Research Project Outline
It is widely acknowledged that children with autism benefit from early intensive intervention using applied behavior analysis (ABA); however, the neural mechanisms of recovery remain to be elucidated. In our project, we employ ABA and use neuroimaging techniques to examine the effects of early intensive behavioral intervention in children with autism. In addition, we use the same procedures with young monkeys to investigate the relationship between behavioral changes and neural activity. Our results will contribute to our understanding of the neural mechanisms of ABA-based treatment, and may lead to improved and empirically validated treatments for children with autism and developmental disorders.