be performed at a younger age, with a diagnosis being made as early as the beginning of the second year of life resulting in earlier intensive intervention. Objective: To assess early developmental milestones in a cohort of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in order to find an objective and reliable early marker. We suggest that low muscle tone- hypotonia, is a sign that meets the above criteria of consistency and reliability and may be related to early diagnosis. Methods: We compared age distributions of ASD diagnosis in the presence of hypotonia in a dataset of 5,205 children diagnosed at Keshet Center. One thousand, one hundred eighty-two children (953 males) were diagnosed with ASD and compared to other developmental diagnoses. Within the ASD cohort we further analyzed for gender and pre-maturity differences. Results: In the presence of hypotonia, the mean age for ASD diagnosis was significantly lower (by 1.5 years for males and females) and this effect increased in children born at term as compared to pre-maturity. Conclusions: Hypotonia is a recognizable marker of ASD and may serve as a "red flag" to prompt earlier recognition and neurodevelopmental evaluation toward an autism diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia V. Gabis
- Weinberg Child Development Center at Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Meirav Shaham
- Department of Statistics, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Odelia Leon Attia
- Weinberg Child Development Center at Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Shahar Shefer
- Weinberg Child Development Center at Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ruth Rosenan
- Weinberg Child Development Center at Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Tal Gabis
- Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Michal Daloya
- Department of Statistics, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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28
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Lidstone DE, Rochowiak R, Mostofsky SH, Nebel MB. A Data Driven Approach Reveals That Anomalous Motor System Connectivity is Associated With the Severity of Core Autism Symptoms. Autism Res 2021:10.1002/aur.2476. [PMID: 33484109 PMCID: PMC8931705 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
This study examined whether disruptions in connectivity involving regions critical for learning, planning, and executing movements are relevant to core autism symptoms. Spatially constrained ICA was performed using resting-state fMRI from 419 children (autism spectrum disorder (ASD) = 105; typically developing (TD) = 314) to identify functional motor subdivisions. Comparing the spatial organization of each subdivision between groups, we found voxels that contributed significantly less to the right posterior cerebellar component in children with ASD versus TD (P <0.001). Next, we examined the effect of diagnosis on right posterior cerebellar connectivity with all other motor subdivisions. The model was significant (P = 0.014) revealing that right posterior cerebellar connectivity with bilateral dorsomedial primary motor cortex was, on average, stronger in children with ASD, while right posterior cerebellar connectivity with left-inferior parietal lobule (IPL), bilateral dorsolateral premotor cortex, and supplementary motor area was stronger in TD children (all P ≤0.02). We observed a diagnosis-by-connectivity interaction such that for children with ASD, elevated social-communicative and excessive repetitive-behavior symptom severity were both associated with right posterior cerebellar-left-IPL hypoconnectivity (P ≤0.001). Right posterior cerebellar and left-IPL are strongly implicated in visuomotor processing with dysfunction in this circuit possibly leading to anomalous development of skills, such as motor imitation, that are crucial for effective social-communication. LAY SUMMARY: This study examines whether communication between various brain regions involved in the control of movement are disrupted in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We show communication between the right posterior cerebellum and left IPL, a circuit important for efficient visual-motor integration, is disrupted in children with ASD and associated with the severity of ASD symptoms. These results may explain observations of visual-motor integration impairments in children with ASD that are associated with ASD symptom severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E. Lidstone
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca Rochowiak
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stewart H. Mostofsky
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mary Beth Nebel
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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29
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Ketcheson LR, Pitchford EA, Wentz CF. The Relationship Between Developmental Coordination Disorder and Concurrent Deficits in Social Communication and Repetitive Behaviors Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2021; 14:804-816. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.2469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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30
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Basso JC, Satyal MK, Rugh R. Dance on the Brain: Enhancing Intra- and Inter-Brain Synchrony. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:584312. [PMID: 33505255 PMCID: PMC7832346 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.584312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Dance has traditionally been viewed from a Eurocentric perspective as a mode of self-expression that involves the human body moving through space, performed for the purposes of art, and viewed by an audience. In this Hypothesis and Theory article, we synthesize findings from anthropology, sociology, psychology, dance pedagogy, and neuroscience to propose The Synchronicity Hypothesis of Dance, which states that humans dance to enhance both intra- and inter-brain synchrony. We outline a neurocentric definition of dance, which suggests that dance involves neurobehavioral processes in seven distinct areas including sensory, motor, cognitive, social, emotional, rhythmic, and creative. We explore The Synchronicity Hypothesis of Dance through several avenues. First, we examine evolutionary theories of dance, which suggest that dance drives interpersonal coordination. Second, we examine fundamental movement patterns, which emerge throughout development and are omnipresent across cultures of the world. Third, we examine how each of the seven neurobehaviors increases intra- and inter-brain synchrony. Fourth, we examine the neuroimaging literature on dance to identify the brain regions most involved in and affected by dance. The findings presented here support our hypothesis that we engage in dance for the purpose of intrinsic reward, which as a result of dance-induced increases in neural synchrony, leads to enhanced interpersonal coordination. This hypothesis suggests that dance may be helpful to repattern oscillatory activity, leading to clinical improvements in autism spectrum disorder and other disorders with oscillatory activity impairments. Finally, we offer suggestions for future directions and discuss the idea that our consciousness can be redefined not just as an individual process but as a shared experience that we can positively influence by dancing together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Basso
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.,Center for Transformative Research on Health Behaviors, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.,School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Medha K Satyal
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Rachel Rugh
- Center for Communicating Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States.,School of Performing Arts, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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31
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Early behavioral markers for neurodevelopmental disorders in the first 3 years of life: An overview of systematic reviews. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:183-201. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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32
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Achermann S, Nyström P, Bölte S, Falck-Ytter T. Motor atypicalities in infancy are associated with general developmental level at 2 years, but not autistic symptoms. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2020; 24:1650-1663. [PMID: 32414290 PMCID: PMC7545653 DOI: 10.1177/1362361320918745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Atypicalities in motor functioning are often observed in later born infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder. The goal of our study was to investigate motor functioning in infants with and without familial history of autism spectrum disorder. Specifically, we investigated how infants catch a ball that is rolling toward them following a non-straight path, a task that requires both efficient planning and execution. Their performance was measured using detailed three-dimensional motion capture technology. We found that several early motor functioning measures were different in infants with an older autistic sibling compared to controls. However, these early motor measures were not related to autistic symptoms at the age of 2 years. Instead, we found that some of the early motor measures were related to their subsequent non-social, general development. The findings of our study help us understand motor functioning early in life and how motor functioning is related to other aspects of development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sven Bölte
- Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.,Stockholm County Council, Sweden.,Curtin University, Australia
| | - Terje Falck-Ytter
- Uppsala University, Sweden.,Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.,Stockholm County Council, Sweden.,Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS), Sweden
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33
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Aspects sensorimoteurs et motricité manuelle dans les troubles du spectre autistique : une revue de la littérature. Encephale 2020; 46:135-145. [DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2019.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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