The Preschool Brain Imaging and Behaviour Project (PIP) is the first Europe-wide study to track the development of preschool children with and without autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions. We will investigate how these differences in brain development are related to other areas such as social, emotional, behavioural and cognitive development. Our second goal is to use this information to better understand how differences in brain development impact on the emergence of neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism. In particular, we aim to identify ‘prognostic biomarkers’, which are measurable features that may help predict aspects of a child’s development. For example, a prognostic biomarker for autism may help us to predict which autistic characteristics change over time, or which children may develop co-occurring conditions such as ADHD or epilepsy. This knowledge could help interventions or support to be provided as early as possible and may inform the development of new therapies. We enrol children aged between two and a half and four years old and track them yearly for the next three years as they grow and develop. During visits to our research institute we ask parents or carers to complete questionnaires about their child’s behaviour, clinical features, and temperament. We also use interactive games, tablet tasks and eye-tracking with the children themselves and measure brain activity and development using EEG and MRI scans. To make this process as comfortable as possible for the children, we use our “MRI space ship tent” in the evening while the child is asleep. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? All of this allows us to create a profile of each child’s social, emotional and cognitive development and examine the role of environmental and genetic factors in the development of individual differences. GOT QUESTIONS? If you would like to ask about this study, please contact us by email ([email protected])
Lead organisation: King’s College London
Lead: Dr Eva Loth
Principle Investigators: Dr Eva Loth, Prof Jan Buitelaar, Prof Declan Murphy, Dr Terje Falck-Ytter, Prof Sven Bölte, Prof Herbert Roeyers, Prof Richard Delorme
