Locomotion of autistic adults
M. Hallett, M. K. Lebiedowska, S. L. Thomas, S. J. Stanhope, M. B. Denckla and J. Rumsey
Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.
OBJECTIVE: To assess gait in patients with autism. DESIGN: Clinical and
physiologic assessment. SETTING: Research hospital. PATIENTS AND SUBJECTS:
Five adults with autism and five healthy, age-matched control subjects.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Clinical and biomechanical assessment. RESULTS:
Clinical assessment showed mild clumsiness in four patients and upper limb
posturing during gait in three patients. The velocity of gait, step length,
cadence, step width, stance time, and vertical ground reaction forces were
normal in all patients. The only significant abnormality was decreased
range of motion of the ankle. Some patients exhibited slightly decreased
knee flexion in early stance. Clinically, the gait appeared to be irregular
in three patients, but the variability was not significantly increased.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings in patients with autism indicate a nonspecific,
neurological disturbance involving the motor system. The normal velocity of
gait and the normal step length argue against a parkinsonian-type
disturbance, whereas the clinical picture suggests a disturbance of the
cerebellum.
