# Early Features of Autism Risk in Down Syndrome

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA · 2021 · $49,658

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an impairing neurodevelopmental disorder and major public health concern, affecting
1% of the population and costing roughly $35 billion annually. Early identification and accurate diagnosis are critical for
timely intervention to optimize outcomes. Research initiatives have emphasized familial risk models to delineate early
indicators of ASD risk features in infancy and toddlerhood by focusing on infant siblings of children with ASD; however,
research recommendations have increasingly recognized the importance of investigating early signs of ASD in
populations at high risk for ASD due to a genetic syndrome. Down syndrome is genetic disorder that affects 1 in 700 live
births. DS has long been associated with intellectual disability and, more recently, it is clear that children with DS are at
significantly elevated risk for ASD as well. Prevalence estimates of ASD in DS range from 5-39%, with a general
consensus that at least 20% of individuals with DS meet criteria for ASD. Despite being a leading genetic cause of ASD,
DS has been remarkably overlooked in efforts to delineate early ASD risk features, with no published studies on early
indicators. As such, this proposal focuses on characterizing early indicators of ASD risk in DS compared to other high-
risk groups using a bio-behavioral developmental approach. Specific areas of impairment, including motor, attention, and
atypical physiological arousal have been linked to ASD in other high-risk groups; however, it remains unclear whether
these features signal risk for ASD in DS as well. This proposal will examine the longitudinal association between these
features and ASD risk in DS with comparisons to syndromic – FXS – and non-syndromic (siblings of children with ASD;
ASIBs) groups at high-risk for ASD. Specifically, the study aims are to 1) characterize bio-behavioral indicators of the
ASD risk profile in infants with DS compared to other high-risk groups – FXS and ASIBs; and 2) determine the
longitudinal association of ASD risk indicators during infancy (12 and 24 months) to ASD severity outcomes at preschool
(36 months) in DS compared to FXS and ASIBs. Utilizing a developmental, cross-syndrome approach, this proposal aims
to clarify the ASD-risk profile in DS, its bio-behavioral indicators during early development, and the extent of phenotypic
overlap with other high-risk groups. This proposal leverages a wealth of extant data from ongoing and completed studies
with infants and preschool-aged children with FXS and ASIBs that are available to the F32 candidate.

This research will be implemented within the outstanding training environment at the University of South Carolina with
full research support and under the mentorship of an interdisciplinary team with a very strong record of productivity and
successful collaboration. The proposed training plan focuses on 1) gaining mastery in advanced bio-behavioral
measurement techniques, includ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10070112
- **Project number:** 5F32HD097877-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth Will
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $49,658
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10070112

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10070112, Early Features of Autism Risk in Down Syndrome (5F32HD097877-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10070112. Licensed CC0.

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