Cognitive and Neural Correlates of Aging in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This is a collaborative project between SARRC and BNI to produce comprehensive cognitive, behavioral, and neuroimaging data on a set of well-characterized older ASD individuals, which can be used as a reference for clinical diagnosis, therapeutics, and care plans. SARRC is primarily responsible for the identification and phenotyping of each participant (AR140105P1) and BNI conducts additional neurocognitive testing and fMRI scanning protocol (AR140105). Both principal investigators contribute to data analyses and dissemination of findings. We continue to collect new participants to obtain our target enrollment of 70 participants (35 per group). Results and significance: We published our first in a series of studies from the initial cross-sectional data analysis in a high impact Autism journal (Autism Research). We found that the older ASD group performed significantly worse in executive functioning and showed decreased white matter connectivity in the frontal and temporal lobes. We also submitted resting state data regarding frontal connectivity group differences to the Society for Neuroscience meeting and Dr. Braden was selected to chair a nanosymposium on Autism: Physiology and Behavior. We have two additional data analyses on other brain-behavior relationships that are being prepared for publication, and we continue to collect data from new recruits and from returning participants. We also succeeded in sharing our imaging and cognitive data by way of the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange 2 (ABIDE-2), thereby providing new data for the greater Autism research community.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1043868

Entities

People

  • Christopher J Smith

Organizations

  • Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Autism
  • Bayesian Networks
  • Biomedical Research
  • Brain
  • Cognition
  • Communities
  • Data Analysis
  • Department Of Defense
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Executives
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Processes
  • Neuroimaging
  • Neurosciences
  • Psychology
  • Students

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