Neural Mechanisms Subserving Deficits in High-Risk Youth

描述(由申请者提供)：这个辅导式研究科学家职业发展奖(K01)的总体目标是让候选人获得新的技能，以便她可以成为神经成像领域的独立研究人员，特别是在了解与受到虐待的青少年相关的神经行为特征方面，这些青少年得到了少年司法系统的反复关注。这一目标将通过加州大学圣地亚哥分校的一项教育和培训相结合的计划来实现，并完成一项关于有(LCPD)和无(LCPD-)虐待儿童病史的终身违法者的成像研究项目。应聘者的主要培训目标是提高她在结构磁共振成像(SMRI)和功能磁共振成像(FMRI)应用方面的熟练程度，重点是阐明LCPD患者特定神经解剖区域的大脑活动相对于LCPD-青年患者是如何改变的，并提高负责任的研究实施能力。为了实现这些目标，应聘者将参加她所在系的教育活动和正式课程，以及指导和咨询以下领域的专家：神经成像(磁共振成像物理、功能磁共振实验研究设计、成像数据分析)、儿童虐待、发展创伤学和对弱势群体进行研究的伦理行为。这项拟议的研究将检验神经认知[NC]缺陷，特别是被认为在这些人群中普遍存在的执行功能障碍和语言障碍，与匹配的健康对照组受试者相比，如何与LCPD青少年特定的神经回路有关，并：1)描述120名LCPD、LCPD-和健康青少年的NC特征；2)阐明这些青少年(n=55)的NC缺陷的神经基础；3)确定观察到的神经机制与传统神经心理测量表现之间的关系的大小；以及4)初步调查LCPD青少年功能障碍的NC相关性。在获奖期结束时，候选人希望具备成为一名独立神经影像研究调查员所需的技能，并作为一名独立调查员获得资助；并成为将神经成像技术应用于虐待和犯罪青年科学研究的领导者。考虑到与虐待和犯罪相关的社会和财政成本，这项研究计划在公共政策方面具有巨大的潜力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall aim of this Mentored Research Scientist Career Development (K01) Award is for the candidate to gain new skills so that she may become an independent researcher in the area of neuroimaging, particularly with respect to understanding the neurobehavioral profile associated with maltreated youth who gain the repeated attention of the Juvenile Justice system. This aim will be accomplished through a program of combined education and training at the University of California, San Diego, and the completion of an imaging research project on lifecourse persistent delinquents with (LCPD+) and without (LCPD-) child maltreatment histories. The candidate's major training goals are to develop her proficiency in the utilization of structural (sMRI) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) with a focus on elucidating how brain activity in specific neuroanatomical regions is altered in LCPD+ relative to LCPD- youth and to gain increased competence in the responsible conduct of research. To achieve these goals, the candidate will participate in educational activities and formal coursework in her department as well as mentorship and consultation with experts in the fields of neuroimaging (MRI physics, fMRI experimental research design, imaging data analysis), child maltreatment, developmental traumatology and the ethical conduct of research with vulnerable populations. The proposed research will examine how neurocognitive [NC] deficits, especially executive dysfunction and verbal deficits thought to be prevalent in these populations, are related to specific neural circuitry in LCPD youth compared to matched healthy control subjects and to: 1) characterize the NC profiles of 120 LCPD+, LCPD- and healthy youth; 2) elucidate the neural bases of NC deficits in a subset of these youth (n=55), 3) determine the magnitude of the relationship between observed neural mechanisms and performances on traditional neuropsychological measures and 4) preliminarily investigate NC correlates of functional impairment in LCPD youth. At the end of the award period, the candidate expects to possess the skills necessary to be an independent neuroimaging research investigator, to have received funding as an independent investigator; and to become a leader in the application of neuroimaging techniques to the scientific study of maltreated and delinquent youth. Given the social and fiscal costs associated with maltreatment and delinquency, this program of research holds significant potential for public policy.