Current Projects
Healthy Aging in Autism
Over the last 20 years, our research has been interested in brain development from childhood into adulthood in autistic and non-autistic individuals. Our research program will extend throughout the adult lifespan as our group is now part of an Autism Centers of Excellence grant focused on healthy aging. This multi-site project will investigate cognitive aging, structural and functional brain imaging, social determinants of health, and markers of biological and physical health. We hope to understand factors that promote resilience and healthy aging in autistic individuals. You can learn more about the study by visiting the project website at www.isla-network.org.
Brain Effects of CBD and THC
We are studying the brain effects of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) using MRI brain scans and simultaneous EEG-fMRI. How do cannabis products such as CBD and THC affect brain function involved in attention, behavior, emotion, and cognition? Why do CBD and THC have different effects on individuals? Answering these questions may help many patients seeking cannabis related therapies.
Brain Wiring in Autism
In recent years, it has been discovered that neural connections between brain regions may be wired in a way that can explain certain behaviors present in some autistic individuals. We are testing theories about which connections are related to behaviors used for the diagnosis of autism, how these connections cause dynamical changes in larger brain networks, and what interventions may be possible to help improve the lives of autistic children and adults.
Novel Metrics of
Brain Dynamics in
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that adversely affects cognition and daily functioning in older adults. We seek to better understand the association between alterations in dynamic functional brain activity as it relates to biomarkers and decreasing cognition in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as cognitively intact seniors.