How growing up bilingual affects thinking and the brain in children with autism
Longitudinal investigation of bilingualism, executive function, and brain organization in autism
This project looks at how being raised bilingual relates to thinking skills and brain development in children and adolescents with autism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11306580 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and your child would be followed over several years to compare children with autism who are raised in bilingual homes to those in monolingual homes, using thinking tests and brain scans during early adolescence. The team will collect information about home language use, run simple tasks that measure attention and planning, and take MRI pictures of the brain at multiple visits to watch how skills and brain networks change over time. The project focuses on executive function—skills like switching attention, planning, and self-control—which change a lot during early adolescence. Results are meant to help families and clinicians make clearer recommendations about using more than one language at home.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children and adolescents with a diagnosis of autism, especially school-age youth and early adolescents (roughly elementary to mid-teen years), who can complete cognitive testing and MRI visits are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Adults with autism, very young infants, or individuals who cannot tolerate MRI or repeated in-person visits are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reassure families that bilingual home environments are safe for children with autism and might support thinking skills, helping guide language recommendations.
How similar studies have performed: Small prior studies suggest bilingualism does not harm language development in neurodevelopmental disorders and some show possible executive function advantages, but long-term brain studies specifically in autistic youth remain limited.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Uddin, Lucina Qazi — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Uddin, Lucina Qazi
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.