Our research program is dedicated to identifying the causes of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and to developing more effective approaches to their diagnosis,  treatment and cure.  The essential feature of autism – the feature that gives its name – is the atypical way in which autistic children relate to others.  The ASDs can be among the most debilitating of all childhood neuropsychiatric disorders, with the potential to derail cognitive, emotional and behavioral development.  These illnesses are much more common than previously believed, affecting as many as 1 in 150 children. 

Fortunately, the advent of powerful new research techniques, many of them developed at Columbia University has brought us to a new era in which we can legitimately hope to identify and understand these genetic and environmental causes of ASDs.  These discoveries are bringing us closer to designating truly effective treatments that will address the core symptoms of these disorders.

Our research program brings together some of the world’s most prominent basic and clinical neuroscientists to focus their attention and formidable skills on identifying the disturbances in brain development that cause ASDs, and then to use that knowledge to develop new and improved treatments for these conditions.  We are building the knowledge, technology, and collaborative ties necessary for making discoveries that were unimaginable a few years ago.

The participation of families and individuals affected by autism is the necessary foundation for making these new discoveries.  Your participation is an expression of your confidence in science and your concern for the future of all children affected by autism.

The Simons Simplex Collection

The Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) is a core project and resource of the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI).  The primary goal of the SSC is to establish a permanent repository of genetic samples from 2000 families, a Simplex Family, each of which has one child affected with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) unaffected siblings and unaffected parents who are living and available.  Each genetic sample will have an associated collection of data that provides a precise characterization of the individual (phenotype).  Rigorous phenotyping will maximize the value of the resource for a wide variety of future research projects into the causes and mechanisms of autism. Please Call:  (212) 543-6705

The goal of this study is to collect samples of DNA from persons diagnosed with ASDs and if possible from their immediate biological family. We then will contribute those samples to two DNA repositories, one here at NYSPI and one at Rutgers University, for use in future studies of genetic abnormalities in ASDs. Families with an only child affected by an ASD and families with more than one child affected by an ASD are eligible to participate in this study, as are affected adults. Please Call:  (212) 543-6705

Research On Atypical Development (Road) Database Study

This project aims to build a deidentified computerized database that will include information on neurological, developmental and behavioral problems in patients coming to our clinical services – The Developmental Neuropsychiatry Program – for diagnosis and/or treatment.  The data will be used by researchers at our medical center to develop and test ideas about causes and best diagnostic and treatments for persons with ASD.  Participation in this study requires only consent to deidentify information collected during clinical care.  Any patient coming to the DNP or affiliated service for clinical care is eligible to participate. Please Call:  (212)342-2117

Autism Treatment Network

Our clinical service, The Developmental Neuropsychiatry Program is a founding member of the Autism Speaks – Autism Treatment Network (ATN).  The ATN includes physicians and healthcare practitioners from leading medical centers around the nation who have come together to evaluate the medical conditions present in autism and provide best practices for their identification and treatment. By building a deidentified database, the ATN plans to create treatment guidelines that will be made broadly available to physicians, researchers, parents, policy makers and others dedicated to enhancing the medical care of individuals with autism.
Please Call: (212) 342-2117

The Effectiveness Of Literacy And Math Education For Nonspeaking Children With Autism

This study will evaluate two intervention programs created by Dr. Marion Blank, to develop, in non-speaking children with ASD, basic literacy and math skills. The programs combine specialized techniques for teaching the production of written symbols (both letters and numbers), the attractions of the computer, and tightly-constructed teaching modules to enable the children to achieve unexpectedly high levels of skill in both areas. Instruction is carried out in one hour sessions, in the child's home, 5 days a week. To participate, English-speaking families must have a child between the ages of 4 and 17 with an ASD, with little or no functional language, and live within reasonable travel distance to the medical center. Please Call:  (212) 305-4468

A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study Of Children And Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder:

One aim of this study is to better characterize, through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), brain regions and the tissue types and fiber tracts that contribute to abnormal brain growth in persons with ASD.  Another goal is to compare cognitive performance (memory, language, visual-spatial perception, attention, social judgment, and logical sequencing) with MRI findings in higher functioning individuals with ASD. Please Call:  (212) 543-6705

Are you interested in learning more about any of these exciting research projects? We are happy to answer any questions you might have
Call the numbers shown above or email... autismresearch@childpsych.columbia.edu

All research done at Columbia University/NYSPI is voluntary.