August 26, 2023
Movement research – ASD #9

This is the final post in this series on ASD. We’ve talked about rhythm with respect to other neurological movement difficulties for many years (think Parkinson’s disease or stroke). But this article by Hardy and LaGasse discusses how rhythm is proposed to activate motoneurons via reticulospinal pathways, thereby “priming” the motor system. They also noted the involvement of the cerebellum in ASD and how rhythm can support cerebellar activation and organization of movement. Although it can take many forms, auditory rhythmic cueing can be as simple as using a metronome to support movement.