Sensorimotor issues are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), related to core symptoms, and predictive of worse functional outcomes. Deficits in rapid behaviors supported primarily by feedforward mechanisms, and continuous, feedback-guided motor behaviors each have been reported, but the degrees to which they are distinct or co-segregate within individuals and across development are not well understood. We characterized behaviors that varied in their involvement of feedforward control relative to feedback control across skeletomotor (precision grip force) and oculomotor (saccades) control systems in 109 individuals with ASD and 101 age-matched typically developing controls (range: 5–29 years) including 58 individuals with ASD and 57 controls who completed both grip and saccade tests. Grip force was examined across multiple force (15, 45, and 85% MVC) and visual gain levels (low, medium, high). Maximum grip force also was examined. During grip force tests, reaction time, initial force output accuracy, variability, and entropy were examined. For the saccade test, latency, accuracy, and trial-wise variability of latency and accuracy were examined. Relative to controls, individuals with ASD showed similar accuracy of initial grip force but reduced accuracy of saccadic eye movements specific to older ages of our sample. Force variability was greater in ASD relative to controls, but saccade gain variability (across trials) was not different between groups. Force entropy was reduced in ASD, especially at older ages. We also find reduced grip strength in ASD that was more severe in dominant compared to non-dominant hands. Our age-related findings rely on cross-sectional data. Longitudinal studies of sensorimotor behaviors and their associations with ASD symptoms are needed. We identify reduced accuracy of initial motor output in ASD that was specific to the oculomotor system implicating deficient feedforward control that may be mitigated during slower occurring behaviors executed in the periphery. Individuals with ASD showed increased continuous force variability but similar levels of trial-to-trial saccade accuracy variability suggesting that feedback-guided refinement of motor commands is deficient specifically when adjustments occur rapidly during continuous behavior. We also document reduced lateralization of grip strength in ASD implicating atypical hemispheric specialization.

中文翻译：

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自闭症谱系障碍的初始动作输出和反馈引导的运动行为

感觉运动问题在自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 中很常见，与核心症状有关，并预示着更糟糕的功能结果。主要由前馈机制支持的快速行为缺陷和连续的、反馈引导的运动行为均已被报道，但它们在个体和整个发展过程中的不同或共同分离程度尚不清楚。我们对 109 名 ASD 患者和 101 名年龄匹配的典型发育控制患者（范围：5-29 岁）的骨骼运动（精确握力）和眼球运动（眼跳）控制系统的反馈控制进行了表征，这些行为在参与前馈控制方面有所不同。包括 58 名 ASD 患者和 57 名控制者，他们完成了握力和扫视测试。跨多个力（15、45、和 85% MVC）和视觉增益水平（低、中、高）。还检查了最大抓地力。在握力测试期间，检查了反应时间、初始力输出精度、可变性和熵。对于扫视测试，检查了潜伏期、准确性以及潜伏期和准确性的试验变异性。相对于对照组，患有 ASD 的个体表现出相似的初始握力准确度，但降低了我们样本中老年人特有的眼跳运动的准确度。与对照组相比，ASD 的力变异性更大，但眼跳增益变异性（跨试验）在组间没有差异。ASD 中的力熵降低，尤其是在老年时。我们还发现 ASD 的握力下降，与非惯用手相比，惯用手更严重。我们与年龄相关的发现依赖于横断面数据。需要对感觉运动行为及其与 ASD 症状的关联进行纵向研究。我们确定了 ASD 中初始运动输出的准确性降低，这是特定于动眼神经系统的，这意味着前馈控制不足，在外围执行较慢的行为期间可能会得到缓解。患有 ASD 的个体表现出持续力变异性增加，但试验间扫视精度变异性水平相似，这表明反馈引导的运动命令细化是有缺陷的，特别是当在连续行为期间快速发生调整时。我们还记录了 ASD 中握力偏侧化的减少，这与非典型半球特化有关。我们发现 ASD 中初始运动输出的准确性降低，这是特定于动眼神经系统的，这意味着前馈控制不足，在外围执行较慢的行为期间可能会得到缓解。患有 ASD 的个体表现出持续力变异性增加，但试验间扫视精度变异性水平相似，这表明反馈引导的运动命令细化是有缺陷的，特别是当在连续行为期间快速发生调整时。我们还记录了 ASD 中握力偏侧化的减少，这与非典型半球特化有关。我们发现 ASD 中初始运动输出的准确性降低，这是特定于动眼神经系统的，这意味着前馈控制不足，在外围执行较慢的行为期间可能会得到缓解。患有 ASD 的个体表现出持续力变异性增加，但试验间扫视精度变异性水平相似，这表明反馈引导的运动命令细化是有缺陷的，特别是当在连续行为期间快速发生调整时。我们还记录了 ASD 中握力偏侧化的减少，这与非典型半球特化有关。患有 ASD 的个体表现出持续力变异性增加，但试验间扫视精度变异性水平相似，这表明反馈引导的运动命令细化是有缺陷的，特别是当在连续行为期间快速发生调整时。我们还记录了 ASD 中握力偏侧化的减少，这与非典型半球特化有关。患有 ASD 的个体表现出持续力变异性增加，但试验间扫视精度变异性水平相似，这表明反馈引导的运动命令细化是有缺陷的，特别是当在连续行为期间快速发生调整时。我们还记录了 ASD 中握力偏侧化的减少，这与非典型半球特化有关。