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Sensorimotor Behavior in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Unaffected Biological Parents.
Erin K Bojanek1,2,3, Shannon E Kelly2,4,5, Lauren M Schmitt6,7,8
1The Frederick J. And Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, and the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA.
Sensorimotor impairments, like atypical eye movements, are inherited traits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These specific motor deficits may indicate genetic risk for autism, even in families without pronounced autistic traits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Sensorimotor impairments are frequently observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- These impairments are also present in unaffected first-degree relatives, suggesting potential endophenotypes for inherited autism risk.
- Understanding these familial sensorimotor traits can illuminate the genetic underpinnings of ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the familiality of sensorimotor impairments across different motor behaviors in autism.
- To examine the relationship between sensorimotor deficits and parental broader autism phenotypic (BAP) characteristics.
- To identify potential endophenotypes for inherited autism likelihood.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated manual motor and oculomotor control in 57 autistic individuals (probands), 109 parents, and 89 neurotypical controls.
- Assessed sensorimotor tests involving rapid, feedforward, and sustained, sensory feedback control.
- Conducted subgroup analyses comparing families with (BAP+) and without (BAP-) parental BAP traits.
Main Results:
- Autistic individuals with BAP- parents showed atypical rapid oculomotor control.
- Autistic individuals with BAP+ parents exhibited impairments in sustained manual motor and oculomotor behaviors.
- Parents without BAP traits (BAP- parents) showed deficits in rapid oculomotor and sustained manual motor abilities.
- Rapid oculomotor behaviors were strongly correlated between autistic individuals and their parents, suggesting a specific familial pathway.
Conclusions:
- Rapid oculomotor behaviors may serve as an endophenotype for autism risk, particularly in families without pronounced parental autistic traits.
- Sustained sensorimotor behaviors are affected in different familial contexts, indicating separate inherited pathways for autism.
- Atypical saccade dynamics represent significant endophenotypes for autism, highlighting distinct genetic influences.
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