Understanding Speech in Autism
Official title: Neural mechanisms of speech motor control in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11098471 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the brain controls speech in children and teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder to help us find better ways to support their communication.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 2, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $732,002 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC019167-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11098471 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for future related studies would be children and adolescents, both with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder, who are experiencing speech difficulties.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have Autism Spectrum Disorder or speech difficulties related to it may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
Many children and teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) find it hard to speak, and we don't fully understand why. This project uses special brain imaging techniques and behavioral tasks to learn more about how their brains process sounds and control speech. By looking at brain chemicals and how different brain areas connect, we hope to pinpoint the specific challenges that make speaking difficult for them. This deeper understanding could pave the way for new and more effective therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, targeted treatments that address the root causes of speech difficulties in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work has shown that changing how individuals with ASD hear their own speech can affect their speaking, providing a foundation for this deeper exploration of brain mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Demopoulos, Carly — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Demopoulos, Carly
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how context shapes speech processing in autism
A study to learn how people with autism process speech differently in real-life listening situations.
-
Understanding How the Brain Processes Speech in Autism
This project explores how the brain of individuals with autism processes speech, especially in noisy places or when trying to understand social cues.
-
Understanding and treating speech difficulties in minimally verbal children with autism
This study is looking at how some children with autism who have trouble speaking, especially those with a condition called Childhood Apraxia of Speech, move their mouths when they try to talk, so we can find better ways to help them communicate more easily.
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Exploring how speech and song can help children with autism develop language skills
This study is looking at how babies, especially those with autism, can learn to talk better by paying attention to both speech and music, and it aims to find out how watching and listening to their caregivers can help improve their communication skills.
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Understanding how the brain processes speech and sounds in autism
This study is looking at how the brains of adults with autism process sounds, like speech and music, compared to those without autism, to better understand language challenges and help create better support for communication skills.
-
Understanding how context affects speech processing in autism.
This study is looking at how people with autism understand speech, especially when there’s a lot of background noise, to help find better ways for them to communicate and connect with others.
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.