SCSB Lunch Series: Dara Manoach, Ph.D.

Date: Friday, November 13, 2015
Time: 12:00pm-1:00pm
Speaker: Dara Manoach, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Associate Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Talk Title: Multimodal neuroimaging in autism: studies of cognitive control and brain connectivity
Abstract: In this presentation I will illustrate the application of multimodal neuroimaging to understanding cognitive differences in autism.  I will present neuroimaging (fMRI, DTI, fcMRI, and MEG) findings of studies of executive function.   Executive functions are diverse cognitive abilities involved in the flexible control of behavior.   Accumulating evidence suggests that abnormal executive function contributes to the core features of autism. An improved understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying core features may guide the development of targeted interventions.  But to realize this goal, the field must address methodological challenges that have limited progress in neuroimaging research. I will end with a description of how, with funding from SCSB, we are attempting to make neuroimaging a more valid tool for clinical studies.