Neuroimaging Studies of FAS Children in South Africa

描述（由申请人提供）： 这项研究将主要在南非开普敦的开普敦大学和Groote Schuur医院（GSH）与Sandra W.雅各布森博士，作为NIH资助U 01 AAO 14790的扩展。总体目标是将两种新的磁共振成像（MRI）技术-功能性MRI和扩散张量成像（DTI）-引入南非，并将其应用于评估诊断为胎儿酒精综合征（FAS）和可能的FAS的儿童。最近的研究表明，在开普有色人种（混合血统）人口中，胎儿酒精综合征（FAS）的发病率异常高。雅各布森博士在开普敦和底特律的研究已经确定了算术和执行功能的特定方面，这些方面可能是胎儿酒精谱系障碍（FASD）的核心缺陷，可以使用MR技术进行检查。迄今为止，FAS和FASD通常还没有使用fMRI或DTI进行检查。GSH目前运行一台1.5T MR扫描仪，但在南非没有任何站点有能力进行功能性MRI或DTI。 Ernesta Meintjes博士，该项目的外国合作者是一位接受过磁共振成像培训的物理学家。John C.戈尔博士，在使用功能性磁共振成像检查儿童的信息处理方面是国际上受人尊敬的领导者。具体目标是：（1）培训Meintjes博士在范德比尔特大学戈尔博士的实验室进行功能磁共振成像和弥散张量成像;（2）购买和安装GSH管理这些方法所需的必要软件和硬件，并培训放射技师熟练使用这些方法;（3）对15名FAS、15名可能FAS和15名配对对照儿童进行初步研究，以检查脑形态学、神经网络功能激活和白色束完整性的差异。在功能磁共振成像评估和神经心理学测试中使用的认知任务被选择用于在扫描仪外进行，以提高我们对FASD核心缺陷的理解。所产生的信息有可能改善胎儿酒精诊断，促进早期识别受影响的儿童，并提供基础，设计更早，更有针对性的干预措施。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This research will be conducted primarily at University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) in Cape Town, South Africa, in collaboration with Sandra W. Jacobson, Ph.D., as an extension of NIH grant U01 AAO14790. The overall aim is to introduce two new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies- functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-to South Africa and to apply them to evaluate children diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and possible FAS. Recent studies have documented an exceptionally high incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the Cape Coloured (mixed ancestry) population. Dr. Jacobson's research in Cape Town and Detroit has identified specific aspects of arithmetic and executive function that may be core deficits of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which could be examined using MR technologies. To date FAS and FASD generally have not been examined using fMRI or DTI. GSH currently operates a 1.5T MR scanner, but no sites in South Africa have the capacity to conduct fMRI or DTI. Ernesta Meintjes, Ph.D., the foreign collaborator for this project, is a physicist trained in MR imaging. John C. Gore, Ph.D., is an internationally respected leader in the use of fMRI to examine information processing in children. The specific aims are to (1) train Dr. Meintjes to administer fMRI and DTI in Dr. Gore's laboratory at Vanderbilt University; (2) purchase and install the necessary software and hardware needed to administer these methodologies at GSH and train the radiographers to become proficient in their use; and (3) conduct a pilot study with 15 FAS, 15 possible FAS, and 15 matched control children to examine differences in brain morphology, functional activation of neural networks, and the integrity of white matter tracts. The cognitive tasks to be used in the fMRI assessment and neuropsychological tests to be performed outside the scanner have been selected to improve our understanding of the core deficits of FASD. The information to be generated has the potential to improve fetal alcohol diagnosis, facilitate earlier identification of affected children, and provide the basis to design earlier, more targeted interventions.