Motor examination in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Asperger Syndrome

Aim: 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. Conclusion: Dysfunction of the fronto-striatal-cerebellar networks related to motor control could be the physiopathological basis of the reported findings.