MRI-Eye Tracking Pairing, a Tool for Assessing Social Cognition in Children With ASD

Launched by CENTRE HOSPITALIER UNIVERSITAIRE, AMIENS · Jan 4, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called "MRI-Eye Tracking Pairing," aims to better understand how children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) perceive social interactions, particularly joint attention, which is the ability to share focus on an object or event with another person. Unlike previous studies that used simple pictures, this trial uses advanced techniques combining MRI (a type of brain scan) and eye tracking to create more realistic social scenarios through videos. Researchers believe that examining how children's social cognition develops over time can shed light on the unique ways children with ASD engage in social interactions.

To participate in this study, children ages 10 to 20 with a diagnosis of ASD and typical development (TD) may be eligible. Participants must pass an IQ test and have informed consent from themselves and their legal guardians. People who cannot undergo an MRI for specific health reasons or have certain psychiatric or neurological conditions will not be able to join. Those who participate can expect to engage in activities that involve watching videos while their brain activity and eye movements are monitored, helping researchers learn more about how social understanding evolves in children with ASD.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• For the group of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (experimental group):
• • Age between 10 to 20 years old
• • Diagnosis of ASD (CARS) ≥ 30 performed at inclusion
• • IQ test evaluation (regardless of the result) performed by a trained psychologist
• • Obtaining informed oral and written consent after appropriate information
• • Obtaining informed oral and written consent from the legal guardian after information
• • Be affiliated with social security
• • No contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging
• For the TD (Typical Development) group of people (control group):
• • Age between 10 to 20 years old
• • Diagnosis of ASD (CARS) \<30 performed at inclusion
• • IQ test evaluation (regardless of the result) performed by a trained psychologist
• • Obtaining informed oral and written consent after appropriate information
• • Obtaining informed oral and written consent from the legal guardian after information
• • Be affiliated with social security
• • No contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging
• Exclusion Criteria:
• For all groups:
• • Age outside the range 10 to 20 years
• • Person with a contraindication to MRI (including claustrophobia, pace maker, neurosurgical clips, vascular clips, heart valves, ventriculoperitoneal valves, cochlear implant, neurostimulator, intraocular metal shards, joint prosthesis, etc.)
• • Person suffering from major obesity (\> 140 kg) not allowing him to enter the tunnel of the MRI machine (diameter \<70cm)
• • Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
• • Person under guardianship or guardianship or deprived of liberty by a judicial or administrative decision
• For TD people (control group):
• • Person with psychiatric disorders such as attention disorder with or without hyperactivity, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
• • Person with a neurological history such as epilepsy and / or neurovascular accident.