Adult Autism/Asperger Study

The Riesenhuber Laboratory in the Department of Neuroscience at Georgetown University Medical Center, in cooperation with Children’s National Medical Center and its Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, is conducting a behavioral and fMRI study investigating face recognition and perceptual learning in autism spectrum disorders. Your participation will help us develop a computational model of object recognition and learning in the brain. The goal of this research is to identify how neural information processing differs in autism spectrum disorders.

We are seeking adults (age 18-60) who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, or adults who have a relative with an autism spectrum disorder and who themselves have traits or characteristics of an autism spectrum disorder. Participants must have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses/contacts). You cannot participate in this study if you have medical implants in your body, such as a pacemaker, or even orthodontic braces.

The study will consist of two sessions, the first for paperwork and diagnostics, which may take place at the Rockville Outpatient Center for Children’s National Medical Center, and the second for behavioral and fMRI measurements on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington, DC.  In the behavioral portion of the study you will watch images presented on a computer screen and respond by pressing buttons.  In the fMRI portion you will be asked to lie still in a large device that measures your brain activity while you watch and respond to images. You will be paid $20/hr for behavioral and $40/hr for fMRI testing.  Free parking and reimbursement for travel expenses will be provided. You may also have the opportunity to participate in further studies in the lab.

  Printable Brochure

For more information:
email: visionlab@georgetown.edu
phone: (202) 687-7837
http://maxlab.neuro.georgetown.edu