Cerebellar Dysfunction, Cognitive Flexibility and Autistic Traits in a Non-Clinical Sample

Autor/inn/en	Ridley, Nicole J.; Homewood, Judi; Walters, Jenny
Titel	Cerebellar Dysfunction, Cognitive Flexibility and Autistic Traits in a Non-Clinical Sample
Quelle	In: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 15 (2011) 6, S.728-745 (18 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1362-3613
DOI	10.1177/1362361310395956
Schlagwörter	Autism; Cognitive Ability; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Neurological Impairments; Brain Hemisphere Functions; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Questionnaires; College Students; Humanities; Majors (Students); Correlation; Psychomotor Skills; Verbal Ability; Behavior Problems; Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Autismus; Denkfähigkeit; Psychiatrische Symptomatik; Neurodegenerative Erkrankung; Fragebogen; Collegestudent; Geisteswissenschaften; Humanwissenschaften; Korrelation; Psychomotorische Aktivität; Mündliche Leistung
Abstract	Cerebellar dysfunction and impaired cognitive flexibility are key features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, despite the increasing interest in subclinical autism, no research has yet examined the relationship between these signs and autistic traits in the wider population. This study used the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) questionnaire to assess autistic traits in university students enrolled in either systems-oriented or humanities degree programmes. Participants also completed a battery of motor tasks designed to assess cerebellar function, and subscales from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) battery. Students enrolled in systems-oriented degrees had on average higher AQ scores than students enrolled in humanities degrees. The data showed a significant correlation between autistic traits and motor function scores, as well as between autistic traits and verbal set-shifting ability, as assessed on the D-KEFS. These data provide support for the autistic spectrum hypothesis, in indicating that key cognitive, neurological and behavioural features of autism carry over into non-clinical populations. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10