Sleep and daily rhythms and brain development in autism
Official title: Sleep and Circadian Dysfunction, Brain and Neurobehavioral Development in Autism
Funded at Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger · NIH-11597098 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aiming to understand how sleep problems and daily activity patterns affect brain growth, thinking skills, daily functioning, and autism symptoms in children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,155,259 |
| NIH project number | 3P50HD103538-05S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11597098 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with autism spectrum disorder, particularly those with notable sleep disturbances, will be eligible.
✕Less likely to help
Children without sleep problems or those outside the age range may not directly benefit from the specific sleep-focused analyses.
What this research studies
This project follows children with autism to see if sleep problems and their daily activity rhythms are linked to how the brain develops and to cognitive and adaptive skills. Researchers will collect sleep data from parents and wearable devices, and use advanced statistics to relate those patterns to brain imaging and behavior. The study also plans to examine how sleep patterns might influence the severity of autistic symptoms over time. The work is embedded in a renowned research setting and uses existing collaborations to integrate sleep, brain imaging, and developmental assessments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to better identification of sleep-related factors that influence brain development and autism symptoms, potentially guiding interventions to improve daytime functioning.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked sleep and cognition in autism, but this project integrates sleep, behavior, and brain imaging in a new, comprehensive way.
Where this research is happening
-
Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mostofsky, Stewart H — Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
- Study coordinator: Mostofsky, Stewart H
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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.