Impaired Communication Between the Motor and Somatosensory Homunculus Is Associated With Poor Manual Dexterity in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Fine motor skill impairments are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), significantly affecting quality of life. Sensory inputs reaching the primary motor cortex (M1) from the somatosensory cortex (S1) are likely involved in fine motor skill and specifically motor learning. However, the role of these connections has not been directly investigated in humans. This study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the role of the S1-M1 connections in healthy subjects in vivo and whether microstructural alterations are associated with motor impairment in ASD.

Methods

Sixty right-handed neurotypical adult men aged 18 to 45 years, and 60 right-handed age- and sex-matched subjects diagnosed with ASD underwent fine motor skill assessment and scanning with diffusion tenso

SUBMITTER: Thompson A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5227100 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature