Modeling of Joint Face-Brain dysmorphology in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

 描述（由申请人提供）：胎儿酒精谱系障碍（FASD）是由于子宫内酒精暴露对大脑的致畸性损伤引起的，估计发生在1%的新生儿中。它是一个重要的公共卫生问题，因为它是完全可以预防的，但同时也是神经发育障碍的主要已知原因。这种疾病的一种更极端的形式也被称为胎儿酒精综合征，其关键的定义特征是面部畸形，产前和产后生长缺陷和中枢神经系统（CNS）功能障碍。目前，几乎所有专注于这种疾病的神经科学研究都分别研究了面部和大脑。此外，在该疾病谱的低端，可能存在CNS缺陷，而没有视觉上可观察到的面部畸形，导致潜在的诊断不足。该研究的目的是通过将面部畸形特征和神经结构异常结合在一个共同的形状分析框架中来克服这些局限性。具体而言，该提案旨在整合来自不同来源的信息，例如使用MRI和DTI的结构神经成像以及面部的3D照片。拟议的研究将i）通过结合面部标志和皮质特征对大脑和面部进行联合形态测量分析，ii）导出用于FASD分类的组合面脑成像生物标志物，iii）收集新的纵向数据用于绘制神经发育和面部进展和缺陷，最后iv）使用DTI模式研究大脑和面部的结构连接映射。这项工作将有助于更好地理解FASD中大脑和面部之间复杂的形态学关系，并进一步促进早期检测策略，超越目前的诊断标准。候选人的正式培训将利用其导师丰富的形态测量和成像经验，以及加州大学洛杉矶分校和CHLA的酒精相关研究和神经成像资源，并将包括八个正式培训课程，两个强化研讨会和每周定期研讨会，旨在通过酒精研究，神经发育和颅面解剖学的新知识来增强候选人先前的图像分析经验。帮助他发展进行独立纵向FASD项目的技能。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is caused due to teratogenic insults to the brain resulting from the effects of alcohol exposure, in utero, and is estimated to occur in 1% of births. It is an important public health concern as it is completely preventable, yet at the same time is the leading known cause of neurodevelopmental disability. A more extreme form of this disorder is also known as fetal alcohol syndrome, whose key defining characteristics are facial dysmorphology, pre- and post-natal growth deficiency, and central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. Presently, almost all neuroscientific studies focusing on this disorder have studied the face, and the brain separately. Furthermore, at the lower end of this spectrum disorder, the CNS deficits may be present without the visually observable facial malformations leading to a potential under- diagnosis. The objective of the proposed research is to overcome these limitations by combining the facial dysmorphic features, and the neurostructural abnormalities in a common shape analysis framework. Specifically, this proposal aims at integrating information from different sources such as structural neuroimaging using MRI and DTI, and 3D photographs of the face. The proposed research will i) conduct a joint morphometric analysis for the brain and face by incorporating facial landmarks, and cortical features, ii) derive combined face-brain imaging biomarkers for the purpose of FASD classification, iii) collect new longitudinal data for charting the neurodevelopmental and facial progression and deficits, and finally iv) investigate the structural connectivity mapping of the brain and face using DTI modalities. This work will lead to a better understanding of the intricate morphological relationships between the brain and the face in FASD, and further promote early detection strategies above and beyond what is achieved by the current diagnostic criteria alone. The candidate's formal training will take advantage of the rich morphometric and imaging experience of his mentors, as well as alcohol related research and neuroimaging resources at UCLA and CHLA, and will include eight formal training courses, two intensive workshops and regular weekly seminars designed to augment the candidate's prior image analysis experience with new knowledge in alcohol research, neurodevelopmental, and craniofacial anatomy, helping him to develop the skills for conducting an independent longitudinal FASD project.