Visuomotor integration and attention in Autism Spectrum Disorder

项目摘要 候选人，博士海莉米勒，旨在制定一项研究计划的视觉整合， 自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）。她和她的导师（Nicoleta Bugnariu博士、玛丽海霍博士和马特博士 Mosconi）计划了一系列培训和研究活动，包括讲习班、正式课程， 并咨询ASD、发育神经科学、运动控制和眼科领域的专家 跟踪. Bugnariu博士和Hayhoe博士是共同的主要导师：Bugnariu博士在运动控制方面有专长， 发育神经科学和ASD的功能运动; Hayhoe博士在视觉方面具有专长 整合和眼球运动在典型的发展，以及一个多产的记录出版和联邦 经费Mosconi博士是ASD运动发育方面公认的专家，他将担任二级导师。一个 顾问团队也将支持米勒博士的培训：加弗博士和邓普西博士有丰富的工作经验， 与个体在广泛变化的症状概况的障碍。丽塔·帕特森博士是 生物力学和时间序列数据的数学建模;琳达海南博士是生物统计学专家。 米勒博士将研究视觉整合-使用视觉信息来计划，执行， 在45名ASD儿童（7-17岁）和45名年龄、性别和智商通常匹配的儿童中， 开发（TD）控制。准确的可视化集成对于与环境交互至关重要。 尽管先前对运动感知进行了研究，但仍不清楚ASD患者是否无法适当地 与移动物体互动，因为它们不能准确地：i）直接视觉注意物体; ii）评估 物体空间位置和运动; iii）使用视觉信息来计划运动反应;和/或iv）执行 运动计划，以实现所需的身体运动。拟议的研究将量化TD 和ASD在感知物体运动和执行/修改计划的运动反应的能力。完成 为了实现这一目标，米勒博士将使用移动的眼球跟踪、动作捕捉和虚拟现实的独特组合， 评估对视觉运动的反应。可变速度、干扰物体和复杂的背景设置将 在互动虚拟游戏中使用，以评估注意力在处理和对运动做出反应中的作用。 通过研究虚拟环境中的视景集成，使其更接近真实世界 认知和视觉需求，米勒博士旨在了解这种缺陷在ASD中的实际后果。 临床症状（例如，笨拙）和功能损伤（例如，驾驶，运动）在ASD可能 源于无效的视觉整合。特别是对青少年来说，向成年的过渡和 独立性伴随着许多视觉上的挑战，如驾驶，运动和身体健康， 和社会互动。如果不掌握这些技能，可能会增加照顾者的负担，久坐不动， 生活方式和社会隔离拟议项目产生的知识可能有助于确定以下目标： 干预以补救这些症状并恢复ASD患者的功能能力。

PROJECT SUMMARY The candidate, Dr. Haylie Miller, aims to develop a program of research on visuomotor integration in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She and her mentors (Drs. Nicoleta Bugnariu, Mary Hayhoe, and Matt Mosconi), have planned a series of training and research activities, including workshops, formal coursework, and consultation with experts in the fields of ASD, developmental neuroscience, motor control, and eye tracking. Dr. Bugnariu and Dr. Hayhoe are co-primary mentors: Dr. Bugnariu has expertise in motor control, developmental neuroscience, and functional movement in ASD; Dr. Hayhoe has expertise in visuomotor integration and eye movement in typical development, as well as a prolific record of publication and federal funding. Dr. Mosconi, a recognized expert in motor development in ASD, will serve as a secondary mentor. An advisory team will also support Dr. Miller's training: Drs. Garver and Dempsey have ample experience working with individuals across the widely variable symptom profile of the disorder. Dr. Rita Patterson is an expert in biomechanics and mathematical modeling of time series data; Dr. Linda Hynan is an expert in biostatistics. Dr. Miller will study visuomotor integration–the process of using visual information to plan, execute, and modify movements–in 45 children with ASD (ages 7-17) and 45 age-, gender- and IQ-matched typically- developing (TD) controls. Accurate visuomotor integration is critical for interacting with the environment. Despite prior studies of motion perception, it is still unclear whether individuals with ASD fail to appropriately interact with moving objects because they do not accurately: i) direct visual attention to objects; ii) assess the spatial position and motion of objects; iii) use visual information to plan a motor response; and/or iv) execute motor plans to achieve desired body movements. The proposed study will quantify differences between TD and ASD in the ability to perceive object motion, and execute/modify planned motor responses. To accomplish this aim, Dr. Miller will use a unique combination of mobile eye-tracking, motion capture, and virtual reality to assess response to visual motion. Variable speeds, distractor objects and complex background settings will be used in interactive virtual games to assess the role of attention in processing and reacting to motion. By studying visuomotor integration in the virtual environment, which more closely mirrors real-world cognitive and visual demands, Dr. Miller aims to understand the practical consequences of this deficit in ASD. Clinical symptoms (e.g., clumsiness) and functional impairments (e.g., driving, playing sports) in ASD likely stem from ineffective visuomotor integration. Particularly for adolescents, the transition to adulthood and independence is accompanied by a number of visuomotor challenges like driving, sports and physical fitness, and social interaction. Failure to master these skills can result in added burden on caregivers, sedentary lifestyle, and social isolation. Knowledge generated by the proposed project may aid in identifying targets for intervention to remediate these symptoms and restore functional ability in people with ASD.