A recent study has revealed important insights about the early sensorimotor traits and cognitive skills of toddlers who are eventually diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
A recent article published in the journal iSCIENCE has highlighted important findings about the early sensorimotor traits and cognitive skills of toddlers diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) later on. The research was led by Kristina Denisova, a professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the CUNY Graduate Center and Queens College. This study represents a significant advancement in understanding ASD, facilitating the creation of more targeted and personalized intervention strategies.
Autism Spectrum Disorder is commonly identified when children are around 4 to 5 years old. It is a neurodevelopmental condition with a diverse range of symptoms, including unusual communication patterns and repetitive behaviors. Individuals with ASD often demonstrate lower cognitive abilities. While there is a known connection between reduced IQ in infancy and a future ASD diagnosis, not every child with ASD presents lower cognitive skills in their early years. This study aims to fill the critical knowledge gap regarding the early indicators that differentiate children with different cognitive abilities who will later develop ASD.
The research team explored the link between movement and cognitive abilities in toddlers prior to being diagnosed with ASD, analyzing their behavior during both sleep and wakefulness. Two main questions guided their investigation: Do toddlers with ASD and lower IQ show different movement patterns during sleep compared to those with higher IQ? Additionally, do lower motor skills during awake hours define lower-IQ children with ASD in contrast to those with higher IQ?
The study was carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the researchers assessed sensorimotor features from sleep functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) involving 111 toddlers with ASD. In the second phase, they evaluated sensorimotor skills during wakefulness in more than 1,000 toddlers with ASD, distinguishing between those with lower and higher cognitive abilities.
The results indicated that toddlers with ASD and lower IQs demonstrated noticeably different sensorimotor traits compared to those with higher IQs. Notably, the sensorimotor features of higher-IQ ASD toddlers closely resembled those of typically developing (TD) toddlers. This finding suggests that a higher IQ may provide some protection against atypical sensorimotor functioning, while poor sensorimotor abilities may be a critical indicator of lower IQ in young children with autism.
Furthermore, the study found that lower-IQ ASD toddlers consistently displayed lower gross motor skills across various age ranges (6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 months). This disruption in crucial early sensorimotor learning signals a possible weakness in the brain’s motor control systems, linked to lower cognitive skills in toddlers who eventually receive an ASD diagnosis.
“The significance of these findings is vast,” Denisova stated. “They highlight the necessity for more specific and individualized interventions for children with ASD, especially those with lower cognitive skills. Strategies for lower-IQ autistic children might need to concentrate on improving both sensorimotor and cognitive capabilities, while higher-IQ autistic children may benefit from focusing on their strengths to alleviate potential mental health issues.”
Denisova stressed the importance of ongoing research in this field, particularly involving families who are underserved and face obstacles in accessing early intervention services.
This study was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health under the National Institutes of Health. Research in the Denisova laboratory also receives backing from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative and faculty start-up funds.
