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Motor Memory Deficits Contribute to Motor Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder

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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.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by NIMH 092696 and 67631, NICHD Autism Center of Excellence 055751, NINDS 082008, NINDS 078874, NCATS TR000126, and Autism Speaks 4853.

Authors’ Contributions

KN carried out data analyses, data interpretation, and drafting the manuscript. SM helped with statistical analyses, interpreting the data, and drafting the manuscript. LS helped with data collection, data analysis, and interpretation. ZW helped with data analysis and interpretation. JS helped with data analysis and manuscript preparation. MM provided input on conception and design of the study, assisted in data analysis and interpretation, and helped revise the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, 276 Recreation Building, State College, PA, 16802, USA

    Kristina A. Neely

  2. Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, USA

    Suman Mohanty, Lauren M. Schmitt, Zheng Wang, John A. Sweeney & Matthew W. Mosconi

  3. Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA

    Matthew W. Mosconi

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  1. Kristina A. Neely
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  2. Suman Mohanty
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Correspondence to Matthew W. Mosconi.

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Neely, K.A., Mohanty, S., Schmitt, L.M. et al. Motor Memory Deficits Contribute to Motor Impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 49, 2675–2684 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2806-5

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