From the 2006/2007 Distinguished Lecturer Series. Fragile X syndrome is the leading inherited cause of intellectual disabilities and is often associated with serious problems in communication. In this presentation, I will summarize findings from several completed and ongoing studies designed to understand the extent and nature of the communication challenges facing older children, adolescents, and young adults – both males and females – with fragile X syndrome. I will focus on the foundations for communication, barriers to effective communication, and the process of communication itself. I will also discuss some of the factors that are associated with more or less severe communication challenges in individuals with fragile X syndrome, and make recommendations for assessing communication challenges in affected individuals. And finally, I will briefly describe strategies for facilitating communication development that can be implemented by parents and professionals. Recorded May 9, 2007 18:00:00 PST.

From the 2006/2007 Distinguished Lecturer Series. Fragile X syndrome is the leading inherited cause of intellectual disabilities and is often associated with serious language problems. My colleagues and I are interested in developing a more nuanced characterization of language problems in fragile X syndrome by examining (1) the extent of impairment in the various components of language and in prerequisite skills (such as hearing), (2) the relationships between language and nonlinguistic dimensions of the behavioral phenotype, and (3) possible environmental contributions. We have found a profile of relative strengths and weaknesses in the various components of language that distinguishes fragile X syndrome from Down syndrome and, perhaps, other disorders. We also find that variation in language skill among affected individuals is related to cognitive ability, autism status, and other nonlinguistic dimensions of the phenotype. And finally, we have preliminary results suggesting that mothers of children with fragile X syndrome display relatively low levels of psychological well-being, which may have implications for their children's language learning. In this presentation, I will share our findings to date and present a model of the organismic and environmental factors affecting language learning in fragile X syndrome. Recorded May 9, 2007 16:00:00 PST.

From the 2007 Summer Institute on Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Recorded Fri, 3 Aug 2007.

From the 2007 Summer Institute on Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Recorded Fri, 3 Aug 2007.

From the 2007 Minds Behind the M.I.N.D. Lecture Series. Parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, often need to consider a bewildering array of possible biomedical treatments for their child. Learn about the benefits that nutrition and medication coupled with conventional medicine can offer to treat a child with these disorders. In addition, you will learn about innovative biomedical techniques being researched at the M.I.N.D. Institute.

From the 2006 Clinical Implications of Environmental Toxicology for Children's Neurodevelopment in Autism Conference. Recorded Thu, 02 Nov 2006 16:00:00 PST.

From the 2006/2007 Distinguished Lecturer Series. Abstract: Why do children develop autism? Although it is known that genetics plays a major role in risk for autism, these genes must affect the brain before influencing behavior. The discovery of functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) in the early 1990's has revolutionized the study of childhood disorders generally and autism specifically. FMRI allows us to observe brain activity while children perform mental tasks we know are affected in autism. These studies have shown that portions of the human brain are specialized for different aspects of social behaviors, including following eye gaze, responding to human faces, and imitating the behaviors of others. Abnormalities in some of these brain systems appear to be pervasive in children with autism, even those who are high functioning. Underlying these brain abnormalities are very subtle differences in brain structure that changes in development. Recent data has shown that the environment can influence many aspects of brain development. This talk will review recent findings in brain structure and function in autism and will suggest ways that brain imaging may help future studies of intervention in autism. Recorded April 11, 2007 18:00:00 PST.

From the 2006/2007 Distinguished Lecturer Series. Abstract: Research using fMRI has indicated several areas of systems-level brain dysfunction that may underlie many features of autism. This talk will present a series of studies in our lab examining fMRI during social-emotional tasks. Using data from face recognition, emotional face processing, gaze direction, reward processing and imitation/observation studies, we will argue that a commonality underlying the major features of autism is dysfunction in the mirror neuron system. This system, found originally in monkey single unit recording studies, involves brain areas that respond both during the execution and observation of behavior. Neurons in these regions communicate with subcortical systems involved in affect and reward processing via the insula. A dysfunction in this system would account for a range of symptoms including imitation, joint attention, affect processing, gaze following, and response to reward. Variations in the degree to which this system is dysfunctional appear to correlate with symptom severity. Focusing on this system may allow us to tailor treatments that may affect a range of behaviors. Recorded April 11, 2007 16:00:00 PST.

From the 2006 Clinical Implications of Environmental Toxicology for Children's Neurodevelopment in Autism Conference. Recorded Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:00:00 PST.

From the 2006 Clinical Implications of Environmental Toxicology for Children's Neurodevelopment in Autism Conference. Recorded Thu, 02 Nov 2006 11:00:00 PST.