Research: Acquisition of Internal Models of Motor Tasks in Children with Autism

Authored by GidleyLarson, JC, Bastian AJ, Donchin O., Shadmehr R., and Mostofsk SH in Brain, Volume 131, Issue Pt 11, p. 2894-2903, (2008).

Article summary (posted Jan 1, 2009):

Children with autism may be able to best learn new motor tasks if they are shown and described to them clearly.

This study looked at children with autism to see if they could change their motor output in response to a changes around them. The study had three tasks: two tasks that involved reaching with a robot arm; and one task that was performed with prism glasses. Scientists believe that a part of the brain called the cerebellum should be used adapt motor output to novel tools such as robot arms and prism glasses. The authors were surprised to find that children with autism were able to adapt to the tasks. These results suggest that children with autism are able to acquire an internal model of movement.

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You can access the original abstract and the complete paper is sometimes available for free via Google Scholar (look for entries that say "PDF" or "HTML" on the right side of the page).
autism, cerebellum, glasses, motor, movement, occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), prism, robot
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