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Looking for a neurophysiological marker of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers

Looking for a neurophysiological marker of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers. Julia M. Stephen, PhD MRN Research Scientist. babySQUID – a unique pediatric MEG system. 3 year old child.

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Looking for a neurophysiological marker of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers

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  1. Looking for a neurophysiological marker of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers Julia M. Stephen, PhD MRN Research Scientist

  2. babySQUID – a unique pediatric MEG system 3 year old child • MEG provides exquisite temporal resolution (same as EEG, much better than fMRI) and good spatial resolution (better than EEG not quite as good as fMRI). • The prototype babySQUID is the only infant/toddler MEG system; designed by Dr. Yoshio Okada, Professor, Dept. Neurology UNM Source localization Using MEG Plastic model of infant skull

  3. In search of an early marker for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) • ASD prevalence has increased dramatically over the last two decades • Based on epidemiological studies, this increase cannot be explained by increased clinician awareness. • While there is a known genetic link to ASD due to higher risk of ASD within families, this alone does not explain the increase. • Although the medical community agrees that there is likely not a direct link between mercury in vaccines and ASD, with increased industrialization there are a lot of known neurotoxins to which children are exposed, including heavy metals. • Current widely accepted hypothesis suggests a genetic susceptibility with environmental trigger(s).

  4. Behavioral diagnosis versus Intervention • ASD is diagnosed using behavioral testing, which is variable: • Hunger, sleep, illness, environment, stranger anxiety • These diagnoses do not occur until much later than the initial signs of developmental delay. • Variability in the timing of developmental milestones leads to “wait and see.” • Minshew and Williams (2007) review suggests reduced brain connectivity associated with ASD • Impairment in multisensory processing abilities has been shown using behavioral tasks in ASD children (aged 2-10 years). • Multisensory integration deficits in children with autism could be a sensitive marker of atypical brain development. Minshew and Williams 2007 Neurobiol Rev

  5. ASD Preliminary Results * • A brief tone was presented to the child while sleeping (A). 2. A light touch from a balloon was presented (S). 3. Both the tone and the touch stimuli were presented synchronously (AS). • All subjects (N = 15) showed an enhanced sensory integration response with synchronous tone and touch. • The difference in latency across age is significant. • The longer latency for ASD approached significance with N=3 (p = 0.06). *Murray et al. 2005 Cerebral Cortex

  6. A Multidisciplinary Approach… • Early diagnostic behavioral testing (Dina Hill and Brian Lopez). • Awake behavioral experimental measures of multisensory processing (David Witherington). • Measures of heavy metal exposure through a survey and hair and finger nail samples for testing (Andrea Allan). • Genetic information through saliva samples (J. Stephen and Andrea Allan through MRN neurogenetics lab – K. Hutchison). • Neurophysiological measures of multisensory processing in sleeping children using the babySQUID MEG system.

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