This proposal responds to NOT-OD-09-058, """"""""Recovery Act Funds for Competitive Revision Applications."""""""" This revision application will support new research aims that are outside the scope of the currently funded parent grant, """"""""Infants at Risk of Autism: A longitudinal Study"""""""" (2 R01 MH068398-06;1/1/09 - 12/31/13;PI Ozonoff). The parent study examines the earliest possible behavioral indices of autism, but the original aims did not include potential biological markers. Responding to three NIMH areas of interest outlined in the RFA (""""""""Biological Measures for the Study of Mental Disorders, """"""""Understanding Postnatal Brain Development,"""""""" and """"""""Supporting Longitudinal Neuroimaging Studies in Mental Disorders""""""""), we propose to increase the scope of the parent grant by evaluating brain structure and developmental trajectory as possible early biological markers of autism. We propose to carry out a longitudinal neuroimaging study to investigate brain growth during a critical period of development in autism. High resolution structural MRI will be combined with diffusion-weighted imaging and resting state functional connectivity MRI to evaluate multiple aspects of brain organization in infants at risk for autism. Through the parent study, two groups will be recruited: a high risk group of 40 male infant siblings of children with autism and a low risk group of 20 male infant siblings of children with typical development. They will be imaged beginning at 6-9 months of age and followed at six-month intervals for a total of three time points. At the end of the two year grant period, we will have acquired a rich dataset of 180 scans of infants ranging from 6-21 months of age. Through the parent grant, outcomes of Autism/ASD, Other Delays, or Typical Development are determined at 24 and 36 months of age. We will then compare brain maturation trajectories for the different outcome groups. The parent grant provides a unique opportunity for prospectively evaluating the very early abnormal brain development that has been reported in children with autism. The combined parent and revision projects have the potential to identify both behavioral and biological markers for very early autism and ultimately contribute towards the early identification and treatment of autism.

Public Health Relevance

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs in as many as 1 in 150 children, but is rarely diagnosed before the age of 3. Earlier detection could lead to earlier interventions and reduction of lifelong disability.
The aim of the revision study is to identify changes in brain structure and connectivity in infancy that may be present before the clinical diagnosis of autism is made and indicate increased risk for development of the disorder.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01MH068398-06A1S1
Application #
7819012
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BBBP-L (95))
Program Officer
Gilotty, Lisa
Project Start
2009-09-30
Project End
2012-08-31
Budget Start
2009-09-30
Budget End
2012-08-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$1,022,289
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Davis
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
047120084
City
Davis
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95618
Schwichtenberg, A J; Kellerman, Ashleigh M; Young, Gregory S et al. (2018) Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders: Play behaviors with infant siblings and social responsiveness. Autism :1362361318782220
Miller, Meghan; Iosif, Ana-Maria; Young, Gregory S et al. (2018) The dysregulation profile in preschoolers with and without a family history of autism spectrum disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry :
Miller, Meghan; Iosif, Ana-Maria; Young, Gregory S et al. (2018) Early Detection of ADHD: Insights From Infant Siblings of Children With Autism. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 47:737-744
Gangi, Devon N; Schwichtenberg, A J; Iosif, Ana-Maria et al. (2018) Gaze to faces across interactive contexts in infants at heightened risk for autism. Autism 22:763-768
Ozonoff, Sally; Gangi, Devon; Hanzel, Elise P et al. (2018) Onset patterns in autism: Variation across informants, methods, and timing. Autism Res 11:788-797
Ozonoff, Sally; Young, Gregory S; Brian, Jessica et al. (2018) Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder After Age 5 in Children Evaluated Longitudinally Since Infancy. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 57:849-857.e2
Miller, Meghan; Iosif, Ana-Maria; Hill, Monique et al. (2017) Response to Name in Infants Developing Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Prospective Study. J Pediatr 183:141-146.e1
Charman, Tony; Young, Gregory S; Brian, Jessica et al. (2017) Non-ASD outcomes at 36 months in siblings at familial risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A baby siblings research consortium (BSRC) study. Autism Res 10:169-178
Messinger, Daniel S; Young, Gregory S; Webb, Sara Jane et al. (2016) Commentary: sex difference differences? A reply to Constantino. Mol Autism 7:31
Miller, Meghan; Iosif, Ana-Maria; Young, Gregory S et al. (2016) School-age outcomes of infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 9:632-42

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