The goal of our lab is to progress toward a better understanding of autism, which affects 1 in 54 children in the U.S. While the experiences of individuals on the autism spectrum vary widely, it is defined by social difficulties and repetitive behaviors that impact the life of the individual and their loved ones. We endeavor to understand how these core features of autism are rooted in brain structure and its responses to sensory stimuli.
Through our five senses, the brain is bombarded with information from the external world, and has the monumental task of filtering and evaluating the significance of all this information.
We also have additional senses that tell the brain about our internal world-- the state of our bodies in terms of position, health and safety. Our sense of interoception—the information reaching our brain about how fast we are breathing, how fast our hearts are beating, and what our digestive organs are doing—signals our emotional state. This information must be continuously integrated with external sensory information to sustain interactions with others that involve emotions.
We also collaborate closely with other labs on campus that are studying related ideas:
With the Woynaroski lab, we are seeking to understand the developmental role of infant sensory processing as it relates to the early emergence of autistic features or traits.
With the Gauthier lab, we are using ultra-high-resolution structural imaging of the visual system to understand face processing in autistic individuals, using the 7T scanner at VUIIS.
With the Woodward lab, we are seeking to understand how sensory-related brain regions are connected with one another at rest, and whether this differs in autism.
With the Landman lab (MASI), we are using advanced tools for measuring cortical folding patterns and applying them to relevant brain regions in autistic brains.
We’re grateful to the families and individuals who volunteer their time to our research studies, as well as to the following sources of funding:
Our current projects are supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Nancy Lurie Marks Foundation, and the NCAA/Pat Summitt Award Research Honorarium, awarded posthumously to David Williams II and donated by his wife, Gail Williams. We've also previously received support from the Autism Science Foundation, the Vanderbilt Clinical and Translational Research Center, Autism Speaks, the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) Innovation in Autism Research Award, the Carrell Family Discovery Grant, awarded by the Nicholas Hobbs Society, and The Landreth Family Discovery GrantThe Marino Autism Research Institute.