Project Manager
Gillberg, ChristopherProject manager
University of GothenburgAmount granted
1 800 000 SEKYear
2013
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an umbrella term for conditions characterized by problems with social interaction, language comprehension and flexibility. The direct causes of ASD are, in most cases, unknown and there is no physiological test (e.g. blood test) that can identify ASD. Using the latest technology in brain imaging methods (magnetoencephalography, MEG) and individuals with ASD who have undergone thorough clinical examinations, we hope to identify a marker for ASD. Individuals with ASD and control subjects will be shown different images at the same time as brain imaging takes place; when an image is shown, brain activity occurs and this brain activity creates magnetism that MEG registers. It is then possible to see brain activity in real time, i.e. where, when and how long the brain reacts. In MEG, it is also possible to see where on the image the subjects are looking, so we can be sure that the participants in the study are actually looking at the image presented. One of the project leaders in the study is conducting a similar study at Harvard University in America, so we will be able to compare data from both studies and draw stronger conclusions. The project management team consists of individuals with extensive experience in ASD and brain imaging and includes two doctors, a psychologist and a physicist. By the end of this project, we hope to have identified markers that will lead to a better understanding of the underlying physiological mechanisms of ASD.