Electrophysiological Response to Executive Control Training in Autism

描述（由申请人提供）：自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）非常常见，在美国，患病率估计为110分之一。50%到96%的自闭症儿童表现出执行控制能力受损，即为实现目标而处理复杂或相互矛盾信息的能力受损。发展适当的执行控制能力与公共卫生有关，因为这些技能对于在学校、工作场所和社会关系中取得成功至关重要。ASD中的执行障碍已经有了很好的记录，但实际上没有得到任何干预研究的关注。此外，ASD中执行控制背后的神经系统的发展及其对社会功能和症状的贡献仍然知之甚少。本项目有以下科学目标：(1)利用两种成熟的电生理测量（K99周期）确定ASD儿童执行控制的神经基础；(2)检验执行控制的个体电生理差异是否与ASD儿童的社会功能和症状（R00期）有显著相关；(3)评估简短、集中的执行控制训练是否会对ASD儿童的大脑功能和行为产生显著的改变（R00期）。这些目标将使用一套共同的电生理测量来解决。在K99阶段，30名ASD儿童对执行控制任务的神经反应将与30名正常发育的儿童进行比较。在独立阶段，60名自闭症儿童将被随机分配接受简短的执行控制培训或进入候补名单。在干预之前，将对所有儿童的神经反应的个体差异及其与社会能力的关系进行评估。主要职业发展

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are extremely common, with prevalence estimated at 1 in 110 children in the United States. Fifty to 96% of children with ASD demonstrate impaired executive control-the ability to manage complex or conflicting information in the service of a goal. Development of appropriate executive control is relevant to public health because these skills are critical for success in school, the workplace, and social relationships. Executive impairments in ASD have been well documented, but have received virtually no intervention research attention. Further, development of neural systems underlying executive control in ASD and their contribution to social function and symptoms remain poorly understood. The proposed project has the following scientific goals: (1) to determine the neural basis of executive control in children with ASD using two well-established electrophysiological measures (K99 period); (2) to test whether individual electrophysiological differences in executive control are meaningfully related to the social function and symptoms of children with ASD (R00 period); and (3) to assess whether brief, focused training in executive control produces significant changes in the brain function and behavior of children with ASD (R00 period). These goals will be addressed using a common set of electrophysiological measures. During the mentored K99 phase, the neural response to executive control tasks by 30 children with ASD will be compared with 30 typically developing children. During the independent phase, 60 children with ASD will be randomly assigned to receive brief executive control training or to a waitlist. Individual differences in neural response and their relation to social ability will be assessed in all children prior to intervention. The major career development objectives are: the completion of Dr. Susan Faja's training in electrophysiology and the launching of her career as an independent scientist with the long-term goal of examining brain-behavioral changes associated with intervention. Dr. Faja is a clinical psychologist with a background in clinical research including development of a brief computer intervention for individuals with ASD. The proposed career development builds on current work as a senior postdoctoral fellow that employs electrophysiological methods with individuals with ASD. The specific career development goals are: (1) to provide training in electrophysiological methods crucial to investigating brain-behavior relationships related to executive control and response to intervention; (2) to address specific gaps in clinical and statistical training: (3) to support Dr. Faja's transition to an independent position, and (4) to foster skills in grant and lab management. The mentored phase will occur at the University of Washington, which has a strong record of training autism researchers and supporting career awards. Mentors include Drs. Sara Webb, Wendy Stone and Michael Posner, who provide considerable expertise in electrophysiology, professional development of clinical researchers, and executive control and its enhancement via training, respectively. The project is aligned with NIH's goal of developing a strong cohort of investigators to address the nation's behavioral and clinical research needs and with the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan, which stipulates the need for bio-behavioral studies of individual differences and the development of novel treatments for school- aged children with ASD.