Funders
Timescale
2008 - 2012
Research team
with Kathryn Frame
in collaboration with:
Mark Johnson, Mayada Elsabbagh, Leslie Tucker(Birkbeck)
Patrick Bolton(London)
Jonathan Green(Manchester)
Simon Baron-Cohen(Cambridge)
Web link
British Autism Study of Infant Siblings (BASIS)
Summary
Autism is a developmental condition affecting social development and communication. Some form of autism affects up to 1 in 100 children in the UK. Currently, it is very rare that autism is diagnosed earlier than two years of age when symptoms are sufficiently clear. Over the past decades, scientific research has advanced our understanding of the neurobiological basis of autism in older children and adults. By contrast, very little is known about how the condition develops over the first few years.
Methods
The British Autism Study of Infant Siblings (BASIS) is a collaborative research network for the study of infants at-risk for autism in the UK. The primary aim of BASIS is to provide a platform for the study of infants at-risk for autism in the UK and to facilitate collaborative links between scientists working in the area. Using newly developed techniques for studying brain and behaviour in infants, BASIS scientists will investigate whether there are any differences in development between infants who have brothers or sisters with autism and those who do not. In the long term, this will help identify the early signs of the disorder, allowing for earlier and more effective intervention aimed at improving the quality of life of children with autism.
Findings
The project is ongoing.
