Motor impairments in children with autism spectrum disorder: a multimodal approach

Research Center
Lombardia
Research Area
Psychopathology

Supervisor

Dott. Alessandro Crippa
Psychologist, PhD, Research unit coordinator
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Team

Dott.ssa Silvia Busti Ceccarelli
MSc, Psychologist
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Contacts

+39 031 877593 - Dott. Alessandro Crippa

+39 031 877813 - Dott.ssa Silvia Busti Ceccarelli

Description

Although the core features of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are persistent deficits in social communication and interaction and the presence of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, it is of great importance not to ignore the motor impairments associated with ASD as they are highly prevalent and can have a significant impact on social development. A refined characterization of motor profile of children with ASD could identify a well-defined subset of patients, reducing the clinical heterogeneity within the broad behavioral phenotype. This may guide further exploration of the neural mechanisms underlying motor development in children with ASD using different techniques.

Experimental techniques: kinematic analysis, magnetic resonance, genetic analysis.

Selected publications

  • Piccin S, Crippa A, Nobile M, Hardan AY & Brambilla P. (2017). Video Modeling for the development of personal hygiene skills in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, Epub ahead of print.
  • Crippa A, Del Vecchio G, Busti Ceccarelli S, Nobile M, Arrigoni F & Brambilla P (2016) Cortico-Cerebellar Connectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: What Do We Know So Far? Frontiers in Psychiatry 7:20.
  • Crippa A, Salvatore C, Perego P, Forti S, Nobile M, Molteni M & Castiglioni I. (2015). Use of machine learning to identify children with autism and their motor abnormalities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders; 45(7):2146-2156.
  • Crippa A, Forti S, Perego P & Molteni M. (2013). Eye-Hand Coordination In Children With High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s Disorder Using A Gap-Overlap Paradigm. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders; 43(4):841-50.
  • Forti S, Valli A, Perego P, Nobile M, Crippa A & Molteni M. (2011). Motor Planning and Control in Autism. A Kinematic Analysis of Preschool Children. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders; 5(2):834-842.

Partnerships

  • Prof. Gian Marco Marzocchi, Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca
  • Prof. Paolo Brambilla, Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan
  • Dr. Isabella Castiglioni, Institute of Molecular Imaging and Physiology, National Research Council, Segrate – Milano

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