The UCLA CART Affinity Group presents a lecture on
Department of Psychological Medicine & Psychiatry
Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London
Lead, National Institute of Health Research (UK) program on autism and ADHD
Friday, 9 October 2009
Scientific Lecture: 9:00-10:00 a.m.Community Questions and Discussion: 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Coffee served in the lobby 8:30 a.m.
The Seminar will be held in the Gonda 1st Floor Conference Room #1357
(UCLA Campus Map)
All are welcome!
For further information contact Candace 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.