Electrophysiological Response to Executive Control Training in Autism

自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）是非常常见的，患病率估计为1/110的儿童， 美国的50%至96%的ASD儿童表现出执行控制受损能够管理 为实现目标而提供的复杂或相互矛盾的信息。发展适当的执行控制是 与公共卫生相关，因为这些技能对于在学校，工作场所和社会中取得成功至关重要 关系。ASD中的执行障碍已经有了很好的记录，但实际上没有收到任何 干预研究的关注。此外，ASD中执行控制的神经系统的发展 它们对社会功能和症状的贡献仍然知之甚少。拟议的项目有 以下科学目标：（1）确定ASD儿童执行控制的神经基础， 完善的电生理测量（K99期）;（2）测试个体电生理 执行控制的差异与儿童的社会功能和症状有意义地相关， ASD（R 00期）;（3）评估执行控制方面的简短、集中的培训是否能产生显著的 ASD儿童的脑功能和行为变化（R 00期）。这些目标将在 使用一组常见的电生理测量。在指导K99阶段， 将30名ASD儿童的执行控制任务与30名正常发育儿童进行比较。期间 在独立阶段，60名ASD儿童将被随机分配接受短暂的执行控制 培训或等待名单。神经反应的个体差异及其与社会能力的关系将在 在干预前对所有儿童进行评估。主要的职业发展目标是： 博士苏珊·法亚在电生理学方面的训练，以及她作为一名独立科学家的职业生涯的开始， 长期目标是检查与干预相关的大脑行为变化。法亚医生是一名临床医生 心理学家，具有临床研究背景，包括开发简短的计算机干预， ASD患者。拟议的职业发展建立在目前的工作作为一个高级博士后研究员 对ASD患者采用电生理学方法。具体职业发展目标 是：（1）提供对研究大脑-行为关系至关重要的电生理学方法的培训 与执行控制和干预反应有关;（2）解决临床和统计方面的具体差距 培训：（3）支持Faja博士过渡到独立职位，（4）培养赠款和实验室技能 管理指导阶段将在华盛顿大学进行，该大学在以下方面有着良好的记录： 培训自闭症研究人员和支持职业奖励。导师包括Sara Webb博士，Wendy Stone博士和 迈克尔波斯纳，谁提供了相当的专业知识，在电生理学，专业发展的临床 研究人员，和执行控制及其通过培训增强。该项目符合 NIH的目标是培养一支强大的研究队伍，以解决国家的行为和临床问题。 研究需要和机构间自闭症协调委员会战略计划，其中规定， 需要对个体差异进行生物行为研究，并为学校发展新的治疗方法， ASD的老年儿童

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 controlthe 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.