Neural Predictors of Language Function After Intervention in Children with Autism

描述（由申请人提供）：自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）是一种表型异质性的神经发育障碍，在幼儿和幼儿中被诊断出的发病率越来越高，患病率估计为1%。许多儿童在诊断时表达语言有限，即使采取强化干预措施，也只有50%的儿童在沟通方面取得显著进展。不幸的是，对ASD的干预研究一直难以可靠地预测语言习得，更重要的是，难以区分会说话和不会说话的儿童。一个主要的限制是依赖标准化的行为评估，它只捕捉公开的行为。需要创新的方法来更好地描述对语言习得重要的认知和感知领域的神经关联，并将这些方法应用于干预研究。这些知识将使我们能够根据基线表型设计和应用更有效、更有针对性的干预措施。本研究提出应用电生理测量来更好地表征语言习得所必需的两个认知领域的神经关联：联合注意和统计学习，以及静息状态脑电图功率，在ASD幼儿在进入强化行为干预之前和干预完成后，以确定特定的电生理特征是否可以预测语言习得和获得。结合训练计划中概述的活动，本研究提案代表了将翻译方法应用于行为干预研究的及时努力，以丰富ASD预后的传统预测因素。这项研究的统一原则是，更好地理解ASD行为和认知缺陷背后的神经机制，将为治疗反应的预测者提供信息，这反过来将促进针对这些儿童的更有针对性的干预措施的发展。本研究符合NIMH战略计划的目标1（战略1.3）和目标3（战略3.1）。具体来说，要(1)“识别和整合与精神障碍相关的生物标记（生物标记）和行为指标”，以及(2)“进一步开发创新的干预措施和设计干预研究”。！

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a phenotypically heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders being diagnosed at growing rates in toddlers and young children, with prevalence estimates of 1%. Many children have limited expressive language at the time of diagnosis, and only 50% make significant gains in communication, even with intensive interventions. Unfortunately, intervention studies in ASD have struggled to reliably predict language gain, and, importantly, to differentiate pre-verbal from non-verbal children. One major limitation is the reliance on standardized behavioral assessments, which only capture overt behaviors. Innovative methodology is needed to better characterize the neural correlates of cognitive and perceptual domains important for language acquisition and to apply these methods to inform intervention studies. Such knowledge will allow us to design and apply more effective, targeted interventions for children with ASD based on baseline phenotypes. This study proposes to apply electrophysiological measures to better characterize the neural correlates of two cognitive domains essential for language acquisition: joint attention and statistical learning, along with resting state EEG power, in young children with ASD prior to entry into an intensive behavioral intervention and then after completion of the intervention, in order to determine if specific electrophysiological profiles can predict language acquisition and gain. Combined with the activities outlined in the training plan, this research proposal represents a timely effort to apply translational methods to behavioral intervention studies in order to enrich the conventional predictors of outcome in ASD. The principle unifying this study is that a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the behavioral and cognitive deficits in ASD will inform predictors of treatment response, which, in turn, will facilitate the development of more targeted interventions for these children. This study is in line with objective 1 (strategy 1.3) and objective 3 (strategy 3.1) of the NIMH strategic plan. Specifically, to (1) "identify and integrate biological markers (biomarkers) and behavioral indicators associated with mental disorders," and to (2) "further develop innovative interventions and designs for intervention studies." !