Mirror Neuron Network Dysfunction as an Early Biomarker of Neurodevelopmental Disorder

Launched by EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (NICHD) · Oct 10, 2017

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how the brain of infants, toddlers, and adults reacts when they watch other people perform actions. The goal is to understand the normal development of skills like watching and imitating, which are important for social interactions. By observing brain activity, researchers hope to find early signs of developmental delays in infants, which can help in understanding and supporting their growth.

If you have a healthy infant aged 8 to 12 months or are a healthy adult between 18 and 65 years old, you might be eligible to participate. Adults will take part in one visit where they answer questions and do a simple task while wearing a special cap that measures brain activity. Infants will have two visits where their parents can answer questions about their child's development and stay with them while staff assess their skills. Infants at risk for developmental delays will return for additional assessments around age two. This study could provide valuable insights into early signs of developmental challenges and help improve support for children and families.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• * INCLUSION CRITIERIA:
• • Healthy adults
• • Age of 18-65 at study entry
• • Healthy and good condition as determined by medical history and physical examination
• • Healthy Infants
• • 9 months +/- 2 weeks of age at time of consent
• • Healthy and good condition as determined by medical history and physical examination
• • Age appropriate development as determined by parent report and exam
• • Full term at birth
• • Normal weight for gestational age
• • At Risk Infants
• • 12 months +/- 2 weeks at the time of consent
• • Must have at least one of the following: observed developmental delay; sibling of a child with autism; premature birth; small for gestational age
• EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
• • Healthy Adults
• • Uncorrected auditory impairment
• • Uncorrected visual impairment
• • Head injury with loss of consciousness
• • Inability to provide consent
• • Subject has a condition, that in the opinion of the investigator, creates an unacceptable risk for participation
• • Healthy and At-Risk Infants
• • A language other than English as the primary language spoken at home
• • Having a medical impairment that interferes with study participation such as having a g-tube, shunt or seizure disorder and inability to hold one s head upright
• • Having a known visual impairment
• • Having a known auditory impairment