Abstract
Background: Although limited environmental exploration in autism is an obvious behavioral
feature and may be a manifestation of “restricted interests” as described in DSM-IV
criteria, there have been no behavioral or neurobiological studies of this important
aspect of the disorder. Given consistent reports of cerebellar abnormality in autism,
combined with animal research showing a relationship between exploration and the cerebellum,
this study aimed to test the possible link between cerebellar abnormality and exploration
in autism.
Methods: The relationship between visuospatial exploration, stereotyped motor movements,
and magnetic resonance imaging measures of the cerebellar vermis, whole brain volume,
and frontal lobes in 14 autistic and 14 normal children was investigated. Children
were exposed to a large room with several exploration containers and instructed to
play. Exploration behavior was videotaped and scored for percentage of time engaged
in exploration, number of containers explored, as well as stereotyped movements.
Results: Children with autism spent significantly less time in active exploration
and explored fewer containers overall than normal children. Measures of decreased
exploration were significantly correlated with the magnitude of cerebellar hypoplasia
of vermal lobules VI–VII in the autistic children, but no relationship to vermis size
was found with normal control children. Further, measures of rates of stereotyped
behavior were significantly negatively correlated with area measures of cerebellar
vermis lobules VI–VII and positively correlated with frontal lobe volume in the autism
sample.
Conclusions: Reduced environmental exploration and repetitive behavior may have particularly
important developmental consequences for children with autism because it may lead
them to miss learning opportunities that fall outside their scope of interest. Our
findings represent the first documented link between the restricted range of interests
and stereotyped behaviors pathognomonic of autism and particular neuroanatomic sites.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
July 31,
2000
Received in revised form:
July 24,
2000
Received:
March 27,
2000
Identification
Copyright
© 2001 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
