LOCOMOTION OF AUTISTIC ADULTS

Objective: To assess gait in patients with autism. Design: Clinical an d physiologic assessment. Setting: Research hospital. Patients and Sub jects: Five adults with autism and five healthy, age-matched control s ubjects. Main Outcome Measure(s): Clinical and biomechanical assessmen t. Results: Clinical assessment showed mild clumsiness in four patient s 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 significa nt abnormality was decreased range of motion of the ankle. Some patien ts exhibited slightly decreased knee flexion in early stance. Clinical ly, the gait appeared to be irregular in three patients, but the varia bility was not significantly increased. Conclusions: The findings in p atients with autism indicate a nonspecific, neurological disturbance i nvolving 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.