Evidence of normal cerebellar control of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in children with high-functioning autism

J Autism Dev Disord. 2000 Dec;30(6):519-24. doi: 10.1023/a:1005631225367.

Abstract

The effect of "tilt-suppression" on post-rotatory vestibular nystagmus was investigated to assess the function of the caudal cerebellar vermis (lobules IX and X, or nodulus and uvula) in 13 school-age children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and 10 normal controls. Tilt-suppression of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) refers to the decreasing of the duration of post-rotatory vestibular nystagmus that occurs when the head is moved out of the plane in which it was located during the previous sustained constant-velocity rotation. The participant is rotated in a vestibular chair with the head upright and then the head is tilted forward just after the chair stops rotating. Such tilt-suppression is impaired with lesions of the cerebellar nodulus and portions of the uvula. Results show that children with HFA have normal post-rotatory nystasmus with the head upright and normal attenuation of post-rotatory nystagmus induced by head tilt. These behavioral findings suggest that lobules IX and X of the cerebellum are spared in high-functioning autism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Autistic Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Cerebellum / physiology*
  • Child
  • Eye Movements / physiology
  • Humans
  • Nystagmus, Physiologic / physiology
  • Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / physiology*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Surveys and Questionnaires