Autism as a Movement Disorder

The Foundation has developed a strong interest in exploring the motor disturbances that are associated with autism. In its most extreme form, the inability to speak may be a movement disorder. The purpose of this Boston Club meeting was to enhance the Foundation’s understanding of this area and help the Foundation to develop new funding programs and initiatives. At this meeting, Drs. Bizzi, Fogel, Gernsbacher, Graziano, Teitelbaum, and Zeffiro presented the results of their research progress in this area.

Motor Control and Motor Learning in Vertebrates 
Emilio Bizzi , M.D. , Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Movement, Emotion, and Intention
Alan Fogel, Ph.D., University of Utah

Al Galaburda, M.D., Harvard Medical School

Why Can’t “Nonverbal” Individuals with Autism Speak? 
Morton Ann Gernsbacher, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Ethological Organization of Motor Cortex
Michael Graziano, Ph.D., Princeton University

Martha Herbert M.D., Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital

Is the Tilting Test an indicator of subgroups in autism? 
Philip Teitelbaum, Ph.D., and Osnat Teitelbaum, University of Florida

Neural Mechanisms of Voluntary Movement Control in Autism 
Tom Zeffiro, M.D., Ph.D., Georgetown University

2005

Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA