TITLE:

Imaging of brain network organization in autism

DATE:

Friday, March 6th, 2015

TIME:

3:30 PM

LOCATION:

GMCS 214

SPEAKER:

Dr. Ralph-Axel Müller. Brain Development Imaging Laboratory. Dept. of Psychology. SDSU

ABSTRACT:

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is traditionally diagnosed based on behavioral deficits, with

focus on social communication. Attempts to locate single regions or networks of causative

abnormality have been unsuccessful. A growing portion of recent neuroimaging research has

been dedicated to network connectivity. Functional connectivity and diffusion-weighted MRI

have revealed many features of network abnormality in ASD. However, it remains unclear which

of the thousands of imaging findings may represent biomarkers of the disorder, as no single

current neuroimaging finding can be diagnostic. Machine learning techniques may help reveal

complex biomarkers (distributed across multiple imaging modalities and brain regions). They

might also provide tools for identifying subtypes (clusterings of imaging findings) within the

disorder. Yet even very large currently available datasets (such as the consortium datashare

ABIDE) are challenging in such applications. Hundreds of ASD risk genes have been identified.

While mechanisms linking these with neurodevelopmental disturbances and behavioral

phenotypes in ASD are complex and not fully understood, such links may become more

transparent once brain-based subtypes of ASD can be identified. Knowledge of subtypes may

therefore be a necessary first step on the way to mechanistic models of idiopathic ASD, which

can eventually inform fully targeted treatments.

HOST:

Dr. Jose Castillo

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