Research in Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities

Faculty members of JFK Partners, the Department of Psychiatry at UCHSC, the Department of Psychology at the University of Denver, and Johns Hopkins University are involved in a NICHD funded program of research. 

The main purpose of this research program is to increase understanding of the symptoms, neuropsychology, neurobiology, and genetics of autism. Twelve studies are currently ongoing, which broadly involve 

1. A longitudinal study of multiple domains of development in toddlers with autism fragile X, Down Syndrome, and other developmental disorders; 
2. Studies of brain behavior relationships in autism. Diagnostic procedures are being used to localize sources, length, and intensity of brain responses to sensory stimuli and to examine the length and intensity of those responses. Children and adults with autism, Down Syndrome, fragile X and other developmental disorders are studied; 
3. A study of neuropsychological characteristics of parents who have had two or more children with autism compared to a group of parents of children with Down Syndrome; 
4. Several studies of the neuropsychology of autism and other developmental disorders in adults. These studies are examining such areas as movement, praxis, theory of mind, executive functions, and pragmatics of communication.
5. Treatment of autism. The effects of secretion of symptoms of autism are currently being studied in a randomly assigned, placebo-controlled study.

Major Goals: 

1. Increase the understanding of symptoms, neuropsychology, neurobiology and genetics of autism across the lifespan; 
2. Increase the understanding of areas of similarity and of differences between autism and other developmental disorders, particularly fragile X disorder; 
3. Increase the understanding of neuropsychological aspects possibly related to autism in first degree family members.
4. Research projects involving various treatment and interventions for autism are currently being developed.

Funding Source: 

The project is supported by National Institute for Child Health and Human Services (NICHD) Grant No. IP01HD35468-01.

If you would like to get information about participating in these and future studies, please call:

Contact Person:

Teneke Warren, MS
13121 E. 17th Ave. C234
Denver, CO 80262
(303) 315-0122
(303) 315-6844 (fax) 
teneke.warren@uchsc.edu

Main Investigators: 

Sally J. Rogers, Ph.D.,
Bruce Pennington, Ph.D., University of Denver,
Randi Hagerman, M.D.
Rebecca Landa, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
Martin Reite, M.D.
Donald Rojas, Ph.D. 
Beth Wehner, Ph.D.

JFK Partners

University of Colorado Denver

13121 E. 17^th Ave, C234

Aurora, CO 80045

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