Social communication patterns in young children with the FMR1 premutation
Official title: Social Communication Trajectories as Predictors of FXAND in Young Children with the FMR1 Premutation
Funded at University of South Carolina at Columbia · NIH-11416735 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how social communication changes in young children who carry the FMR1 premutation and how these changes relate to anxiety and autism-like symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $490,974 |
| NIH project number | 5P50HD118708-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11416735 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children with the FMR1 premutation, particularly in preschool years, and families willing to participate in longitudinal assessment.
✕Less likely to help
Children without the premutation or those unlikely to participate in long-term follow-up may see little direct benefit.
What this research studies
For families with a child who has the FMR1 premutation, this project aims to map how social communication develops from early childhood and how it relates to later anxiety and ASD symptoms. Researchers will examine social communication, auditory processing, and genetic differences to understand why some children have different outcomes. The study will identify early markers to help pinpoint when and what kinds of interventions are most helpful. By focusing on preschoolers, the work seeks to inform timing and targets for future therapies and supports.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to earlier identification of at-risk children and more targeted intervention strategies to reduce FXAND-related difficulties.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has begun to characterize FXpm features, but detailed pediatric trajectories of social communication remain limited and this study expands on that work.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Carolina at Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roberts, Jane E — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Roberts, Jane E
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.