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.
AllenGCourchesneE (2003) Differential effects of developmental cerebellar abnormality on cognitive and motor functions in the cerebellum: An fMRI study of autism. American Journal of Psychiatry160: 262–73.
2.
AllenGMuellerRACourchesneE (2004) Cerebellar function in autism: functional magnetic resonance image activation during a simple motor task. Biological Psychiatry56(4): 269–78.
3.
Baron-CohenS (1997) Is there a link between engineering and autism?Autism1: 101–8.
4.
Baron-CohenS (1998) Does autism occur more often in families of physicists, engineers, and mathematicians?Autism2(3): 296–301.
5.
Baron-CohenS (2002) The extreme male brain theory of autism. Trends in Cognitive Sciences6(6): 248–54.
6.
Baron-CohenSWheelwrightS (1999) Obsessions in children with autism or Asperger syndrome. British Journal of Psychiatry175: 484–90.
7.
Baron-CohenSWheelwrightSSkinnerRMartinJClubleyE (2001) The-Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): Evidence from Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, males and females, scientists and mathematicians. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders31(1): 5–17.
8.
BaumanMLKemperTL (2005) Neuroanatomic observations of the brain in autism: a review and future directions. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience23: 183–7.
9.
DelisDCKaplanEKramerJ (2001) The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (DKEFS). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
10.
DeshmukhARosenbloomMJPfefferbaumASullivanEV (2002) Clinical signs of cerebellar dysfunction in schizophrenia, alcoholism, and their comorbidity. Schizophrenia Research57: 281–91.
11.
DuriskoCFiezJA (2010) Functional activation in the cerebellum during working memory and simple speech tasks. Cortex46: 896–906.
12.
FrithU (2003) Autism: Explaining the Enigma, 2nd edn.Malden: Blackwell Publishing.
13.
GoldsteinGJohnsonCRMinshewNJ (2001) Attentional processes in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders31: 433–40.
14.
GrinterEJMayberyMTVan BeekPLPellicanoEBadockJCBadcockDR (2009) Global visual processing and self-rated autistic-like traits. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorder39: 1278–90.
15.
HallettMLebriedowkaKThomasSLStanhopeSJDencklaMBRumseyJ (1993) Locomotion of autistic adults. Archives of Neurology50: 1304–8.
16.
HappeFFrithU (2006) The weak coherence account: detail-focused cognitive style in autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders36(1): 5–25.
17.
HodgeSMakrisNKennedyDNCavinessVSJrHowardJMcGrathL. (2010) Cerebellum, language and cognition in autism and specific language impairment. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders40: 300–16.
18.
KleinhansNAkshoomoffNDelisDC (2005) Executive function in autism and Asperger’s disorder: flexibility, fluency, and inhibition. Developmental Neuropsychology27(3): 379–401.
LeTHPardoJVHuX (1998) 4-fMRI study of nonspatial shifting of selective attention: cerebellar and parietal contributions. Journal of Neurophysiology79(3): 1535–48.
21.
LopezBRLincolnAJOzonoffSLaiZ (2005) Examining the relationship between executive functions and restricted, repetitive symptoms of autistic disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders35: 445–60.
22.
MinshewNJSungKBJonesBLFurmanM (2004) Underdevelopment of the postural control system in autism. Neurology63: 2056–61.
23.
MuellerRAKleinhansNKemmotsuNPierceKCourchesneE (2003) Abnormal variability and distribution of functional maps in autism: an fMRI study of visuomotor learning. American Journal of Psychiatry160: 1847–62.
24.
NayateRABradshawJLRinehartNJ (2005) Autism and Asperger’s disorder: are they movement disorders involving the cerebellum and/or basal ganglia?Brain Research Bulletin67: 327–34.
25.
NelsonHEWillisonJR (1991) National Adult Reading Test (NART), 2nd edn.Windsor: NFER-Nelson.
26.
OzonoffJJJensenJ (1999) Brief report: specific executive function profiles in three neurodevelopmental disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders29: 171–7.
27.
RinehartNJMcGinleyJ (2010) Is motor dysfunction core to autism-spectrum disorder?Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology52: 697.
28.
RinehartNJTongeBJBradshawJLIansekREnticottPGJohnsonKA (2006a) Movement-related potentials in high-functioning autism and Asperger’s disorder. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology48(4): 272–7.
29.
RinehartNJTongeBJBradshawJLIansekREnticottPGMcGinleyJ (2006b) Gait function in high-functioning autism and Asperger’s disorder: evidence for basal-ganglia and cerebellar involvement?European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry15(5): 256–64.
30.
RinehartNJTongeBJIansekRMcGinleyJBreretonAVEnticottPGBradshawJL (2006c) Gait function in newly diagnosed children with autism: cerebellar and basal ganglia related motor disorder. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology48: 819–24.
31.
RumseyJMHamburgerSD (1988) Neuropsychological findings in high-functioning men with infantile autism, residual state. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology10: 201–21.
32.
SchmahmannJDShermanJC (1997) Cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome. International Review of Neurobiology41: 433–40.
33.
SchweizerTAAlexanderMPGillinghamBASCusimanoMStussDT (2010) Lateralized cerebellar contributions to word generation: a phonemic and semantic fluency study. Behavioural Neurology23: 31–3.
34.
SouthMOzonoffSMcMahonWM (2005) Repetitive behaviour profiles in Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders35(2): 145–58.
35.
SouthMOzonoffSMcMahonWM (2007) The relationship between executive functioning, central coherence, and repetitive behaviors in the high-functioning autism spectrum. Autism11: 437–51.
36.
StewartMEWatsonJAllcockAJYaqoobT (2009) Autistic traits predict performance on the block design. Autism13: 133–42.
37.
Van WaelveldeHOostraADewitteAVan den BroeckAJongmansMJ (2010) Stability of motor problems in young children with or at risk of autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and or developmental coordination disorder. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology52: e174–e8.
WegielJKuchnaINowickiKImakiHWegielJMarchiE. (2010) The neuropathology of autism: defects of neurogenesis and neuronal migration, and dysplastic changes. Acta Neuropathologica119(6): 755–70.
40.
Woodbury-SmithMRRobinsonJWheelwrightSBaron-CohenS (2005) Screening adults for Asperger syndrome using the AQ: a preliminary study of its diagnostic validity in clinical practice. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders35: 331–5.
41.
YerysBEWallaceGLHarrisonBCelanoMJGieddJNKenworthyLE (2009) Set-shifting in children with autism spectrum disorders: reversal shifting deficits on the intradimensional/extradimensional shift test correlate with repetitive behaviours. Autism13(5): 523–38.
