Testing a Cognitive-Motor Dual-Task Training for Autistic Children on Anticipatory and Reactive Brain Processing, and Behavior

This study investigated motor, cognitive, and brain function in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to evaluate a 12-week cognitive-motor dual-task (CMDT) training program aimed at reducing functional gaps compared to typically developing (TD) peers. Twenty-one participants (10 ASD, 11 TD; ages 10–14) were recruited. The ASD group underwent twice-weekly a CMDT sessions, while the TD group was assessed twice to control for learning and developmental effects. Pre- and posttraining evaluations included motor tests, cognitive and behavioral measures, and event-related potential (ERP) measures during a visuomotor task. The ASD group showed improvements in motor skills and response speed (p<0.05), narrowing the gap with TD children. ERP indicated significant post-training increases (p<0.01) in the Bereitschaftspotential (BP) and visual negativity (vN), reflecting enhanced motor and sensory readiness. The N1 component, indexing attentional processing, was consistently larger in the ASD group (p<0.01), suggesting heightened sensitivity to visual stimuli. The P3 amplitudes, initially minimal in the ASD group, increased (p<0.05) following training, indicating enhanced post-perceptual processing and memory updating. These findings suggest that CMDT can reduce ASD-related motor and cognitive dysfunctions by reinforcing brain processes related to anticipation, attention, and cognitive integration.