Mechanisms of Social Deficits in Youth with Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Abstract
Youth with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) often have difficulties with social functioning (e.g., getting along with peers). However, research evaluating the underlying mechanisms that contribute to these difficulties remains limited. Prior research suggests that the social difficulties go beyond the neurocognitive impairments often seen in NF1 and have been related to socio-emotional processes that are typically impaired in ASD. An emerging model of social skills development grounded in social cognitive neuroscience emphasizes the role of cognitive and affective functions (CAF), such as executive function, facial processing, social attention, and theory of mind (i.e., ability to understand others perspectives), and highlights brain areas essential to CAF (e.g., facial processing) that are often disrupted in atypical brain development. The objectives of this research are to evaluate the CAF abilities of youth with NF1 and establish associations between CAF abilities and social adjustment outcomes. A secondary objective is to describe the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the CAF abilities of youth with NF1 using neuroimaging. The project has been significantly delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, thus there are no findings to report at this stage.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1216850
Entities
People
- Matthew Hocking
Organizations
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia