Sleep and brain development in children with a family history of autism
Sleep, Brain Development, and Behavioral Correlates in a Longitudinal Cohort of Children at Risk for ASD
This project looks at how sleep patterns, brain growth, and behavior change in children who have a sibling with autism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11363862 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, your child will be followed over time with brain MRI scans, sleep measures, and behavior questionnaires that track development from infancy into school age. The team follows about 300 children at high familial risk for autism (including roughly 100 who were diagnosed early) and about 100 low-risk children who have been seen since infancy through the IBIS program. Researchers compare earlier MRI and behavioral data to current sleep and mood measures to find links between early brain development and later sleep problems. There are no drugs or treatments in this project, only observational visits to help identify patterns that could guide future care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are school-age children (roughly 7–10 years old) who have a sibling with autism or who previously participated in the IBIS infant imaging study.
Not a fit: Children without a family history of autism or those seeking active treatment rather than observational follow-up are unlikely to gain direct clinical benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help spot children at higher risk for ongoing sleep problems so families and clinicians can offer earlier, targeted support.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows sleep problems are common in autistic children and that longitudinal brain imaging can reveal early differences, but using long-term follow-up to link early brain development specifically to later sleep problems in high-risk siblings is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Estes, Annette — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Estes, Annette
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.