Atypical sensory-motor integration in autistic male

The frequency distribution of the peak velocity of the hand trajectories from martial arts routines (a Jab strike in this case) is typically skewed. In an individual with high-functioning autism the frequency distribution of the hand peak velocity is well fit by the exponential probability distribution. The exponential distribution is "memory-less": over time events from past movements are not contributing to the prediction of future movements. This can be also appreciated in a rule that we found to characterize the learning process of these routines across participants. The novice person to the left can utilize the prior acceleration maximum to predict future maximum velocity and begin to distinguish between instructed speeds across random repetitions of the routine in instructed fast (green) and instructed slow (red) with some evolving learning noise. The system of the individual with autism has no noise in his learning process and could not come to distinguish if the motion was fast or slow. The process of integrating the kinesthetic sensory input into the motor output flow is atypical in this person. In the typical system 100 repeats of this motion improves the distinction between instructed speeds. In the autistic system 4 times that does not take it to a better speed discrimination stage. Repetitive movements are thus a must in the system that cannot kinesthetically sense its own physical movements appropriately. How can this system sense those movements visually as it sees others move? That is the next question to ask and to try and shed light into the relationship between sensory-motor integration and impairments in social communication.