title: Motor examination in children with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder and Asperger Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluating whether motor skills could differentiate drug-naive subjects with two neurodevelopmental disorders: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Asperger Syndrome (AS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six boys (12 with ADHD, 12 with AS and 12 with typical development) aged 8-12 were evaluated using the Physical and Neurological Examination for Subtle Signs. Three primary outcome variables were obtained as follows: (i) total speed of timed activities, (ii) total overflow and (iii) total dysrhythmia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with AS performed more slowly than those with ADHD and healthy children independently of age and IQ. Total dysrhythmia differentiates ADHD and AS children from controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dysfunction of the fronto-striatal-cerebellar networks related to motor control could be the physiopathological basis of the reported findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, 'Tor Vergata' University of Rome, Italy. pasini@uniroma2.it
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasini
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Agati
authors.forename: Mariabernarda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pitzianti
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Casarelli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Curatolo
mesh_terms: D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology