Connectivity in the Brain and Autism (COBRA) Study

Project Type(s):

Principal Investigator(s):

RAB Lab website

The COBRA study seeks to identify the specific neural circuits that are altered in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our experiments test the strength of “divisive normalization”, a measure that describes how neurons in the brain suppress each other. Our hypothesis is that suppressive interactions are reduced in individuals with ASD. Because suppressive neural interactions are well understood in the visual system, we use it as a model system. Suppressive neural interactions are measured in response to precisely controlled visual stimuli with a variety of brain measures including functional MRI to index neural responses, diffusion MRI to describe their anatomical connections, and EEG to understand their dynamics.


Project Period:
August 1, 2019 May 31, 2024

Funding Type(s):
Federal

Funder(s):
NIMH

Geographic Area(s):
Washington

Patient Population(s):
Adults

Targeted Condition(s):
Autism Spectrum Disorder