Dr. Kevin Pelphrey has received a 2012 Autism Center of Excellence Network (ACE) Grant. Kevin, in cooperation Jamie McPartland, Matthew State and Abha Gupta, as well as teams from UCLA, Harvard, and the University of Washington will investigate the poorly understood nature of ASD in females. The project will examine a larger sample of girls with autism than has been studied previously, and will focus on genetics, brain function, and behavior throughout childhood and adolescence. The study aims to identify causes of ASD and develop new treatments. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASDs are almost 5 times more common among boys (1 in 54) than among girls (1 in 252).
Submitted by Liz Pantani on September 27, 2012