Rethinking Stereotypies in Autism.

Semin Pediatr Neurol

Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Neuroscience and The Center for Learning and Memory, Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX. Electronic address:

Published: July 2021

AI Article Synopsis

  • Stereotyped movements, or stereotypies, are repetitive actions commonly seen in individuals with autism that serve as coping mechanisms, providing relaxation and focus in overwhelming situations.
  • Research suggests that suppressing these movements may be counterproductive, as they offer known benefits to those on the autism spectrum.
  • By studying the neurobiology of stereotypies, the authors propose a model that links personal experiences to brain processes, suggesting these movements enhance sensory processing and attention through the regulation of brain rhythms.

Article Abstract

Stereotyped movements ("stereotypies") are semi-voluntary repetitive movements that are a prominent clinical feature of autism spectrum disorder. They are described in first-person accounts by people with autism as relaxing and that they help focus the mind and cope in overwhelming sensory environments. Therefore, we generally recommend against techniques that aim to suppress stereotypies in individuals with autism. Further, we hypothesize that understanding the neurobiology of stereotypies could guide development of treatments to produce the benefits of stereotypies without the need to generate repetitive motor movements. Here, we link first-person reports and clinical findings with basic neuroanatomy and physiology to produce a testable model of stereotypies. We hypothesize that stereotypies improve sensory processing and attention by regulating brain rhythms, either directly from the rhythmic motor command, or via rhythmic sensory feedback generated by the movements.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8654322PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spen.2021.100897DOI Listing

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