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Body Constraints on Motor Simulation in Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

Developmental data suggested that mental simulation skills become progressively dissociated from overt motor activity across development. Thus, efficient simulation is rather independent from current sensorimotor information. Here, we tested the impact of bodily (sensorimotor) information on simulation skills of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Typically-developing (TD) and ASD participants judged laterality of hand images while keeping one arm flexed on chest or while holding both arms extended. Both groups were able to mentally simulate actions, but this ability was constrained by body posture more in ASD than in TD adolescents. The strong impact of actual body information on motor simulation implies that simulative skills are not fully effective in ASD individuals.

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Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiment: Massimiliano Conson, Antonia Hamilton, Francesco De Bellis and Alessandro Frolli. Performed the experiments and analyzed the data: Massimiliano Conson, Francesco De Bellis, Domenico Errico, Ilaria Improta, Elisabetta Mazzarella and Alessandro Frolli. Wrote the paper: Massimiliano Conson, Antonia Hamilton, Luigi Trojano.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100, Caserta, Italy

    Massimiliano Conson, Francesco De Bellis, Domenico Errico, Ilaria Improta, Luigi Trojano & Alessandro Frolli

  2. Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, Alexandra House, 17 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AR, UK

    Antonia Hamilton

  3. Department of Neuromotor Physiology, Scientific Institute Foundation Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy

    Elisabetta Mazzarella

Authors
  1. Massimiliano Conson
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  2. Antonia Hamilton
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  3. Francesco De Bellis
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  4. Domenico Errico
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  5. Ilaria Improta
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  6. Elisabetta Mazzarella
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  7. Luigi Trojano
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  8. Alessandro Frolli
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Correspondence to Massimiliano Conson.

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Conson, M., Hamilton, A., De Bellis, F. et al. Body Constraints on Motor Simulation in Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 46, 1051–1060 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2652-x

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