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Modeling Social and Non-Social Learning in Autism

Award Number: R01MH116252
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

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Modeling Social and Non-Social Learning in Autism - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Advances in genetics, molecular biology, and cognitive neuroscience offer promise towards personalized treatment and improved outcomes in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, the promise of precision medicine has been hindered by a lack of mechanistic models that explain phenotypic and etiological heterogeneity; instead of using such models to identify subgroups likely to respond to specific treatments, the field relies on availability of service, trial-and-error, and clinical judgment to make treatment decisions. This is a major barrier to effective treatment of ASD. This project addresses this problem by integrating mathematical models of behavior and brain activity across adolescent development, in order to establish a neurocognitive model that can successfully predict individual adolescents' social and nonsocial learning profiles at key developmental time-points. Specifically, this work compares the suitability of various reinforcement learning models to capture selective deficits in social learning of adolescents with ASD, as well as variability in both social and nonsocial learning across typically developing (TD) adolescents and those with ASD. Identifying how these model-based predictions are implemented in brain circuits may allow for characterization of the neural architecture underlying learning in therapeutically relevant contexts. This project focuses on the understudied role of the cerebellar posterior lobe in learning processes of interest, given recent research indicating this region's involvement in updating social information. The proposed work will identify and characterize neurocognitive variability in the substrates of learning within ASD, with the long-term goal of applying these models to inform, refine, and individualize diagnosis, prognosis, education, and treatment of youth with ASD.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $269,992 )
2025	2025	GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (THE)	1918 F ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20052	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	5	2/14/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$269,992
														Subtotal = $269,992

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2023	GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (THE)	1918 F ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20052	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	4	11/7/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $317,302 )
2023	2023	GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, THE	1918 F ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20052	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	4	2/1/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$31,731
2023	2023	GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, THE	1918 F ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20052	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	4	12/5/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$285,571
														Subtotal = $317,302

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $315,265 )
2022	2022	GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, THE	1918 F ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20052	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	3	5/16/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$31,527
2022	2022	GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, THE	1918 F ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20052	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	3	11/19/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$283,738
														Subtotal = $315,265

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $283,362 )
2021	2021	GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, THE	1918 F ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20052	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	2	4/13/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$28,337
2021	2021	GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, THE	1918 F ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20052	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	12/21/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$255,025
														Subtotal = $283,362

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $347,987 )
2020	2020	GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, THE	1918 F ST NW	WASHINGTON	DC	20052	DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	12/26/2019	NEW	$347,987
														Subtotal = $347,987

Grand Total All Awards = $1,533,908

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Modeling Social and Non-Social Learning in Autism

Award Number: R01MH116252

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

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