J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 1995; 7:213-217
Copyright © 1995 by American Neuropsychiatric Association
An automated electronic method for quantifying spinning (circling) in children with autistic disorder
HS Bracha, R Livingston, K Dykman, DR Edwards and B Adam
Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, USA.
This pilot study examined and quantified rotational asymmetry (the tendency
to turn preferentially to the right or left side). An automated device was
used to measure turning (circling) in 9 children with autism and 27 normal
control subjects and confirmed clinical observations of stereotypical
spinning behavior in patients with autism. This behavior was significantly
preferential toward the left side relative to control subjects (P = 0.0009,
two-tailed). Group membership accounted for approximately 40% of variance.
Although the precise causes of autism are not known, these preliminary data
suggest that the spinning behavior often seen in children with
neurodevelopmental disorders can be reliably measured. Furthermore,
spinning in autism may most often manifest as specific right-hemispace
neglect.
