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Cited by 450Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchAction Observation and SynchronizationMotor Control and Adaptation

Decreased connectivity and cerebellar activity in autism during motor task performance

Open access
Mostofsky, S. H., Powell, S. K., Simmonds, D. J., Goldberg, M. C., Caffo, B., Pekar, J. J.·2009·Brain
DOI 10.1093/brain/awp088PMC PMC2732264
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Abstract

Although motor deficits are common in autism, the neural correlates underlying the disruption of even basic motor execution are unknown. Motor deficits may be some of the earliest identifiable signs of abnormal development and increased understanding of their neural underpinnings may provide insight into autism-associated differences in parallel systems critical for control of more complex behaviour necessary for social and communicative development. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine neural activation and connectivity during sequential, appositional finger tapping in 13 children, ages 8-12 years, with high-functioning autism (HFA) and 13 typically developing (TD), age- and sex-matched peers. Both groups showed expected primary activations in cortical and subcortical regions associated with motor execution [contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex, contralateral thalamus, ipsilateral cerebellum, supplementary motor area (SMA)]; however, the TD group showed greater activation in the ipsilateral anterior cerebellum, while the HFA group showed greater activation in the SMA. Although activation differences were limited to a subset of regions, children with HFA demonstrated diffusely decreased connectivity across the motor execution network relative to control children. The between-group dissociation of cerebral and cerebellar motor activation represents the first neuroimaging data of motor dysfunction in children with autism, providing insight into potentially abnormal circuits impacting development. Decreased cerebellar activation in the HFA group may reflect difficulty shifting motor execution from cortical regions associated with effortful control to regions associated with habitual execution. Additionally, diffusely decreased connectivity may reflect poor coordination within the circuit necessary for automating patterned motor behaviour. The findings might explain impairments in motor development in autism, as well as abnormal and delayed acquisition of gestures important for socialization and communication.

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  • Motor difficulties are thought to arise from cerebellar abnormalities.

    “Motor difficulties are believed to arise from abnormalities in the cerebellum (106).”

    From Autism as a disorder of prediction (2014) · cites this paper as [106]

  • During gross motor movements, individuals with AD show reduced ipsilateral anterior cerebellar activation and more diffuse activation across lobules VI-VII.

    “When performing gross motor movements during fMRI studies, individuals with AD show reduced ipsilateral anterior cerebellar activation [199] and more diffuse activation across lobules VI-VII [200].”

    From Consensus Paper: Pathological Role of the Cerebellum in Autism (2012) · cites this paper as [199]

  • Muller et al. and Mostofsky et al. found concomitant increases in activation within association cortices and posterior cerebellum, suggesting compensatory involvement of neocerebellar and neocortical pathways.

    “Muller et al. [201] and Mostofsky et al. [199] found concomitant increases in activation within association cortices and posterior cerebellum suggesting compensatory involvement of neocerebellar and neocortical pathways.”

    From Consensus Paper: Pathological Role of the Cerebellum in Autism (2012) · cites this paper as [199]

  • Motor planning and performance deficits have been demonstrated in association with cerebellar abnormality in some children with autism, and restricted/repetitive behaviors in others, so some current behavioral targets may actually be proxies for the cerebellum.

    “In as much as motor planning and performance deficits have been demonstrated in association with cerebellar abnormality in some children with autism [e.g., 199], and restricted and repetitive behaviors in others [e.g., 257], some current behavioral targets may actually be proxies for the cerebellum.”

    From Consensus Paper: Pathological Role of the Cerebellum in Autism (2012) · cites this paper as [199]

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. Calhoun V, Adali T, Kraut M, Pearlson G. A weighted least-squares algorithm for estimation and visualization of relative latencies in event-related functional MRI. Magn Reson Med 2000; 44: 947-54.
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Authors
Mostofsky, S. H., Powell, S. K., Simmonds, D. J., Goldberg, M. C., Caffo, B., & Pekar, J. J.
Affiliations
  • Kennedy Krieger Institute (US)
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Brain
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2009-04-23
Volume
132
Issue
9
Pages
2413-2425
ISSN
  • 0006-8950 (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-2156
DOI
10.1093/brain/awp088
PMC
PMC2732264
OpenAlex
W1999726382
Cited by
450
References
114
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 43 · 2012: 32
FWCI
14.19
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Brain (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Autism Speaks (AS2506, AS2384, AS1739)
  • Johns Hopkins University (RR025005)
  • Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance
  • National Institutes of Health (RR15241, RR025005, HD24061)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (K01MH001824, R01MH085328, R01MH078160)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (K02NS044850, R01NS048527)
  • National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (K25EB003491)
  • National Center for Research Resources (RR-15241, UL1RR025005, P41RR015241)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD24061, P30HD024061)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, high-functioning autism, motor impairment, finger tapping, cerebellum, supplementary motor area, primary sensorimotor cortex, thalamus, functional connectivity, motor automation, children
MeSH terms
Autistic Disorder, Brain Mapping, Cerebellum, Child, Female, Fingers, Humans, Learning, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Motor Cortex, Movement, Neural Pathways, Psychomotor Performance, Thalamus, Case-Control Studies

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