Dr. Giacomo Rizzolatti explains that a motor act (e.g., picking up chocolate with the intention of eating it) elicits two types of information: (1) the goal and (2) the intention underlying it. Children with autism are able to realize these two aspects of motor acts (goal and intention) but do so differently than other people. Children with autism immediately show neuron activity for the goal but activity for the intention is delayed until the motor act has begun (normal humans show activation for both the goal and intention simultaneously). Dr. Rizzolatti explains that children with autism perceive the intention conceptually (rather than physically) and therefore have difficulties in understanding others' intentions when they have to rely exclusively on motor cues.
