Sex-Specific Brain and Behavioral Predictors of Cognitive Aging in Middle-Aged Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

项目总结/摘要 研究项目长期目标：本研究的长期目标是描述认知挑战 与ASD成年人的衰老相关，以告知干预和护理计划。 目的1：确定ASD成人中性别特异性功能和结构脑测量的组合， 描述与匹配的NT对照相比的年龄相关的认知变化，和（B）预测年龄相关的认知下降。 方法：采用多模态偏最小二乘分析方法，对互补信息之间的信息联系进行研究 神经成像数据集。研究设计：我们将分析100名成人（n=100）和100名中年人（n=100）的横断面数据。 老年ASD和NT组（n=120），以及中年成人（n=120）以2年为增量的纵向数据 参与者; 360个数据集）。男女分组的比例相似（男女比例为1.0：0.7）。 目的2：确定ASD成人中最能预测年龄相关认知功能的行为测量组合 下降方法：我们将使用多任务学习来确定互补行为数据集之间的联系。 研究设计：我们将分析Aim 1 ASD参与者的横截面和纵向数据。 健康相关性：这些目标将对ASD的医疗保健质量和成本产生重大积极影响 通过垂直推进我们对独特的认知和大脑老化过程的理解， 为不断增长的老年弱势群体提供有效、精准的医疗保健奠定基础 关于ASD 候选人的职业目标：布雷登博士的长期目标是成为一个领先的研究人员在神经生物学的老化， ASD通过从基础科学到转化治疗的多学科计划。她的短期目标是：1） 全面描述患有ASD的成年人与年龄相关的认知和大脑变化，以及2）确定目标 行为和神经生物学干预以及针对ASD老年人特定认知需求的护理计划。 职业发展计划：建立在她在多学科认知衰老神经科学的坚实基础上，博士。 Braden将接受以下方面的强化培训：1）高级神经影像分析，2）ASD表型和干预，以及 3)专业和方案的发展，领导资助的多学科研究工作。 环境：每个培训目标都有一个专家导师，来自三个当地机构，有丰富的学术重叠。博士 布雷登的家乡亚利桑那州立大学是美国发展最快的研究机构之一。 他是一位研究认知和大脑老化的神经科学家。她还将在班纳接受培训 阿尔茨海默氏症研究所，一个国际公认的研究和病人护理计划，和西南自闭症 研究和资源中心，ASD社区卓越中心。

Project Summary/Abstract Research Project Long-Term Objective: The long-term objective of this research is to describe the cognitive challenges associated with aging in adults with ASD to inform interventions and care plans. Aim 1: Identify the combination of sex-specific functional and structural brain measures in adults with ASD that (a) best describe age-related cognitive changes compared to matched-NT controls and (b) predict age-related cognitive decline. Methods: We will use multi-modal partial least squared analysis to elucidate information linkage between complementary neuroimaging data sets. Research Design: We will analyze both cross-sectional data of young-adult (n=100) vs. middle- aged (n=120) ASD and NT groups, and longitudinal data of middle-aged adults in two year increments (n=120 participants; 360 data sets). Men and women will be similarly represented in groups (M:F ratio, 1.0 : 0.7). Aim 2: Identify the combination of behavioral measures in adults with ASD that best predict age-related cognitive decline. Methods: We will use multi-task learning to determine the linkage between complementary behavioral data sets. Research Design: We will analyze cross-sectional and longitudinal data from Aim 1 ASD participants. Health Relatedness: These aims will have a substantial positive impact on health care quality and costs in the ASD community by vertically advancing our understanding of the unique cognitive and brain aging process, and laying the groundwork for delivering effective, precision medicine care to the growing and vulnerable population of older adults with ASD. Candidate Career Goals: Dr. Braden's long-term goal is to become a leading researcher in the neurobiology of aging in ASD through a multi-disciplinary program from basic science to translational treatment. Her short-term goals are to: 1) comprehensively describe age-related cognitive and brain changes in adults with ASD, and 2) identify targets for behavioral and neurobiological interventions and care plans tailored to specific cognitive needs of older adults with ASD. Career Development Plan: Building on her strong foundation in multi-disciplinary cognitive aging neuroscience, Dr. Braden will have intensive training in: 1) advanced neuroimaging analytics, 2) ASD phenotyping and interventions, and 3) professional and programmatic development for leading a funded multi-disciplinary research effort. Environment: Each training aim has an expert mentor across three local institutions with abundant academic overlap. Dr. Braden's home institution, Arizona State University, is one of the fastest growing research enterprise among all U.S. universities, and specializes in the neuroscience of cognitive and brain aging. She will also receive training at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute, an internationally recognized research and patient care program, and the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, an ASD community-based center of excellence.