Article

Postural control deficits in individuals with Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD) are widely acknowledged; however, the underlying biomechanical
features of these deficits remain unknown. Nonlinear analyses provide insight
into the nature of how movement is controlled and have the potential to provide
new insight into the postural control abnormalities associated with ASD. The
purpose of this study was to further investigate postural control deficits in
children with ASD through linear and nonlinear analyses of center of pressure
(COP) data. METHODS: We evaluated COP data during quiet standing for 16 children
with ASD and 17 age-matched typically developing (TD) children. The magnitude of
COP fluctuations (COP ranges, velocity, and sway area) and complexity of postural
control dynamics, quantified by multiscale entropy (MSE), were compared across
groups. RESULTS: Children with ASD displayed larger fluctuations in their COP
data, observed in COP ranges (95.5% mediolaterally and 46.9% anteroposteriorly,
p<0.05 respectively) and COP sway area (885%, p<0.05). Children with ASD also
displayed less complexity in their COP data, observed in the MSE complexity index
(CI) (32.4% mediolaterally and 35.7% anteroposteriorly, p<0.05 respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: The present study successfully revealed that children with ASD have
more repetitive patterns in their COP data, indicating a less complex control of
posture, on multiple time scales, during quiet stance. These findings suggest a
more regular or restricted control of posture and may be an initial step in
linking postural instability to stereotypic behavior and the neurobiology of ASD.
CI - Published by Elsevier B.V.

Langue : ANGLAIS