April is National Autism Awareness Month. Autism is a brain development disorder in which individuals exhibit repetitive behaviors or limited interests. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes a range of developmental disorders such as autism, Asperger syndrome and other pervasive developmental disorders.

Individuals with autism typically display repetitive and obsessive behaviors and limited interests. Many have difficulty with communication, social interactions and understanding implied meaning. Nearly one in 150 children in the United States has the disorder, according to a 2007 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Experts
Rajesh Kana, Ph.D., director of the Autism Brain Imaging Research Laboratory in the Department of Psychology, is using fMRI to study how people with autism interpret the thoughts, motives and intentions of others, an important skill in human development and social interaction. In his latest study, Kana uses fMRI, to observe changes in blood flow in the brains of individuals with autism as they perform tests. In one test, participants are asked to examine comic strip vignettes that have no text and select the most logical ending to each vignette.

As participants examine the comic strips, the fMRI captures detailed images of the brain, which can be seen on a computer screen. Initial study results show that participants with autism score significantly lower on the test than the control group, and their response times are significantly slower, Kana said. The fMRI scans also show that among those with autism who took the test there was less blood flow in parts of the brain associated with understanding and interpreting the motives and intentions of others. Kana says the research could lead to interventions to address the social difficulties of people with autism. Preliminary findings of this study will be presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in Chicago in May 2009. Watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/uabnews.

Elizabeth McMahon Griffith, Ph.D., is available to discuss early warning signs of autism, early interventions and various types of interventions. Griffith studies the effectiveness of Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), an intervention for young children with ASD and related disorders. ESDM combines behavioral techniques with play to improve the communication and social interaction skills of children with autism. Alabama Early Intervention Services providers in rural Alabama are participating in the study and will work with parents and family members of children with ASD. Griffith is a research assistant professor in the UAB Department of Psychology and a psychologist with the UAB Civitan International Research Center Sparks Clinics.

Karen Bowen Dahle, Ed.D., Dahle is available to discuss issues related to the education of children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. For more than 30 years Dahle has studied issues related to autism spectrum disorders, including autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Her research is focused on the legal and diagnostic issues concerning children with ASD and best practices for educating children with ASD. Dahle is an associate professor in the UAB School of Education’s Department of Leadership, Special Education and Foundations.

About UAB and Autism
The Autism Brain Imaging Research Laboratory in the UAB Department of Psychology is dedicated to the investigation of the neural bases of social, cognitive and affective processes in people with autism. The UAB Civitan International Research Center Sparks Clinics provides evaluation and intervention services for individuals with a broad range of physical, developmental, learning and behavioral challenges. The Sparks Clinics includes the UAB Autism Clinic, which offers screenings for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) for children ages 2 to 12 years.

Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham