Neural Mechanisms Subserving Deficits in High-Risk Youth

描述（由申请人提供）：这个指导研究科学家职业发展（K01）奖的总体目标是让候选人获得新的技能，这样她就可以成为神经成像领域的独立研究员，特别是在理解与受到青少年司法系统反复关注的受虐待青少年相关的神经行为特征方面。这一目标将通过加州大学圣地亚哥分校的一个综合教育和培训项目来实现，并完成一项关于有（LCPD+）和没有（LCPD-）儿童虐待史的长期不良少年的终身影像研究项目。候选人的主要培训目标是熟练使用结构（sMRI）和功能磁共振成像（fMRI），重点是阐明LCPD+相对于LCPD-青年在特定神经解剖区域的大脑活动是如何改变的，并在负责任的研究行为中获得更高的能力。为了实现这些目标，候选人将参加她所在部门的教育活动和正式课程，并指导和咨询神经影像学领域的专家（MRI物理，功能磁共振成像实验研究设计，成像数据分析），儿童虐待，发育创伤学和弱势群体研究的伦理行为。本研究将研究神经认知缺陷，特别是在这些人群中普遍存在的执行功能障碍和语言缺陷，与匹配的健康对照者相比，LCPD青年的特定神经回路是如何相关的，并：1)表征120名LCPD+、LCPD-和健康青年的NC谱；2)阐明这些青少年中NC缺陷的神经基础（n=55）； 3)确定观察到的神经机制与传统神经心理学测量表现之间的关系程度；4)初步探讨NC与LCPD青少年功能障碍的相关性。在奖励期结束时，候选人希望拥有成为独立神经影像学研究研究者所需的技能，并以独立研究者的身份获得资助；并成为神经成像技术应用于受虐待和不良青少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，这一研究项目具有重大的公共政策潜力。

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.