Longitudinal Brain and Behavior Study of Autism from Infancy to Adolescence
Official title: A Longitudinal Brain and Behavior Study of Autism From Infancy Through Adolescence
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11396475 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows children at risk for autism from infancy through adolescence to understand how brain development and behavior unfold over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2007 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,138,714 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD055741-20 |
| Project ID | NIH-11396475 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children from infancy through adolescence, including those at high familial risk for autism and those at low risk.
✕Less likely to help
The study is observational and may not directly provide individual treatments or therapies.
What this research studies
A long-term study monitors brain scans and behavioral assessments of hundreds of children, some with a family history of autism and some without. Researchers collect data at multiple ages from infancy into adolescence to identify early brain patterns and how they relate to autism as they grow. The study aims to map how autism-related features emerge, change during childhood, and relate to later outcomes, including mental health during teen years. Findings could help families understand development and guide early supports, education, and interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how autism develops could lead to earlier detection and more targeted supports for autistic individuals and their families.
How similar studies have gone: Previous analyses have shown early brain and behavioral markers that predict later autism, with significant longitudinal insights across early development.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Piven, Joseph — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Piven, Joseph
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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.