Cognitive Control in Autism

描述(由申请者提供)：这笔赠款的目标是获得足够的培训和经验，以最佳地使用认知神经科学方法来推进自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)及其症状的研究。自闭症涉及社交行为、交流以及受限和重复的行为或兴趣方面的障碍。自闭症可以被描述为一种疾病，在这种疾病中，个人会专注于思想和/或行为。认知控制指的是根据内部目标灵活地分配精神资源来指导思想和行动的能力。它涉及到表示和维护与行为相关的信息或“背景”的能力，以支持适应性反应。这项应用的中心原则是，患有自闭症的人在认知控制基础上的大脑系统存在损害。大脑中与认知控制密切相关的区域包括背外侧前额叶皮质(DLPFC)、前扣带回皮质(ACC)和顶叶皮质(PPC)。在拟议的研究中，我将使用成熟的认知神经科学探测器来调查自闭症患者认知控制系统的功能状态。我将特别讨论这些系统中的损伤及其与受限和重复行为的严重程度的关系。目的1用两个行为实验研究12-18岁自闭症患者的认知控制，包括克服优先反应倾向和任务转换。目的2使用事件相关功能神经成像(FMRI)检测自闭症患者的前额叶皮质(RFC)、前扣带回皮质(ACC)和顶叶皮质在认知控制中的作用，并与典型的发育正常受试者进行比较。目的3将行为和神经影像表现与限制性和重复性行为症状的测量联系起来。与美国国立卫生研究院突发自闭症协调委员会(IACC)研究矩阵的目标一致，临床神经心理学和认知神经科学领域的改进整合有可能促进我们对临床症状的理解，阐明自闭症和相关发育问题之间的区别，并为治疗的发展提供信息。本申请中概述的培训和研究计划将为候选人作为高级调查员参与实现这些目标做好准备。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this grant is to gain sufficient training and experience to optimally use cognitive neuroscience methods to advance the study of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and their symptoms. Autism involves impairments in social behavior, communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors or interests. Autism can be characterized as a disorder in which individuals become fixated on thoughts and/or behaviors. Cognitive control refers to the ability to flexibly allocate mental resources to guide thoughts and actions in light of internal goals. It involves the ability to represent and maintain behaviorally-relevant information, or "context," to support adaptive responding. The central tenet of this application is that individuals with ASDs have an impairment in the brain systems underlying cognitive control. Regions of the brain that have been closely associated with cognitive control include the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and the parietal cortex (PPC). In the proposed studies, I will use well-established cognitive neuroscience probes to investigate the functional status of cognitive control systems in individuals with ASDs. I will particularly address impairments in these systems and their relationship to the severity of restricted and repetitive behaviors. Aim 1 uses two behavioral experiments to investigate forms of cognitive control including overcoming a prepotent response tendency and task switching in individuals with ASDs aged 12 to 18. Aim 2 uses event-related functional neuroimaging (fMRI) to examine the role of the prefrontal cortex (RFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and parietal cortex in cognitive control in individuals with ASDs compared to typically developing control subjects. Aim 3 relates behavioral and neuroimaging findings to measures of the restricted and repetitive behavior symptoms. Consistent with the objectives of the National Institutes of Health Intragency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Research matrix, improved integration of the fields of clinical neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience holds the potential to advance our understanding of clinical symptoms, to illuminate distinctions between autism and related developmental problems, and to inform the development of treatments. The training and research plans outlined in this application will prepare the Candidate to participate as a senior investigator in efforts to achieve these goals.