Clinical Neuropsychiatry (2015) 12, 4, 94-100 Introduction Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) comprise a complex group of behaviourally deined conditions characterized by social and communication impairment along with presence of repetitive and restrictive behaviours (DSM Fifth Edition, 2013). Although motor impairment is not considered a primary diagnostic criteria for ASD, motor delays or disorders have been observed 1) in infants who later developed ASD (Adrien et al. 1993, Teitelbaum et al. 1998; Baranek 1999, Landa and Garret 2006, Esposito and Venuti 2008, Ozonoff et al. 2008, Esposito et al. 2009), 2) in young children with ASD (Landa and Garret 2006, Esposito and Venuti 2008), 3) in school aged children and adolescents (Green et al. 2002, Green et al. 2009, Staples and Reid 2010). The greater attention to the characteristics of the motor functioning is based on its practical importance as well as its theoretical signiicance. Indeed, understanding motor impairment in ASD may improve early diagnosis, the planning of speciic treatments and the comprehension of important aspects of social cognition. In particular, very early motor development has emerged as an area of interest due to the increasing evidence of atypical motor features as a sign for early diagnosis (Trevarthen et al. 2013). Studies focusing on motor impairment in ASD approached the analysis of motor skills through different techniques including cinematic approaches, detailed video-tape analysis and standardized motor test assessments (Fournier et al. 2010). Findings from these studies reported both ine and gross motor disturbances in all age ranges but a single motor symptom as a universal sign or prodrome for ASD was not identiied. Submitted may 2015, accepted auguSt 2015 © 2015 Giovanni Fioriti Editore s.r.l. 94 LOcOMOTIOn AnD GRASpInG IMpAIRMEnT In pRESchOOLERS wITh AuTISM SpEcTRuM DISORDER Francesca Fulceri, Annarita contaldo, Ilaria parrini, calderoni Sara, Antonio narzisi, Raffaella Tancredi, Fabio Apicella, Filippo Muratori Abstract Objective: To investigate expressiveness of motor impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its correlation with developmental and clinical features of ASD. Method: Thirty-ive male preschoolers with ASD completed the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS- 2; Folio and Fewell, 2000) and underwent a multidisciplinary assessment including medical examination, standardized assessment of cognitive abilities, administration of Autism_Diagnostic_Observation_Schedule (ADOS) and a parent interview about adaptive skills. Results: Results revealed a substantial impairment in locomotion and grasping skills. Both ine and gross motor skills were signiicantly correlated with non verbal IQ and adaptive behaviours (p<0.01) but not with chronological age or ADOS scores. Children with weaker motor skills have greater cognitive and adaptive behaviours deicits. Conclusions: Motor development in ASD can be detected at preschool age and locomotion and grasping skills are substantially the most impaired area. These indings support the need to assess motor skills in preschoolers with ASD in addition to other developmental skill areas. Along with the increasingly acknowledged importance of motor skills for subsequent social, cognitive, and communicative development our indings support the need to consider motor intervention as a key area in therapeutic program to improve outcome in preschoolers with ASD. Key words: motor impairment, autism spectrum disorder, peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, preschoolers. Declaration of interest: the authors report no declarations of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article Francesca Fulceri 1 , Annarita contaldo 1 , Ilaria parrini 1 , calderoni Sara 1 , Antonio narzisi 1 , Raffaella Tancredi 1 , Apicella Fabio Apicella 1 *, Filippo Muratori 1,2 1 IRccS Stella Maris Foundation, pisa, Italy 2 Department of clinical and Experimental Medicine, university of pisa, Italy Corresponding author Fabio Apicella IRCCS Stella Maris Scientiic Foundation Viale del Tirreno 331 I-56018 calambrone (pisa) - Italy tel: (+39) 050 886203 (hospital: direct) e-mail: fapicella@fsm.unipi.it