A Kinematic Analysis of How Young Adults with and Without Autism Plan and Control Goal-Directed Movements

Abstract

We examined the planning and control of goal-directed aiming movements in young adults with autism. Participants performed rapid manual aiming movements to one of two targets. We manipulated the difficulty of the planning and control process by varying both target size and amplitude of the movements. Consistent with previous research, participants with autism took longer to prepare and execute movements, particularly when the index of difficulty was high. Although there were no group differences for accuracy, participants with autism exhibited more temporal and spatial variability over the initial phase of the movement even though mean peak accelerations and velocities were lower than for control participants. Our results suggest that although persons with autism have difficulty specifying muscular force, they compensate for this initial variability during limb deceleration. Perhaps persons with autism have learned to keep initial impulses low to minimize the spatial variability that needs to be corrected for during the online control phase of the movement.

Movement Planning and Reprogramming in Individuals With Autism

“…Across the literature movement planning is often cited to be affected whereas movement execution is found to be unaffected (e.g., Mari et al 2003;Rinehart et al 2001). There are, however, a number of instances where individuals with autism demonstrate slowed movement execution (Glazebrook et al 2006(Glazebrook et al , 2008Rinehart et al 2006b;Szatmari et al 1990). Future research should strive to identify the root of these differences across protocols.…”

From movement kinematics to social cognition: the case of autism

“…parameters referring to joint motions and angles at specific points in a movement and typically reported in terms of the velocity, acceleration (change in velocity) and jerk (change in acceleration) of a particular point on the body. Such studies have revealed differences between autistic and typical individuals [39][40][41][42][43][44][45].…”

“…To illustrate, Glazebrook et al [41,42] found that adults with autism required more time both during movement initiation and execution for manual aiming movements, while Rinehart and colleagues have reported that autistic children [40] and young adults [46] require more time to prepare point-to-point movements (moving from one point in space to another). Further work uses the reach-to-grasp task where, upon presentation of a cue, participants move their hand from a start position to grasp a target object.…”

Behavioral Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Motor and Language Planning in Minimally Verbal Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Feasibility, Limitations and Future Directions

“…Children with ASD find more difficulty planning their actions during drawing tasks [6] and are less likely to express end-state comfort tendencies (i.e., the idea that an individual will begin an action in an uncomfortable position if that allows them to end the task in a more comfortable/ functional position) than neurotypical children [9]. Children with ASD also express slower reaction times (RT) and movement times (MT) during reaching movements when compared to neurotypical children [11][12][13].…”