NEUROIMAGING/DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY OF AUTISM

描述（由申请人提供）：职业发展和研究计划 在这个指导病人为导向的研究职业发展奖概述 申请旨在使候选人能够独立设计和 进行神经影像学研究，调查自闭症的神经生物学， 检查大脑体积的增加和大脑的参与， 小脑-丘脑-额叶回路在这一病理生理学 神经发育障碍自闭症是一种严重的精神障碍， 社会和沟通缺陷，受限制和定型模式， 行为和兴趣。已经报告了各种各样的异常， 对大脑结构的研究涉及到大脑发育的几个方面 参与神经元的组织，包括树突状细胞和 轴突分支，突触连接的建立，以及细胞 死亡最近的神经病理学和神经影像学研究报告， 自闭症的大脑大小，以及支持自闭症患者大脑发育不全的证据。 涉及大脑皮层、边缘系统和 小脑拟议的纵向研究将结合使用 从磁共振成像扫描获得的体积测量， 化学位移成像质子光谱，每隔30个月从 一组孤独症儿童（8-12岁）， 控制以表征脑增大的发育变化，以及 小脑-丘脑-额叶回路与自闭症的关系它将 还提供候选人的经验，必要的应用先进的 神经成像技术和一个坚实的基础，从中进行 纵向研究调查自闭症的发育神经生物学， 可能鉴定临床、预后和治疗相关性。的 候选人在精神病学，儿童和青少年精神病学认证， 四年研究生临床经验。南希·明秀博士， Matchery Keshavan将担任导师。课程作业和指导阅读 生物统计学、数据管理、研究伦理学、神经解剖学、神经影像学和 发展神经科学将补充研究培训。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The career development and research plans outlined in this Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award application are designed to enable the candidate to independently design and conduct neuroimaging studies investigating the neurobiology of autism by examining increased brain size and the involvement of the cerebelo-thalamo-frontal circuit in the pathophysiology of this neurodevelopment disorder. Autism is a severe disorder characterized by marked social and communication deficits, restricted and stereotyped patterns of behaviors and interests. A wide range of abnormalities has been reported and studies of brain structure have implicated several aspects of brain development involved in neuronal organization including the elaboration of dendritic and axonal ramifications, the establishments of synaptic connection, and cell death. Recent neuropathologic and neuroimaging studies have reported increased brain size in autism, and evidence supporting the underdevelopment of the circuitry of neural networks that involve cerebral cortex, limbic system and cerebellum. The proposed longitudinal study will use the combination of volumetric measurements obtained from magnetic resonance imaging scans and chemical shift imaging proton spectroscopy obtained at 30 months intervals from a group of children with autism (8-12 years of age) and individually-matched controls to characterize the developmental changes of brain enlargement, and the involvement of the cerebello-thalamo-frontal circuit in autism. It will also provide the candidate with the experience necessary to apply advanced neuroimaging techniques and a solid foundation from which to conduct longitudinal studies investigating the developmental neurobiology of autism and possibly identifying clinical, prognostic and therapeutic correlates. The candidate is certified in psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry with four years of post-graduate clinical experience. Drs. Nancy Minshew, and Matchery Keshavan will serve as preceptors. Course work and directed reading in biostatistcs, data management, research ethics, neuroanatorny, neuroimaging and developmental neuroscience will complement the research training.