Subject: Reminder: MNN Visiting Speaker - Dr. David Amaral TODAY

U N I V E R S I T Y  O F   M A N I T O B A ’ S

T H E    V I C T O R   H A V L I C E K   M E M O R I A L   L E C T U R E S H I P

RESEARCH LECTURE

D AT E

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

12:00 PM (noon)

LO C AT I O N

Theatre B, BMSB, Bannatyne Campus

(FOLLOWED BY A TRAINEE LUNCH IN SR415)

S P E A K E R
Dr. David Amaral

Professor, Faculty of Medicine

McGill University

T O P I C

The Ups and Downs of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Tracking the trajectories of autism in the Autism Phenome Project

A B S T R A C T

We are attempting to subdivide autism spectrum disorder into more homogeneous subtypes by recruiting a very large cohort of young children (2 - 3 1/2 years of age) into a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and longitudinal analysis of the features of autism. We have also enrolled age-matched typically developing children for comparison. To date, we have enrolled over 450 families into the Autism Phenome Project. In this talk, I will highlight some of the differences in brain development that we have discovered and the behavioral consequences of the different developmental trajectories. I will also provide an overview of data that demonstrates difference in cognitive development in subsets of children with autism. I will also summarize initial findings on the trajectories of autism severity from recent, unpublished analyses. Finally, I will briefly summarize data demonstrating brain changes in children at risk for autism as early as 6 months of age. The goal of these studies is to understand the biological etiologies of different forms of autism which will hopefully lead to more targeted and effective treatments of their debilitating features.

O B J E C T I V E S

1. Gain an understanding of the biological and behavioral heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder.

2. Become knowledgable about the various developmental trajectories that can be followed by different children with autism spectrum disorder.

3. Understand how it is possible to carry out high quality neuroimaging in young children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

For more information, contact the MNN office @ 204.235.3939

Tabrez Siddiqui
Chair, MNN Seminar Series
E:  Tabrez.siddiqui@umanitoba.ca

Kelly Jorundson
Coordinator, Membership & Operations
Manitoba Neuroscience Network
Room R4046 - 351 Taché  Avenue, 
Winnipeg, MB  R2H 2A6  CANADA

Email:  kjorund@sbrc.ca
Tel: 204.235.3939   Fax: 204.237.4092

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