Translational Neuroimaging in Autism: What On Earth Does That Mean?
The UCLA CART Autism Affinity Group Presents...
DECLAN MURPHY, MB BS, FRCPsych, MD
Professor of Psychiatry and Brain Maturation
Department of Psychological Medicine & Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London
Lead, National Institute of Health Research (UK) program on autism and ADHD.
“Translational Neuroimaging in Autism: What On Earth Does That Mean?”
Friday, 9 October 2009 Scientific Lecture: 9:00 -10:00 a.m. Community Questions and Discussion: 10:00-10:30 a.m.
PLEASE NOTE LOCATION: Gonda 1st Floor Conference Room #1357
All are welcome! Coffee served ~ 8:30 a.m. For further information, please visit our website at www.autism.ucla.edu or contact Dr. Candace J. Wilkinson at 310-825-9041.
ABSTRACT I will discuss how, in the UK, we have sought to identify translational applications of neuroimaging in autism spectrum disorders. To do this it was essential to move away from “blobology’ in small heterogeneous samples to a more theoretically driven approach in large well defined groups. The data I present will include the first outputs from the (just completed) MRC UK AIMS study of autism from the Institute of Psychiatry, and Oxford and Cambridge Universities. This is a multicentre neuroimaging study of approximately 200 adults with and without autism. I will also discuss how, once we have defined the biology(s) of the disorder, we can combine different neuroimaging techniques to try and identifying potential causative agents. And so move to potential new treatments and diagnostic approaches. I will illustrate the potential role of the serotonergic system, and GABA/glutamate, as contributing factors to the neurobiological differences found in people with autism.
