Visual and somatosensory feedback mechanisms of precision manual motor control in autism spectrum disorder

Shafer, Robin L.; Wang, Zheng; Bartolotti, James; Mosconi, Matthew W.

doi:10.1186/s11689-021-09381-2

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 91 publications

(139 reference statements)

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“…As is well known, accumulated evidence has shown that deficits in sensorimotor integration and control in ASD are closely related to self-care performance in social life. 108 , 109 Our results of GMV aberrance in the cerebellum anterior and posterior lobes may be related to abnormal sensorimotor function and cognitive function, respectively. Therefore, the topography of sensorimotor and cognitive subregions of the cerebellum emerge because the cerebellum form s closed-loop circuits with sensorimotor and cognitive areas of the cerebral cortex.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Abnormalities of Gray Matter Volume and Its Correlation with Clinical Symptoms in Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Zhao

Zhu

Cao

et al. 2022

NDT

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Background Previous studies have indicated abnormal gray matter volume (GMV) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, there is little consistency across the findings within these studies, partly due to small sample size and great heterogeneity among participants between studies. Additionally, few studies have explored the correlation between clinical symptoms and GMV abnormalities in individuals with ASD. Here, the current study examined GMV alterations in whole brain and their correlations with clinical symptoms in a relatively large and homogeneous sample of participants with ASD matched typically developing (TD) controls. Methods Forty-eight adolescents with high-functioning ASD and 29 group-matched TD controls underwent structural magnetic resonance images. Voxel-based morphometry was applied to investigate regional GMV alterations. The participants with ASD were examined for the severity of clinical symptoms with Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). The relationship between GMV abnormalities and clinical symptoms was explored in ASD group using voxel-wise correlation analysis within brain regions that showed significant GMV alterations in individuals with ASD compared with TD controls. Results We found increased GMV in multiple brain regions, including the inferior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, occipital pole, anterior cingulate, cerebellum anterior lobe, cerebellum posterior lobe, and midbrain, as well as decreased GMV in cerebellum posterior lobe in individuals with ASD. The correlation analysis showed the GMV in the left fusiform was negatively associated with the scores of sensory factor, and the GMV in the right cerebellum anterior lobe was positively associated with the scores of social self-help factor. Conclusion Our results indicated that widespread GMV abnormalities of brain regions occurred in individuals with ASD, suggesting a potential neural basis for the pathogenesis and symptomatology of ASD.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Abnormalities of Gray Matter Volume and Its Correlation with Clinical Symptoms in Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Zhao

Zhu

Cao

et al. 2022

NDT

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“…As the first sensory system to fully develop (Piontelli, 2015), touch is vital during early childhood development (Blackwell, 2000; Cascio et al, 2019; Rheingold, 1966) and provides feedback on the relationship between the self and the physical world (Riemann & Lephart, 2002). While research on somatosensation in autism has increased in recent years (Buyuktaskin et al, 2021; Noda et al, 2022; Shafer et al, 2021), the great majority of studies have focused on auditory and visual perception, despite evidence suggesting that over sixty percent of people with autism have higher tactile sensitivity than their neurotypical (NT) peers (Tomchek & Dunn, 2007). These alterations in sensory processing can affect quality of life and may have downstream effects on higher-order features such as social communication and repetitive behaviors that are characteristic in autism (Kawakami & Otsuka, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intact Somatosensory Temporal Sensitivity in Adults on the Autism Spectrum: A High-Density Electrophysiological Mapping Study Using the Mismatch Negativity (MMN) Sensory Memory Paradigm

Isenstein,

Freedman,

Molholm

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Atypical reactivity to somatosensory inputs is common in autism spectrum disorder and carries considerable impact on downstream social communication and quality of life. While behavioral and survey work have established differences in the perception of somatosensory information, little has been done to elucidate the underlying neurophysiological processes that drive these characteristics. Here, we implemented a duration-based somatosensory mismatch negativity paradigm to examine the role of temporal sensitivity and sensory memory in the processing of vibrotactile information in autistic (n=30) and neurotypical (n=30) adults. To capture the variability in responses between groups across a range of duration discrepancies, we compared the electrophysiological responses to frequent standard vibrations (100 ms) and four infrequent deviant vibrations (115, 130, 145, and 160 ms). The same stimuli were used in a follow-up behavioral task to determine active detection of the infrequent vibrations. We found no differences between the two groups with regard to discrimination between standard and deviant vibrations, demonstrating comparable neurologic and behavioral temporal somatosensory perception. However, exploratory analyses yielded subtle differences in amplitude at the N1 and P220 time points. Together, these results indicate that the temporal mechanisms of somatosensory discrimination are conserved in adults on the autism spectrum, though more general somatosensory processing may be affected. We discuss these findings in the broader context of the MMN literature in autism, as well as the potential role of cortical maturity in somatosensory mechanisms.

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“…In a reach-to-grasp paradigm, Mari and collaborators (2003) observed a lack of coordination between the reaching and the grasping phases in ASD, especially in those with lower intelligence quotient (IQ). Yet, recent studies challenged this view reporting a disrupted feedforward and feedback control in ASD individuals (Mosconi et al, 2015; Shafer et al, 2021; Wang et al, 2015; see also Ming et al, 2007; Sacrey et al, 2014 for review). Previous studies reported that adding a visual distractor to a task influenced both feedforward and feedback control of typical children, but not of children with ASD (Dowd et al, 2011), highlighting their preference for proprioceptive over visual feedback (Lidstone & Mostofsky, 2021; see also Glazebrook et al, 2009 for visuo-proprioceptive integration).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motor deficits in autism differ from that of developmental coordination disorder

Martel

Finos

Bahmad

et al. 2023

Autism

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Autism spectrum disorders and developmental coordination disorders are both associated with sensorimotor impairments, yet their nature and specificity remain unknown. In order to clearly distinguish the specificity between the two disorders, children with autism spectrum disorder or developmental coordination disorder presenting the same degree of motor impairment, thus homogeneous profiles, were examined in a reach-to-displace paradigm, which allows the integrity of two main aspects of motor control (anticipation/feedforward control and movement correction/feedback control) to be separately interrogated. We manipulated children’s previous knowledge of the weight of the object they were to displace: when known, participants could anticipate the consequences of the weight when reaching for the object, prior to contact with it, thus allowing for feedforward control. Conversely, when unknown prior to contact, participants had to cope with the object weight in the displacing phase of the movement, and use feedback control. Results revealed a preserved feedforward control, but an impaired movement execution (atypical slowness) in children with developmental coordination disorder, while children with autism spectrum disorder displayed the opposite pattern with an impaired feedforward control, but a preserved feedback one. These findings shed light on how specific motor impairments might differently characterize developmental disorders and call for motor rehabilitation programmes adapted to each population. Lay abstract A vast majority of individuals with autism spectrum disorder experience impairments in motor skills. Those are often labelled as additional developmental coordination disorder despite the lack of studies comparing both disorders. Consequently, motor skills rehabilitation programmes in autism are often not specific but rather consist in standard programmes for developmental coordination disorder. Here, we compared motor performance in three groups of children: a control group, an autism spectrum disorder group and a developmental coordination disorder group. Despite similar level of motor skills evaluated by the standard movement assessment battery for children, in a Reach-to-Displace Task, children with autism spectrum disorder and developmental coordination disorder showed specific motor control deficits. Children with autism spectrum disorder failed to anticipate the object properties, but could correct their movement as well as typically developing children. In contrast, children with developmental coordination disorder were atypically slow, but showed a spared anticipation. Our study has important clinical implications as motor skills rehabilitations are crucial to both populations. Specifically, our findings suggest that individuals with autism spectrum disorder would benefit from therapies aiming at improving their anticipation, maybe through the support of their preserved representations and use of sensory information. Conversely, individuals with developmental coordination disorder would benefit from a focus on the use of sensory information in a timely fashion.

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Visual and somatosensory feedback mechanisms of precision manual motor control in autism spectrum disorder

Cited by 12 publications

References 91 publications

Abnormalities of Gray Matter Volume and Its Correlation with Clinical Symptoms in Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abnormalities of Gray Matter Volume and Its Correlation with Clinical Symptoms in Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Intact Somatosensory Temporal Sensitivity in Adults on the Autism Spectrum: A High-Density Electrophysiological Mapping Study Using the Mismatch Negativity (MMN) Sensory Memory Paradigm

Motor deficits in autism differ from that of developmental coordination disorder

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