The Autistic Brain Over 45: The Anatomic, Functional, and Cognitive Phenotype

 描述（由申请人提供）：关于患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的儿童和青少年的行为和神经科学文献在过去几十年中急剧增长。相比之下，人们对以后的自闭症谱系障碍几乎一无所知。这是有问题的，因为初步研究结果表明，一些患有自闭症谱系障碍的老年人可能会经历加速的认知和神经功能衰退，再加上大量证据表明与年龄相关的并发症和其他神经发育障碍的衰退。本研究将是对成年中后期大脑解剖学和连接性的首次系统研究 自闭症谱系障碍。 我们将招募 100 名年龄在 45-65 岁的 ASD 成年人和 80 名匹配的神经典型对照 (NC) 参与者，并在纵向研究中使用解剖、功能连接和扩散 MRI 以及一系列感觉运动和认知测试，参与者在 2.5 年后返回第二个时间点。具体目标是检查 (1) 大脑解剖结构（皮质厚度和灰质结构、白质和脑脊液的体积）和 (2) 与 NC 参与者相比，自闭症谱系障碍成人的大脑解剖和功能连接，(3) 表征认知和行为能力，并将这些技能与大脑结构和功能相关联，(4) 创建一个广泛的变量清单，这些变量可以预测自闭症谱系障碍的长期神经认知成功或衰退。分析将针对广泛的领域和网络进行，其中一些重点是执行系统、运动系统和记忆系统。 目标 1-3 将提供目前无法获得的关于 ASD 成年中后期大脑和行为变化的系统证据，而目标 4 将具有很强的前瞻性转化相关性，因为识别最有可能预测 ASD 年龄相关衰退与成功衰老的大脑部位和行为测量对于预防性干预措施的制定至关重要。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The behavioral and neuroscientific literature on children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has grown dramatically over the past decades. In contrast, almost nothing is known about ASD later in life. This is problematic in view of preliminary findings suggesting that some older people with ASD may experience accelerated cognitive and neurological decline, combined with extensive evidence of age-related complications and decline in other neurodevelopmental disorders. The present study will be the first systematic investigation of brain anatomy and connectivity in mid to late adulthood in ASD. We will recruit 100 adults with ASD, ages 45-65 years, and 80 matched neurotypical control (NC) participants, and will use anatomical, functional connectivity, and diffusion MRI as well as a battery of sensorimotor and cognitive tests in a longitudinal study, with participants returning after 2.5 years for a second time point. Specific aims will be to examine (1) brain anatomy (cortical thickness and volumes of gray matter structures, white matter, and CSF) and (2) anatomical and functional brain connectivity in adults with ASD compared to NC participants, (3) to characterize cognitive and behavioral abilities, and correlate these skills with brain structure and function, and (4) to create an extensive inventory of variables that may predict long- term neurocognitive success or decline in ASD. Analyses will be performed for a broad range of domains and networks, with some focus on executive, motor, and memory systems. Whereas aims 1-3 will provide a currently unavailable systematic body of evidence on changes in brain and behavior during mid to late adulthood in ASD, aim 4 will have strong prospective translational relevance because identification of brain sites and behavioral measures most likely to predict age-related decline vs. successful aging in ASD will be crucial for the development of preventative interventions.