title: Motor Memory Deficits Contribute to Motor Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: Sensorimotor abnormalities are common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, the processes underlying these deficits remain unclear. This study examined force production with and without visual feedback to determine if individuals with ASD can utilize internal representations to guide sustained force. Individuals with ASD showed a faster rate of force decay in the absence of visual feedback. Comparison of force output and tests of social and verbal abilities demonstrated a link between motor memory impairment and social and verbal deficits in individuals with ASD. This finding suggests that deficits in storage or retrieval of motor memories contribute to sensorimotor deficits and implicates frontoparietal networks involved in short-term consolidation of action dynamics used to optimize ongoing motor output.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, 276 Recreation Building, State College, PA, 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Kristina A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Neely
authors.affiliation: Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Suman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.affiliation: Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.affiliation: Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA. mosconi@ku.edu.|Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA. mosconi@ku.edu.
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Mosconi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D056228:Feedback, Sensory; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009048:Motor Skills; D066107:Social Skills; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Motor; Precision grip; Visual feedback; Working memory