NEUROIMAGING/DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY OF AUTISM

描述(由申请者提供)：本次以患者为导向的导师研究职业发展奖概述的职业发展和研究计划 应用程序旨在使应聘者能够独立设计和 进行神经成像研究，研究自闭症的神经生物学 检查大脑大小的增加和大脑中 小脑-丘脑-额叶环路在本病病理生理学中的作用 神经发育障碍。自闭症是一种严重的疾病，其特征是 社交和沟通缺陷，受限和陈旧的模式 行为和兴趣。已经报道了一系列的异常情况， 对大脑结构的研究涉及到大脑发育的几个方面 参与神经元组织，包括树突状细胞和 轴突的分支、突触连接的建立和细胞 死亡。最近的神经病理学和神经成像研究报告说 自闭症患者的大脑大小，以及支持大脑发育不全的证据 神经网络的电路涉及大脑皮层、边缘系统和 小脑。拟议的纵向研究将结合使用 从磁共振成像扫描获得的体积测量和 每隔30个月获得一次化学位移成像质子光谱 一群患有自闭症的儿童(8-12岁)，并单独配对 对照以表征脑增大的发育变化，以及 自闭症患者小脑-丘脑-额叶环路的参与。会的 还为应聘者提供必要的经验以应用高级 神经成像技术和开展工作的坚实基础 自闭症和自闭症的发育神经生物学的纵向研究 可能确定临床、预后和治疗相关因素。这个 候选人拥有精神病学证书，儿童和青少年精神病学 四年的研究生临床工作经验。南希·明修博士，以及 Matchery Keshavan将担任教官。课程作业和指导阅读 生物统计学、数据管理、研究伦理、神经分析、神经成像和 发展神经科学将补充研究培训。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The career development and research plans outlined in this Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award application are designed to enable the candidate to independently design and conduct neuroimaging studies investigating the neurobiology of autism by examining increased brain size and the involvement of the cerebelo-thalamo-frontal circuit in the pathophysiology of this neurodevelopment disorder. Autism is a severe disorder characterized by marked social and communication deficits, restricted and stereotyped patterns of behaviors and interests. A wide range of abnormalities has been reported and studies of brain structure have implicated several aspects of brain development involved in neuronal organization including the elaboration of dendritic and axonal ramifications, the establishments of synaptic connection, and cell death. Recent neuropathologic and neuroimaging studies have reported increased brain size in autism, and evidence supporting the underdevelopment of the circuitry of neural networks that involve cerebral cortex, limbic system and cerebellum. The proposed longitudinal study will use the combination of volumetric measurements obtained from magnetic resonance imaging scans and chemical shift imaging proton spectroscopy obtained at 30 months intervals from a group of children with autism (8-12 years of age) and individually-matched controls to characterize the developmental changes of brain enlargement, and the involvement of the cerebello-thalamo-frontal circuit in autism. It will also provide the candidate with the experience necessary to apply advanced neuroimaging techniques and a solid foundation from which to conduct longitudinal studies investigating the developmental neurobiology of autism and possibly identifying clinical, prognostic and therapeutic correlates. The candidate is certified in psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry with four years of post-graduate clinical experience. Drs. Nancy Minshew, and Matchery Keshavan will serve as preceptors. Course work and directed reading in biostatistcs, data management, research ethics, neuroanatorny, neuroimaging and developmental neuroscience will complement the research training.