Understanding brain and movement in minimally speaking autistic people using wearable brain imaging
Official title: Illuminating Motor and Language Capacities in Minimally Speaking Autistic Individuals with Wearable Imaging
Funded at Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger · NIH-11629769 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new study will use comfortable wearable brain imaging to learn how the brains of minimally speaking autistic people control movement and speech-related skills.
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 | September 17, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $668,561 |
| NIH project number | 1R56DC023878-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11629769 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are autistic individuals who are minimally speaking and comfortable with wearable imaging in study settings; 18 years or older per keywords.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who are unable to tolerate wearable imaging or who do not meet the minimally speaking criterion may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will apply high-density wearable imaging to map brain activity in minimally speaking autistic individuals while they move and communicate in natural settings. By avoiding the discomfort of traditional MRI, the researchers aim to capture clearer signals about motor and language networks. The findings could point to targeted supports and therapies that improve daily functioning and quality of life for MS-AUT individuals. Participation would involve noninvasive brain imaging sessions and tasks designed to reveal how brain function relates to motor and language challenges.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform personalized interventions to improve communication and daily movement for minimally speaking autistic people.
How similar studies have gone: Wearable HD-DOT has shown promise in mapping brain activity in naturalistic tasks, but its use in MS-AUT is novel and exploratory.
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
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Sleep and daily rhythms and brain development in autism
Aiming to understand how sleep problems and daily activity patterns affect brain growth, thinking skills, daily functioning, and autism symptoms in children.
-
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) at Kennedy Krieger/Johns Hopkins
A centers-based NIH grant supports researchers studying intellectual and developmental disabilities to find ways to prevent, diagnose earlier, and improve lives for people with conditions like autism and related disorders.
-
Microvascular brain blood flow and CSF cleaning in Lewy body dementia
A non-invasive MRI study in people with Alzheimer's-related dementias will explore how tiny blood vessel pulsations affect brain fluid clearance.
-
Improving how we spot late talking in bilingual kids
A project to help pediatric providers better identify true late talkers among Spanish-dominant bilingual toddlers so they can get timely help.
-
CEST imaging of muscle energy in heart failure patients
A heart-failure study tests a new MRI method to map how muscles use energy during exercise in adults with heart failure.
-
Pilot-Feasibility Pilot for Batten Disease Translational Research
A small, dedicated funding core will support early, practicalBattten disease projects to speed up diagnosis, care, and potential treatments for children affected by Batten disease.
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.