Previous work in our laboratory demonstrated that 3-4 year-old children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have cerebral enlargement, as well as proportional enlargement of subcortical regions (cerebellum, hippocampi and amygdalae), compared to age-matched children with developmental delay (DD) and typical development (ID). Children with strictly defined autistic disorder (AD) showed enlargement of the amygdalae, in excess of overall cerebral enlargement. From the same groups of children, proton echoplanar spectroscopic imaging (PEPSI) revealed widespread regional decreases in brain neurochemical concentrations and abnormal metabolite relaxation in the ASD children relative to controls, indicative of abnormal celluiar composition. These findings demonstrate abnormal brain developmental processes in autism by 3-4 years of age. In the proposed STAART Center research, we aim to increase our understanding of abnormalities in early brain development by conducting brain imaging research with children with AD at the earliest age it is currently possible to diagnose this disorder. We propose to characterize brain structure and tissue-based neurochemistry in forty-eight 18-24 month-old children with AD and matched comparison groups of 25 children with DD and TD. In the AD group, we will relate brain structural and chemical findings taken at 18-24 months to neurocognitive and symptom measures taken at 18-24 months and later at 4 years of age. Furthermore, based on repeated measures of head circumference obtained retrospectively from birth to 18-24 months, and prospectively from 18-24 month to 4 years, the early developmental course of head growth in autism will be examined.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Specialized Center--Cooperative Agreements (U54)
Project #
1U54MH066399-01A1
Application #
6670907
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BBBP-6 (50))
Project Start
2003-06-01
Project End
2007-05-31
Budget Start
Budget End
2004-04-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$257,064
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Type
DUNS #
605799469
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
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Sullivan, Katherine; Stone, Wendy L; Dawson, Geraldine (2014) Potential neural mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of early intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder. Res Dev Disabil 35:2921-32
Kuhl, Patricia K; Coffey-Corina, Sharon; Padden, Denise et al. (2013) Brain responses to words in 2-year-olds with autism predict developmental outcomes at age 6. PLoS One 8:e64967
Corrigan, Neva M; Shaw, Dennis W W; Richards, Todd L et al. (2012) Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and MRI reveal no evidence for brain mitochondrial dysfunction in children with autism spectrum disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 42:105-15
Dawson, Geraldine; Jones, Emily J H; Merkle, Kristen et al. (2012) Early behavioral intervention is associated with normalized brain activity in young children with autism. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 51:1150-9
Webb, Sara Jane; Merkle, Kristen; Murias, Michael et al. (2012) ERP responses differentiate inverted but not upright face processing in adults with ASD. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 7:578-87

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