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Johansson, Anna-MariaORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0002-7878-4488
Publications (10 of 53) Show all publications
Bäckström, A., Johansson, A.-M., Rudolfsson, T., Rönnqvist, L., von Hofsten, C., Rosander, K. & Domellöf, E. (2025). Atypical development of sequential manual motor planning and visuomotor integration in children with autism at early school-age: A longitudinal kinematic study. Autism
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Atypical development of sequential manual motor planning and visuomotor integration in children with autism at early school-age: A longitudinal kinematic study
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2025 (English)In: Autism, ISSN 1362-3613, E-ISSN 1461-7005Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

Sensorimotor difficulties are common in children with autism spectrum disorder, and it has been suggested that motor planning problems underlie their atypical movements. At early school-age, motor planning development typically involves changes in visuomotor integration, a function known to be affected in autism spectrum disorder. However, there is a lack of detailed characterization of typical motor planning development during this stage, and how motor planning develops in children with autism spectrum disorder is largely unknown. This longitudinal kinematic study examined goal-directed sequential manual movements in children with autism spectrum disorder and in typically developing children across ages 7, 8, and 9 years. We manipulated goal-difficulty and availability of initial visual information to investigate visuomotor integration and chaining of subparts during movement performance. The results revealed emerging group differences at older age, suggesting atypical motor planning development in children with autism spectrum disorder. Notably, unlike the typically developing group, availability of initial visual information did not facilitate motor planning for the autism spectrum disorder group. The results show that motor planning differences in autism spectrum disorder appear related to atypical visuomotor integration and global processing of sensorimotor information. The findings also emphasize the importance of considering developmental aspects in research and practice related to motor problems in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
SAGE Publications Ltd, 2025
Keywords
autism spectrum disorders, development, kinematics, longitudinal, motor planning, school-age children, visuomotor integration
National Category
Psychiatry
Research subject
Psychology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-111271 (URN)10.1177/13623613241311333 (DOI)001390065600001 ()39760319 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-85214118643 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, KAW 2015.0192
Note

Full text license: CC BY 4.0;

Funder: Bank of Sweden Tercentary Foundation (RJ SAB20-0039);

Available from: 2025-01-13 Created: 2025-01-13 Last updated: 2025-01-13
Stillesjö, S., Hjärtström, H., Johansson, A.-M., Rudolfsson, T., Säfström, D. & Domellöf, E. (2024). Action execution and observation in autistic adults: A systematic review of fMRI studies. Autism Research
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Action execution and observation in autistic adults: A systematic review of fMRI studies
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2024 (English)In: Autism Research, ISSN 1939-3792, E-ISSN 1939-3806Article, review/survey (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

Motor impairments are common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) although less is known about the neural mechanisms related to such difficulties. This review provides an outline of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) findings associated with execution and observation of naturalistic actions in autistic adults. Summarized outcomes revealed that adults with ASD recruit similar brain regions as neurotypical adults during action execution and during action observation, although with a difference in direction and/or magnitude. For action execution, this included higher and lower activity bilaterally in the precentral cortex, the parietal cortex, the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), the middle temporal gyrus (MTG), the occipital cortex, and the cerebellum. For action observation, differences mainly concerned both higher and lower activity in bilateral IFG and right precentral gyrus, and lower activity in MTG. Activity overlaps between action execution and observation highlight atypical recruitment of IFG, MTG, precentral, and parieto-occipital regions in ASD. The results show atypical recruitment of brain regions subserving motor planning and/or predictive control in ASD. Atypical brain activations during action observation, and the pattern of activity overlaps, indicate an association with difficulties in understanding others' actions and intentions.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2024
National Category
Neurosciences Psychiatry
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-111215 (URN)10.1002/aur.3291 (DOI)001377018900001 ()2-s2.0-85211773034 (Scopus ID)
Note

Full text license: CC BY

Available from: 2025-01-07 Created: 2025-01-07 Last updated: 2025-01-13
Domellöf, E., Hjärtström, H., Johansson, A.-M., Rudolfsson, T., Stillesjö, S. & Säfström, D. (2024). Brain activations during execution and observation of visually guided sequential manual movements in autism and in typical development: A study protocol. PLOS ONE, 19(6), Article ID e0296225.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Brain activations during execution and observation of visually guided sequential manual movements in autism and in typical development: A study protocol
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2024 (English)In: PLOS ONE, E-ISSN 1932-6203, Vol. 19, no 6, article id e0296225Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Motor issues are frequently observed accompanying core deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Impaired motor behavior has also been linked to cognitive and social abnormalities, and problems with predictive ability have been suggested to play an important, possibly shared, part across all these domains. Brain imaging of sensory-motor behavior is a promising method for characterizing the neurobiological foundation for this proposed key trait. The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) developmental study, involving children/youth with ASD, typically developing (TD) children/youth, and neurotypical adults, will investigate brain activations during execution and observation of a visually guided, goal-directed sequential (two-step) manual task. Neural processing related to both execution and observation of the task, as well as activation patterns during the preparation stage before execution/observation will be investigated. Main regions of interest include frontoparietal and occipitotemporal cortical areas, the human mirror neuron system (MNS), and the cerebellum.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2024
National Category
Neurosciences
Research subject
Psychology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-108223 (URN)10.1371/journal.pone.0296225 (DOI)001255170400034 ()38913636 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-85196905175 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, KAW 2020.0200
Note

Validerad;2024;Nivå 2;2024-07-01 (hanlid);

Full text license: CC BY

Available from: 2024-07-01 Created: 2024-07-01 Last updated: 2024-11-20Bibliographically approved
Bäckström, A., Rudolfsson, T., Johansson, A.-M., Rönnqvist, L., Rosander, K., Von Hofsten, C. & Domellöf, E. (2023). Atypical motor planning in an interpersonal context in 9-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In: Katja Groleger Sršen; Christopher Newman (Ed.), 35th EACD Annual meeting European Academy of Childhood Disability: Book of abstracts. Paper presented at EACD 2023, 35th EACD Annual Meeting European Academy of Childhood Disability, Ljubljana, Slovenia, May 24-27, 2023. (pp. 254-254). European Academy of Childhood Disability
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Atypical motor planning in an interpersonal context in 9-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
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2023 (English)In: 35th EACD Annual meeting European Academy of Childhood Disability: Book of abstracts / [ed] Katja Groleger Sršen; Christopher Newman, European Academy of Childhood Disability , 2023, p. 254-254Conference paper, Poster (with or without abstract) (Refereed)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
European Academy of Childhood Disability, 2023
National Category
Psychology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-104793 (URN)
Conference
EACD 2023, 35th EACD Annual Meeting European Academy of Childhood Disability, Ljubljana, Slovenia, May 24-27, 2023.
Available from: 2023-10-13 Created: 2024-03-21 Last updated: 2025-02-05Bibliographically approved
Rönnqvist, L., Domellöf, E., Johansson, A.-M., Riklund, K. & Lenfeldt, N. (2022). Corpus callosum white matter microstructures links to cognitive performance and functional laterality in preterm and term born children. Paper presented at 34th Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD), Barcelona, Spain, May 18–21, 2022. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 64(S3), 46-46, Article ID OC-096.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Corpus callosum white matter microstructures links to cognitive performance and functional laterality in preterm and term born children
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2022 (English)In: Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, ISSN 0012-1622, E-ISSN 1469-8749, Vol. 64, no S3, p. 46-46, article id OC-096Article in journal, Meeting abstract (Refereed) Published
National Category
Neurosciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-104828 (URN)10.1111/dmcn.15214 (DOI)
Conference
34th Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD), Barcelona, Spain, May 18–21, 2022
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2015 – 01353Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, SAB20-0039
Available from: 2022-05-26 Created: 2024-03-21Bibliographically approved
Johansson, A.-M., Rudolfsson, T., Bäckström, A., Rönnqvist, L., von Hofsten, C., Rosander, K. & Domellöf, E. (2022). Development of motor imagery in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder: a longitudinal study. Brain Sciences, 12(10), Article ID 1307.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Development of motor imagery in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder: a longitudinal study
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2022 (English)In: Brain Sciences, E-ISSN 2076-3425, Vol. 12, no 10, article id 1307Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a diagnosis based on social communication deficits and prevalence of repetitive stereotyped behaviors, but sensorimotor disturbances are commonly exhibited. This longitudinal study aimed at exploring the development of the ability to form mental motor representations (motor imagery; MI) in 14 children with ASD and 17 typically developing (TD) children at 7, 8 and 9 years of age. MI was investigated using a hand laterality paradigm from which response times (RT) and error rates were extracted and compared with performance on a visually based mental rotation task (VI). A criterion task was used to ensure that the children could perform the task. The results showed wide performance variability in the ASD group with more failures than TD in the MI criterion task, especially at 7 years. For all age levels and both the MI and VI tasks, the error rates were significantly higher and RTs longer for the ASD group compared with TD. Signs of MI strategies were however noted in the ASD group as biomechanically constrained orientations had longer RTs than less constrained orientations, a RT pattern that differed from the VI task. The presence of MI in the ASD group was most evident at 9 years, but the error rates remained high at all ages, both in the MI and VI task. In comparison, the TD group showed stable MI strategies at all ages. These findings indicate that MI ability is delayed and/or impaired in children with ASD which may be related to difficulties performing required mental rotations.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
MDPI, 2022
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, development, longitudinal, motor imagery, visual imagery
National Category
Psychiatry
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-104820 (URN)10.3390/brainsci12101307 (DOI)000872423700001 ()36291242 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-85140593620 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, 2015.0192Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, 2020.0200
Available from: 2024-03-21 Created: 2024-03-21 Last updated: 2024-07-04Bibliographically approved
Bäckström, A., Rudolfsson, T., Johansson, A.-M., Rönnqvist, L., Rosander, K., Von Hofsten, C. & Domellöf, E. (2022). Visuomotor integration in action planning in 7-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder. In: Specia issue: Abstracts of the 34th annual meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD) Barcelona, Spain 18-21 May 2022: . Paper presented at EACD 2022, 34th Annual Meeting European Academy of Childhood Disability, Barcelona, Spain, May 18-21, 2022. (pp. 65-65). Mac Keith Press, Article ID P-060.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Visuomotor integration in action planning in 7-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder
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2022 (English)In: Specia issue: Abstracts of the 34th annual meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability (EACD) Barcelona, Spain 18-21 May 2022, Mac Keith Press , 2022, p. 65-65, article id P-060Conference paper, Poster (with or without abstract) (Refereed)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Mac Keith Press, 2022
Series
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (DMCN), ISSN 1469-8749 ; 2022:64(S3)
National Category
Psychology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-104794 (URN)10.1111/dmcn.15215 (DOI)
Conference
EACD 2022, 34th Annual Meeting European Academy of Childhood Disability, Barcelona, Spain, May 18-21, 2022.
Available from: 2022-06-23 Created: 2024-03-21Bibliographically approved
Johansson, A.-M., Grip, H., Rönnqvist, L., Selling, J., Boraxbekk, C.-J., Strong, A. & Häger, C. (2021). Influence of visual feedback, hand dominance and sex on individuated finger movements. Experimental Brain Research, 239(6), 1911-1928
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Influence of visual feedback, hand dominance and sex on individuated finger movements
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2021 (English)In: Experimental Brain Research, ISSN 0014-4819, E-ISSN 1432-1106, Vol. 239, no 6, p. 1911-1928Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer, 2021
National Category
Physiotherapy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-104817 (URN)10.1007/s00221-021-06100-0 (DOI)000641194800003 ()33871660 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-85104833016 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Region VästerbottenKonung Gustaf V:s och Drottning Victorias FrimurarestiftelseSwedish Research Council, 2015 – 01353
Available from: 2024-03-21 Created: 2024-03-21 Last updated: 2025-02-11Bibliographically approved
Rönnqvist, L., Domellöf, E., Johansson, A.-M., Riklund, K. & Lenfeldt, N. (2021). Long-term effects of a preterm birth on cerebellar volumes and myelination: links to children's cognitive and motor performance at 8-years of age. In: : . Paper presented at Fetal and Neonatal Neurology - From basic science to clinical application, Online, March 3-5, 2021. MCA scientific events, Article ID EA62.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Long-term effects of a preterm birth on cerebellar volumes and myelination: links to children's cognitive and motor performance at 8-years of age
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2021 (English)Conference paper, Poster (with or without abstract) (Refereed)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
MCA scientific events, 2021
National Category
Pediatrics Neurosciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-104829 (URN)
Conference
Fetal and Neonatal Neurology - From basic science to clinical application, Online, March 3-5, 2021
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2015 – 01353Riksbankens Jubileumsfond
Available from: 2021-04-12 Created: 2024-03-21 Last updated: 2024-03-21Bibliographically approved
Bäckström, A., Johansson, A.-M., Rudolfsson, T., Rönnqvist, L., von Hofsten, C., Rosander, K. & Domellöf, E. (2021). Motor planning and movement execution during goal-directed sequential manual movements in 6-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder: A kinematic analysis. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 115, Article ID 104014.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Motor planning and movement execution during goal-directed sequential manual movements in 6-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder: A kinematic analysis
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2021 (English)In: Research in Developmental Disabilities, ISSN 0891-4222, E-ISSN 1873-3379, Vol. 115, article id 104014Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2021
National Category
Occupational Therapy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-104791 (URN)10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104014 (DOI)000671568800007 ()34174471 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-85108424202 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, 2015.0192Swedish Research Council, 2015 - 01353
Available from: 2024-03-21 Created: 2024-03-21 Last updated: 2024-06-27Bibliographically approved
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Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0002-7878-4488

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