Journal
CURRENT OPINION IN NEUROLOGY
Volume 31, Issue 2, Pages 134-139Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1097/WCO.0000000000000541
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder; motor control; motor function
Categories
Funding
- National Institutes of Health
- Australian Research Council [FT160100077]
- Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
- Fererro
- Department of Psychiatry at UCLA
- Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development (SEED), Deakin University
- Australian Research Council [FT160100077] Funding Source: Australian Research Council
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Purpose of review Motor impairments in neurodevelopmental disorders, specifically autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are prevalent and pervasive. Moreover, motor impairments may be the first sign of atypical development in ASD and likely contribute to abnormalities in social communication. However, measurement of motor function in ASD has lagged behind other behavioral phenotyping. Quantitative and neurodiagnostic measures of motor function can help identify specific motor impairments in ASD and the underlying neural mechanisms that might be implicated. These findings can serve as markers of early diagnosis, clinical stratification, and treatment targets. Recent findings Here, we briefly review recent studies on the importance of motor function to other developmental domains in ASD. We then highlight studies that have applied quantitative and neurodiagnostic measures to better measure motor impairments in ASD and the neural mechanisms that may contribute to these abnormalities. Summary Information from advanced quantitative and neurodiagnostic methods of motor function contribute to a better understanding of the specific and subtle motor impairments in ASD, and the relationship of motor function to language and social development. Greater utilization of these methods can assist with early diagnosis and development of targeted interventions. However, there remains a need to utilize these approaches in children with neurodevelopmental disorders across a developmental trajectory and with varying levels of cognitive function.
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