Analyses of Brain Structure and Connectivity in Young Children with Autism

Christine Wu Nordahl博士已成功完成该奖项的K99阶段，并将继续在 加州大学戴维斯分校担任Roo阶段的助理教授。她的实验室将使用结构和功能 对TOLA进行神经成像，以了解自闭症的神经病理和发育中的大脑。 该项目的主要研究目标是使用多模式结构和功能神经成像 2-4岁儿童脑部结构和连接异常的调查方法 自闭症。在诊断过程中，尽可能接近临床诊断的时间来评估脑异常是至关重要的。 大脑发育的关键时期，在密集的行为和医学干预之前。 具体来说，将进行扩散张量成像和静息状态功能连通性研究，以 探索自闭症儿童在连接方面的异常。其他目标包括 早期发育过程中脑纵向生长轨迹的评价及其识别 自闭症诊断中的亚群或表型。鉴于疾病的异质性，多个 病因和表型可能是存在的。识别不同的大脑表型可能有助于识别 为自闭症的特定亚群提供更合适的治疗和干预。 这项研究将在加州大学戴维斯分校M.I.N.D研究所和成像研究中心(IRC)进行。全 受试者招募、诊断和临床培训活动将在M.I.N.D.研究所进行，这是一个 致力于开发自闭症治疗方法的翻译机构。所有的神经成像都将在IRC进行， 具有儿科成像能力的研究专用设施。

Dr. Christine Wu Nordahl has successfully completed the K99 phase of this award, and will continue on at UC Davis as an Assistant Professor for the ROO phase. Her laboratory will use structural and functional neuroimaging tola to gain understanding about the neuropathology of autism and the developing brain. The overarching research goal of this project is to use a multimodal structural and functional neuroimaging approach to investigating abnormalities in brain structure and connectivity in 2-4-year old children with autism. It is critical to evaluate brain abnormalities as close in time as possible to clinical diagnosis, during critical periods of brain development, and prior to intensive behavioral and medical interventions. Specifically, diffusion tensor imaging and resting state functional connectivity studies will be carried out to explore abnormalities in connectivity in very young children with autism. Additional goals include the evaluation of longitudinal brain growth trajectories during early development and the identification of subgroups or phenotypes within the autism diagnosis. Given the heterogeneity ofthe disorder, multiple etiologies and phenotypes likely exist. The identification of different brain phenotypes may aid in identifying more suitable treatments and interventions for particular subgroups of autism. The research will be carried out at the UC Davis M.I.N.D Institute and Imaging Research Center (IRC). All subject recruitment, diagnoses, and clinical training activities will be carried out at the M.I.N.D. Institute, a translational facility dedicated to developing a cure for autism. All neuroimaging will take place at the IRC, a research dedicated facility with pediatric imaging capabilities.