Brief Report: The Impact of Subcortical Band Heterotopia and Associated Complications on the Neuropsychological Functioning of a 13-year-old Child

Motor impairment in children with Asperger syndrome (AS) or high functioning autism (HFA) has been reported previously. This study presents results of a quantitative assessment of neuromotor skills in 14–22 year old HFA/AS. Sixteen HFA/AS and 16 IQ-matched controls were assessed by the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment (ZNA). The HFA/AS group showed strongest impairments of dynamic balance skills and diadochokinesis. Motor abilities were associated with degree of social withdrawal in the full sample and severity of current autistic symptoms in the HFA/AS group. Similar motor patterns as in younger children were found in the older adolescents. The association of autistic symptoms with motor performance points towards an essential role of motor impairment in autism spectrum disorders.     

An Examination of Handedness and Footedness in Children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome

Motor control deficits have been documented in children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome (HFA/AS), but the extent to which these disorders affect the children's footedness must be delineated. Twelve typically developing (TD) children and 12 children with HFA/AS, ages 6-9?years, were recruited. Motor control skills were assessed through a variety of footedness tasks to determine location and nature of impairment, regarding motor dominance. Overall, greater inconsistencies in dominance arose in children with HFA/AS, through disparities in measures of preference. Results will have broader implications for understanding motor impairments in children with HFA/AS as determined by comparing performance on footedness tasks, as well as for the design of interventions to account for these deficits.     

Asperger’s syndrome and high-functioning autism: language, motor and cognitive profiles

The objective of this study is to compare the cognitive profile, the motor and language functioning and the psychosocial adaptation of children with Asperger syndrome (AS) and with high-functioning autism (HFA). Subjects were recruited through the department Autism and Developmental Disorders of the Heckscher-Klinikum. To be included in the study, the full-scale-IQ had to be at least 80. Subjects with AS had to have a normal early language development and subjects with HFA a clear delay in language development, as reported by their parents. The sample consisted of 57 children with Asperger syndrome and 55 children with high-functioning autism. The mean age of the children was 10 years. All subjects were examined with a standardised test battery. Children with AS had a higher full-scale-IQ than children with HFA. This was due to a higher verbal-IQ. There were no significant differences in the performance-IQ. At a mean age of 10 years, subjects with AS had better language skills than subjects with HFA, but at least 30% showed clear receptive language problems. Motor problems were present in about 50% of the children with AS and HFA. The level of psychosocial adaptation was clearly reduced, but was comparable for the two groups. The differences in verbal-IQ and language skills between the two groups could be explained through the definition of the syndromes. The presence of language problems in the subjects with AS at age 10, the comparable degree of motor impairment and level of psychosocial adaptation question the validity of the distinction between AS and HFA within the category of pervasive developmental disorders.     

Theory of mind, severity of autistic symptoms and parental correlates in children and adolescents with Asperger syndrome

This study addresses the theory of mind (ToM) ability of Asperger's syndrome/high-functioning autism (AS/HFA) children and their parents and the severity of the autistic symptoms. Fifty-three families, each consisting of a mother, father and a child, participated in this study (N=159). The 53 children in the sample included 25 children diagnosed with AS/HFA and 28 typically developing (TD) children. The Social Attribution Task (SAT) and tests assessing autistic symptoms were used. AS/HFA children had lower scores than TD children on three of the SAT indices (Person, ToM Affective, and Salience). Fathers of AS/HFA children did not have lower scores than fathers of TD children on the SAT task, whereas mothers of AS/HFA children had lower scores on the Person index, a pattern similar to seen in their children, suggesting a possible genetic contribution of mothers to ToM deficit in AS/HFA children.     

Asperger's syndrome and autism: neurocognitive aspects

The objectives of this study were to see: (1) whether children with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) have similar neurocognitive deficits compared to nonretarded, or high-functioning autistic (HFA) children; and (2) whether the essential cognitive deficit among these children is in language or abstract problem solving. Subjects with AS, HFA, and a control group of socially impaired child psychiatric outpatient controls (OPC) were compared on a battery of neuropsychological tests. The results indicated that the AS and HFA groups differed little but that large differences from the OPC were observed on all tests. When the AS and HFA with FSIQ above 85 were compared to the OPC, outstanding deficits on motor coordination, language comprehension, and facial recognition were observed. Finally, some evidence is presented to suggest that the pattern of deficits of AS and HFA subjects varied by developmental level. The implications of these results for a neurological theory of autism are discussed.     

Motor persistence and inhibition in autism and ADHD.

The present study compared performance of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and high functioning autism (HFA) with that of controls on 4 tasks assessing 2 components of motor control: motor response inhibition and motor persistence. A total of 136 children (52 ADHD, 24 HFA, 60 controls) ages 7 to 13 years completed 2 measures of motor inhibition (Conflicting Motor Response and Contralateral Motor Response Tasks) and 2 measures of motor persistence (Lateral Gaze Fixation and NEPSY Statue). After controlling for age, IQ, gender, and basic motor speed, children with ADHD performed significantly more poorly than controls on the Conflicting Motor Response and Contralateral Motor Response Tasks, as well as on Statue. In contrast, children with HFA achieved lower scores than controls only on measures of motor persistence, with no concomitant impairment on either motor inhibition task. These results are consistent with prior research that has demonstrated relatively spared motor inhibition in autism. The findings highlight the utility of brief assessments of motor control in delineating the unique neurobehavioral phenotypes of ADHD and HFA.     

Brief Report: Children with ADHD Without Co-morbid Autism do not have Impaired Motor Proficiency on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children

Motor proficiency was investigated in a sample of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Combined type (ADHD-CT) without autism. Accounting for the influence of co-morbid autistic symptoms in ADHD motor studies is vital given that motor impairment has been linked to social–communication symptoms in children who have co-morbid ADHD and autistic-like symptoms. Two groups of children aged between 7–14 years were recruited; children with ADHD-CT (n = 16; mean age 10 years, 7 months [SD = 1 year, 10 months]) and a typically developing (n = 16; mean age 10 years, 6 months [SD = 2 years, 6 months]) group. Motor proficiency was measured using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2nd Edition, ADHD symptoms were measured using the Conner’s Parent Rating Scale. Children with ADHD-CT who had been screened for co-morbid autism did not display motor difficulties on the MABC-2. Higher levels of inattention, but not hyperactivity or impulsivity were associated with poorer motor performance. These findings provide indirect evidence that the motor problems that children with ADHD experience may be related to co-occurring social responsiveness impairments.     

The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ)—Adolescent Version

The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) quantifies autistic traits in adults. This paper adapted the AQ for children (age 9.8–15.4 years). Three groups of participants were assessed: Group 1: n=52 adolescents with Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA); Group 2: n=79 adolescents with classic autism; and Group 3, n=50 controls. The adolescents with AS/HFA did not differ significantly from the adolescents with autism but both clinical groups scored higher than controls. Approximately 90% of the adolescents with AS/HFA and autism scored 30+, vs. none of the controls. Among the controls, boys scored higher than girls. The AQ can rapidly quantify where an adolescent is situated on the continuum from autism to normality.     

The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): Evidence from Asperger Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism, Malesand Females, Scientists and Mathematicians

Currently there are no brief, self-administered instruments for measuring the degree to which an adult with normal intelligence has the traits associated with the autistic spectrum. In this paper, we report on a new instrument to assess this: the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Individuals score in the range 0–50. Four groups of subjects were assessed: Group 1: 58 adults with Asperger syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA); Group 2: 174 randomly selected controls. Group 3: 840 students in Cambridge University; and Group 4: 16 winners of the UK Mathematics Olympiad. The adults with AS/HFA had a mean AQ score of 35.8 (SD = 6.5), significantly higher than Group 2 controls (M = 16.4, SD = 6.3). 80% of the adults with AS/HFA scored 32+, versus 2% of controls. Among the controls, men scored slightly but significantly higher than women. No women scored extremely highly (AQ score 34+) whereas 4% of men did so. Twice as many men (40%) as women (21%) scored at intermediate levels (AQ score 20+). Among the AS/HFA group, male and female scores did not differ significantly. The students in Cambridge University did not differ from the randomly selected control group, but scientists (including mathematicians) scored significantly higher than both humanities and social sciences students, confirming an earlier study that autistic conditions are associated with scientific skills. Within the sciences, mathematicians scored highest. This was replicated in Group 4, the Mathematics Olympiad winners scoring significantly higher than the male Cambridge humanities students. 6% of the student sample scored 327plus; on the AQ. On interview, 11 out of 11 of these met three or more DSM-IV criteria for AS/HFA, and all were studying sciences/mathematics, and 7 of the 11 met threshold on these criteria. Test—retest and interrater reliability of the AQ was good. The AQ is thus a valuable instrument for rapidly quantifying where any given individual is situated on the continuum from autism to normality. Its potential for screening for autism spectrum conditions in adults of normal intelligence remains to be fully explored.     

Specifying PDD-NOS: a comparison of PDD-NOS, Asperger syndrome, and autism

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics of children given a diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) by expert clinicians and to compare these to the clinical characteristics of children given a diagnosis of autism and Asperger syndrome (AS). METHOD: Two hundred sixteen children with autism, 33 with AS, and 21 with PDD-NOS were compared on measures of level of functioning (communication, daily living and social skills, IQ, and age of acquisition of language) and on various symptoms of autism (impaired communication and reciprocal social interaction and a preference for repetitive and stereotyped activities). RESULTS: In terms of level of functioning measures, the PDD-NOS children had scores that were between those of the children with autism and those of the children with AS. In contrast, the PDD-NOS group had fewer autistic symptoms, especially repetitive stereotyped behaviors, than both the autism and AS groups (chi2 = 11.06, p =.004). Children with PDD-NOS could be placed into one of three subgroups: a high-functioning group (24%) who resembled AS but had transient language delay or mild cognitive impairment; a subgroup resembling autism (24%) but who had late age of onset or too severe cognitive delays or were too young to potentially meet the full diagnostic criteria for autism; and a group (52%) not fulfilling the criteria for autism because of fewer stereotyped and repetitive behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: With some revision to current diagnostic criteria, a more homogenous atypical group with significant impairments in social-communication but fewer repetitive behaviors can be differentiated from the more nonspecific PDD-NOS group. This differentiation may lead to better reliability in diagnosis and to further progress in studies of etiology.     

Repetitive Behavior Profiles in Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism

Although repetitive behaviors are a core diagnostic domain for autism spectrum disorders, research in this area has been neglected. This study had two major aims (1) to provide a detailed characterization of repetitive behaviors in individuals with Asperger Syndrome (AS), high-functioning autism (HFA), and typically developing controls (TD); and (2) to examine whether differences in repetitive behavior profiles could provide evidence for the external validity of AS separate from HFA. Specifically, it was hypothesized that circumscribed interests would be more prevalent and cause more impairment in the AS group than the HFA group, while the reverse would be true for other categories of repetitive behavior. The parent(s) of 61 children and adolescents (19 with AS, 21 with HFA, and 21 TD) completed two interviews focused specifically on lifetime and current repetitive behavior symptoms. No reliable differences in repetitive behavior between AS and HFA children were found. Results suggested that circumscribed interests differ in developmental course from the three other DSM-IV-TR categories of repetitive behavior. Internal consistency among the four DSM-IV-TR categories of repetitive behavior was high, =.84, providing evidence for a unitary repetitive behaviors factor. The importance of expanding research in the repetitive behavior domain is highlighted as part of the necessary integration of behavioral and neurobiological approaches to understanding the etiology of autism.     

Differentiating Autism and Asperger Syndrome on the Basis of Language Delay or Impairment

Asperger syndrome (AS) is differentiated from high-functioning autism (HFA) largely on a history of “language delay.” This study examined “specific language impairment” as a predictor of outcome. Language skills of 19 children with AS and 45 with HFA were assessed at 4–6 years of age (Time 1) and 2 years later (Time 2). Children’s symptoms and functional outcome scores were assessed every 2 years (Times 3, 4, and 5) until ages 15–17 years old. Regression analysis revealed that specific language impairment at time 2 more often accounted for the greatest variation in outcome scores in adolescence than the standard diagnosis of AS versus HFA based on history of language delay. Diagnostic implications are discussed.     

Children with high-functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome: Can we differentiate their cognitive profiles?

The aim of this study was to investigate whether children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger's syndrome (AS) can be differentiated from each other and from typically developing children on their cognitive profiles. The present study included a total of 45 participants: children with autism (high-functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome) and a matched control group of typically developing children (n = 15 per group). Two tasks were used to establish their cognitive profiles: the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) and the NEPSY scale. Our results highlighted differentiated profiles between the children with Asperger's syndrome and those with high-functioning autism. The first ones showed strengths on verbally mediated skills as well as weaknesses on visual-motor coordination and graphomotor ability, whereas the children with HFA exhibited a profile with deficits on tasks calling upon verbal comprehension and good performances on tasks requiring visuo-spatial skills. This paper argues for a revision of AS criteria in the forthcoming DSM-V rather than a combination of the two subgroups within the autism spectrum disorders in the diagnostic manual.     

Use of Context in Pragmatic Language Comprehension by Children with Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism

Utilizing relevance theory, this study investigated the ability of children with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) to use context when answering questions and when giving explanations for their correct answers. Three groups participated in this study: younger AS/HFA group (age 7–9, n = 16), older AS/HFA group (age 10–12, n = 23) and a normally functioning control group (age 7–9, n = 23). The results indicated that the younger AS/HFA group did less well when answering contextually demanding questions compared to the control group, and the performance of the older AS/HFA group fell in between the younger AS/HFA group and the control group. Both AS/HFA groups had difficulties explaining their correct answers, suggesting that they are not always aware of how they have derived answers from the context.     

Social attribution in children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome: An exploratory study in the Chinese setting

The present study aimed to examine social attribution in children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger's syndrome (AS). A sample of 20 boys (9 with HFA and 11 with AS) and 20 age-matched controls were recruited for this study. All participated in two tasks measuring social attribution ability, the conventional Social Attribution Task (SAT) and a modified version with animals rather than shapes (mSAT). They also completed a battery of neuropsychological tests. Compared to typically developing controls, children with autism spectrum disorders were impaired on some measures in both SATs. However, group differences in ‘theory-of-mind’ indices were only significant in the mSAT, with the ASD group performing more poorly than controls. In addition, the scores in person index of both versions of the SAT correlated with executive function in children with HFA/AS. The current study found the mSAT paradigm was especially sensitive to ToM difficulties in young Chinese children with HFA/AS. Social attribution in children with HFA/AS, unlike neurotypical children, was related to executive function ability, suggesting these psychological domains are not distinct in children with autism spectrum disorders.     

Study of situational recognition of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders, Asperger's disorder and high functioning autism with the Metaphor and Sarcasm Scenario Test (MSST)

The purpose of this study is to clear up the difference between Asperger's disorder (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA) with a newly developed test, the metaphor and sarcasm scenario test (MSST) can be used to distinguish pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (AD/HD). So 66 AS children, 20 HFA children and 37 AD/HD children were selected, compared the profiles of score on the MSST. The results showed that the inability to understand sarcastic situation was specific to group with AS, both group with HFA and AD/HD were differ little to understand between metaphor and sarcasm. In this study suggest differences in situational recognition among the PDD subtypes, the clinical symptoms of PDD reflects characteristics of AS.     

Categorical and Dimensional Structure of Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Nosologic Validity of Asperger Syndrome

There is an ongoing debate whether a differentiation of autistic subtypes, especially between Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high-functioning-autism (HFA) is possible and if so, whether it is a categorical or dimensional one. The aim of this study was to examine the possible clustering of responses in different symptom domains without making any assumption concerning diagnostic appreciation. About 140 children and adolescents, incorporating 52 with a diagnosis of AS, 44 with HFA, 8 with atypical autism and 36 with other diagnoses, were examined. Our study does not support the thesis that autistic disorders are discrete phenotypes. On the contrary, it provides evidence that e.g. AS and autism are not qualitatively distinct disorders, but rather different quantitative manifestations of the same disorder.     

Sleep Patterns of School-Age Children with Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism

Sleep patterns of 32 school-age children with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) were compared to those of 32 typically developing age- and gender-matched children, using parent survey and one week of diary and actigraphic monitoring. Parents of children with AS/HFA more commonly reported that their children had difficulty falling asleep. One week of sleep recording with diary and actigraphy confirmed that children in the AS/HFA group spent a longer time awake in bed before falling asleep than children in the control group, possibly because the children in the AS/HFA group had earlier bedtimes. Other essential aspects of sleep patterns coincided between the groups. The sleep patterns of children with AS and HFA did not differ.     

Defining the Intellectual Profile of Asperger Syndrome: Comparison with High-Functioning Autism

Asperger syndrome (AS) is a disorder of early childhood characterized by autistic social deficits, subtle communication impairment, and excessive isolated interests. There is no history of language delay or of mental retardation. Despite its increasing popularity as a distinct condition, its diagnostic validity remains uncertain. It is still unclear to what extent AS differs from autism with normal intelligence sometimes referred to as high-functioning autism (HFA). However, some reports have suggested that persons with AS possess a distinct profile on tests of intelligence characterized by a high verbal IQ and a low performance IQ, whereas in most cases with HFA, the pattern is reversed. Since few studies have directly compared AS subjects with HFA controls using unmodified diagnostic criteria and standardized measures of assessment, in this report we compared 22 AS subjects with 12 HFA controls, matched on age, sex and level of intelligence. As a group, subjects with AS showed a higher verbal IQ and higher scores on information and vocabulary subtests than those with HFA. However, scores of several AS and HFA subjects showed a mixed pattern. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of the validity of Asperger Syndrome.