This is an application for an Independent Scientist Award (K02). During the award period the applicant plans to continue his research into the etiology and neurobiologic mechanisms in autism and to obtain additional training in cognitive neuroscience. The overall aim of this work is to elucidate the pathogenesis of autism through development of an integrated program of research involving family, molecular genetic and neuroimaging studies of autism and the broader autism phenotype.
The aim of the family study is to explore the boundaries of the autism phenotype by examining a range of behavioral, cognitive, and biological characteristics in autistic probands and their relatives.
The aim of the molecular genetic study is to conduct a genome search, using several different analytic strategies, to find genetic loci that contribute to the autism phenotype. Neuroimaging studies being conducted and proposed are aimed at examining anomalous patterns of growth and organization of the brain in individuals with autism and the broader autism phenotype through the study of abnormalities in brain size, shape and function. Career development activities in this application link directly to the research proposed and include training in: (1) the instrumentation and application of MRI, PET and fMRI; (2) training in behavioral neurology and neuropsychology; and (3) training in neuroanatomy and developmental neurobiology, as these areas related to the study of autism.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research (K02)
Project #
5K02MH001568-05
Application #
6363619
Study Section
Epidemiology and Genetics Review Committee (EPI)
Program Officer
Rumsey, Judith M
Project Start
1998-05-01
Project End
2003-02-28
Budget Start
2001-03-01
Budget End
2002-02-28
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$98,457
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
078861598
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
Losh, Molly; Esserman, Denise; Piven, Joseph (2010) Rapid automatized naming as an index of genetic liability to autism. J Neurodev Disord 2:109-16
Wassink, Thomas H; Piven, Joseph; Vieland, Veronica J et al. (2005) Evaluation of the chromosome 2q37.3 gene CENTG2 as an autism susceptibility gene. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 136B:36-44
Hutcheson, Holli B; Olson, Lana M; Bradford, Yuki et al. (2004) Examination of NRCAM, LRRN3, KIAA0716, and LAMB1 as autism candidate genes. BMC Med Genet 5:12
Hutcheson, Holli B; Bradford, Y; Folstein, S E et al. (2003) Defining the autism minimum candidate gene region on chromosome 7. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 117B:90-6
Pelphrey, Kevin A; Sasson, Noah J; Reznick, J Steven et al. (2002) Visual scanning of faces in autism. J Autism Dev Disord 32:249-61
Wassink, Thomas H; Piven, Joseph; Vieland, Veronica J et al. (2002) Evaluation of FOXP2 as an autism susceptibility gene. Am J Med Genet 114:566-9
Collaborative Linkage Study of Autism (2001) An autosomal genomic screen for autism. Am J Med Genet 105:609-15
Collaborative Linkage Study of Autism (2001) Incorporating language phenotypes strengthens evidence of linkage to autism. Am J Med Genet 105:539-47
Wassink, T H; Piven, J; Vieland, V J et al. (2001) Evidence supporting WNT2 as an autism susceptibility gene. Am J Med Genet 105:406-13
Wassink, T H; Piven, J; Patil, S R (2001) Chromosomal abnormalities in a clinic sample of individuals with autistic disorder. Psychiatr Genet 11:57-63

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