Our research program utilizes structural and functional MRI to map brain development across the life span in autistic individuals. The image above is one of our research participants, scanned at 5 time points from 2-16 years of age. We evaluate neurodevelopmental trajectories in conjunction with behavioral, medical, and biological assessments in order to better understand etiologies, develop targeted interventions, and predict outcomes in autism. We are particularly committed to including autistic individuals at all levels of cognitive ability in our studies and have a strong focus on autistic individuals assigned female at birth. All of our efforts are carried out with the goal of improving the lives of autistic individuals.
Current research projects include:
- Sex differences in brain structure and function in autistic children using structural, diffusion, and resting state fMRI across early childhood into adolescence.
- Examining predictors of co-occurring anxiety during middle childhood and adolescence
- Characterization of the emergence of co-occurring ADHD symptoms in autistic females
- Understanding brain differences between autistic individuals with and without intellectual disability
The Assortment of Wunderful People
October 2022
Assortment of Wunderful People, Spring 2021