Wang seeks to pinpoint exact moment neurodevelopmental disorder begins
Biomedical Sciences Associate Professor Yuan Wang was awarded a $ 2 million , five-year NIH grant to identify the origin of the synaptic dysfunction responsible for a variety of neurodevelopmental conditions , including ADHD , autism and cerebral palsy .
Wang ’ s research has focused on brain development and regulation . This study will attempt to pinpoint the exact moment in utero when brain development changes , which could open the door to intervention strategies to potentially lessen or prevent the dysfunction – and the subsequent genetic disorder .
The team , which includes Northeast Ohio Medical University researchers , will study endbulb synapses in chickens , which are specialized terminals between the ear and the brain and the first of the synapses in the brain receiving the signal from the ear . This model is widely used to study the anatomy and physiology of auditory processing at discrete periods of development .
“ The chicken is actually a classical animal model for studying brain development ,” she said . “ We can actually follow the individual cells , how they grow , how they form connectivity with other cells , right in front of our eyes .”
Autism Institute continues to lead in ASD research
Distinguished Research Professor Amy Wetherby continues to bring in grants for research to the College of Medicine ’ s Autism Institute , most recently as the lead institution in a collaboration among three prestigious universities that netted FSU $ 11.3 million of a total $ 17.6 million grant over five years . Partnering with researchers from Emory University and the University of California Los Angeles , Wetherby ’ s team is working to demonstrate the effectiveness of Early Social Interaction ( ESI ) using mobile coaching to improve outcomes for toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder ( ASD ).
Covid-19 pandemic restrictions , along with illumination of health-care disparities and civil injustices , underscores the challenge of inequalities faced by minority and low-resource communities . Documenting the therapeutic value of ESI using mobile technology to teach parents in natural environments will offer a community-viable and affordable treatment . Maximizing the use of mobile technology in community-based services will make the treatment ready for immediate , rapid , scalable and sustainable use across the United States that can lead to transformative changes in healthcare services for toddlers with autism and their families .
Wetherby also made news recently when a study she led illustrated how infants with ASD were already exhibiting fewer social-communication skills at 9 months old . Her study was published in Child Development . It has been difficult to identify early points of divergence in pre-linguistic infants , but by examining early social , communication and play skills including eye gaze , facial expression , gestures and sounds , the team identified a critical three-month developmental window before the child ’ s first birthday . Very early intervention during this window may help shift developmental trajectories for infants with ASD .
The work was supported by grants from several institutions , including the National Institute of Mental Health , the National Institute of Communication Disorders , Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development , National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of South Carolina .