Analyses of Brain Structure and Connectivity in Young Children with Autism

描述(申请人提供)：Christine Wu Nordahl博士的长期职业目标是建立一个独立的实验室，使用结构和功能神经成像工具来了解自闭症和发育中的大脑。为了实现这一目标，近期的几个目标包括：1)完成数据分析和准备迄今进行的博士后研究手稿；2)使用扩散加权成像和静息状态功能连接MRI获得新的方法学和分析技能，以评估早期自闭症的异常连接模式；以及3)扩大关于早期自闭症行为方面的知识库，并熟练管理用于早期自闭症的标准诊断和评估工具。该项目的主要研究目标是使用结构和功能神经成像技术来研究2-4岁自闭症儿童大脑结构和连接的异常。尽管之前的结构成像研究已经为自闭症的神经病理学提供了一些见解，但绝大多数研究都集中在老年人身上。越来越多的人认识到尽早研究大脑结构的重要性。因此，在大脑发育的关键时期，在密集的行为和医学干预之前，对儿童进行尽可能接近临床诊断的研究是至关重要的。她的每一位导师都制定了几个教育、研究和培训目标，以实现上述职业目标和研究项目。大卫·阿马拉尔博士将担任她的主要导师。大卫·范·埃森博士、布莱恩·旺德尔博士、布拉德·施拉格博士、医学博士和萨利·罗杰斯博士将担任共同导师，提供额外的必要培训。研究和职业发展计划将在加州大学戴维斯分校M.I.N.D研究所和成像研究中心(IRC)进行。所有受试者招募、诊断和临床培训活动都将由我负责，但在M.I.N.D.研究所致力于开发自闭症治疗方法的翻译机构。所有神经成像都将在IRC进行，这是一个具有儿科成像能力的研究专用设施。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Dr. Christine Wu Nordahl's long term career goal is to establish an independent laboratory to use structural and functional neuroimaging tools to gain understanding about autism and the developing brain. To achieve this goal, several immediate goals include: 1) Completing data analysis and preparing manuscripts on postdoctoral research conducted to date, 2) Acquiring new methodological and analytical skills using diffusion weighted imaging and resting state functional connectivity MRI to evaluate abnormal connectivity patterns in early autism, and 3) Expanding knowledge base about behavioral aspects of early autism and becoming proficient in administering standard diagnostic and assessment tools used in early autism. The overarching research goal of this project is to use structural and functional neuroimaging techniques to investigate abnormalities in brain structure and connectivity in 2-4 year old children with autism. Although previous structural imaging studies have provided some insight into the neuropathology of autism, the vast majority have focused on older individuals. Increasingly, the importance of investigating brain structure at the earliest possible time point is being recognized. It is therefore critical to study children as close in time as possible to the clinical diagnosis, during critical periods of brain development, and prior to intensive behavioral and medical interventions. Several educational, research, and training objectives have been delineated with each of her mentors to achieve the career goals and research project described above. David Amaral, Ph.D. will serve as her primary mentor. David Van Essen, Ph.D., Brian Wandell, Ph.D., Brad Schlaggar, M.D., Ph.D., and Sally Rogers, Ph.D. will serve as co-mentors to provide additional necessary training. The research and career development plans will be carried out at the UC Davis M.I.N.D Institute and Imaging Research Center (IRC). All subject recruitment, diagnoses, and clinical training activities will be I carried but at the M.I.N.D. Institute, atranslationaifacility dedicated to developing a cure for autism. All neuroimaging will take place at the IRC, a research dedicated facility with pediatric imaging capabilities.