Representation of internal models of action in the autistic brain.
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in motor control, imitation and social function. Does a dysfunction in the neural basis of representing internal models of action contribute to these problems? We measured patterns of generalization as children learned to control a novel tool and found that the autistic brain built a stronger than normal association between self-generated motor commands and proprioceptive feedback; furthermore, the greater the reliance on proprioception, the greater the child's impairments in social function and imitation.
Haswell
Courtney C
CC
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Izawa
Jun
J
Dowell
Lauren R
LR
Mostofsky
Stewart H
SH
Shadmehr
Reza
R
D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology