# Sleep and Circadian Dysfunction, Brain and Neurobehavioral Development in Autism

> **NIH NIH P50** · HUGO W. MOSER RES INST KENNEDY KRIEGER · 2020 · $288,744

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT – RESEARCH COMPONENT 
 The goal of this study entitled, “Sleep and Circadian Dysfunction, Brain and Neurobehavioral Development 
in Autism” is to examine how disturbed sleep and altered circadian rest/activity rhythms (RARs) affect brain 
development, cognitive and adaptive function, and symptom severity in children with autism. Disturbed sleep 
is highly prevalent among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); over 60% are estimated to exhibit 
frequent sleep disturbances, including delayed sleep onset, fragmented nighttime sleep, and early-morning 
waking. While typically viewed as a consequence of ASD, disturbed sleep may not only have acute effects on 
cognition, adaptive functioning, and behavioral disturbances in this population. Notably, while many studies 
have evaluated the relationship between disordered sleep and neuroimaging, and neuroimaging and ASD, no 
work, to our knowledge, has integrated these topics. Furthermore, rigorous comparison of sleep and RAR 
metrics via parent-report and actigraphy have not been conducted in ASD. 
 For this project, we propose to address these gaps through refining how sleep/wake problems are 
assessed in children with ASD by applying novel statistical modeling to both objective (using actigraphy) and 
parent-report (using CSHQ) measures and examining how disturbed sleep and altered RARs might affect brain 
structure and function in children with ASD. We embed this project in the Kennedy Krieger Institute-Johns 
Hopkins University Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC), leveraging crucial 
resources in phenotypic assessment, neuroimaging, biostatistics, and behavioral preparation for procedures 
that are available through the Center. At the same time, this investigative team brings new statistical and 
epidemiologic expertise to Center Cores, to conduct this study in 200 children with and without ASD. Via this 
project, Center resources will be used to further integrate this population with 493 children with extant data (but 
not wrist actigraphy), establishing a large-well phenotyped population for Center research. This work will help 
to refine and inform clinical and prevention practices among children with disordered sleep and ASD, providing 
methodological advances in sleep characterization and etiology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10085599
- **Project number:** 1P50HD103538-01
- **Recipient organization:** HUGO W. MOSER RES INST KENNEDY KRIEGER
- **Principal Investigator:** Stewart H Mostofsky
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $288,744
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10085599

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10085599, Sleep and Circadian Dysfunction, Brain and Neurobehavioral Development in Autism (1P50HD103538-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10085599. Licensed CC0.

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