Study the neural substrates of autism spectrum disorders using neuroimaging methods such as MEG/EEG/MRI.
(NOTE: we are currently recruiting individuals between the ages of 14 and 32, either typically developing or with an autism spectrum disorder.) To study how sensory information is processed by the brain, we primarily use an instrument called MEG (MagnetoEncephaloGraphy), which measures the magnetic brainwaves emitted by our brains. The device does not have any output (i.e., there is no magnetic field); it only measures the waves produced in the brain. We measure those waves as the participants in the study listen to, view, or otherwise experience simple, non painful, stimuli. For instance, participants may listen to words while sitting in the MEG room, and watching a movie with the sound turned off. We then combine this information with pictures of the brain from MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging - when available), to get an idea about both the anatomy and the function of the brain, so that we can study how the brains of populations with autism spectrum disorders or language disorders may be different from those of typically developing populations.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
120
Martinos Center or Biomedical Imaging
Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States
RECRUITINGSaliency of Sensory Stimuli in Developmental Disorders
Time frame: up to 2 years
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