# Are aging outcomes worse for women with autism? Sex differences in the neurocircuitry of symptom camouflaging and its vulnerability to aging

> **NIH NIH F31** · ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS · 2021 · $40,701

## Abstract

7. Project Summary/Abstract
Women with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show more compensation for ASD traits than men (termed
camouflaging); to do so, they may capitalize more on cognitive control and underlying fronto-subcortical
connectivity. In our data, older women with ASD show lower cognitive control abilities and a stronger coupling
between cognitive control and camouflaging than men; thus, older age may have a more dramatic impact on
symptom presentation in women with ASD than men. The long-term goal of this research is to elucidate the
ecological and neurobiological mechanisms underlying lifespan changes in symptom presentation in ASD. The
specific aims of this proposal are to 1) characterize the neural connectivity correlates of camouflaging in a large
sample of adult men and women with ASD and 2) determine sex differences in the vulnerability of camouflaging
and underlying brain circuits to aging in older adults with ASD. Significance: This study will identify the sex-
specific brain networks underlying camouflaging in ASD and their vulnerability to aging. Findings will inform
biologically-based interventions in the less characterized and vulnerable older adult cohort with ASD. Methods:
Aim 1 leverages open-access data and data from our lab; Aim 2 will examine our lab’s ongoing longitudinal data
(2 and 4 year follow-ups). Camouflaging will be defined as the discrepancy between self-report/observed ASD
traits. Brain connectivity will be measured via resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging.
Mrs. Walsh aspires to become an academic professor investigating the ecological and neurobiological
mechanisms of compensation in ASD. Her long-term goal is to lead an interdisciplinary clinical laboratory
dedicated to basic and translational science to improve adult outcomes in ASD. As a speech language
pathologist, she has experience in pediatric phenotyping of ASD and clinical assessment of social behavior. In
her PhD program, she has gained expertise in aging and ASD neuroscience; fMRI analysis; and
neuropsychological evaluation. The training plan will fulfill the following goals to complement her current
expertise: 1) advanced neuroimaging analysis (structural connectivity, longitudinal brain changes, and multi-site
data); 2) phenotyping in adults with ASD; and 3) social psychological theory and methods for characterizing
social behavior in ASD. Training in neuroimaging and social psychology methods will occur primarily at Arizona
State University (ASU). ASU is a well-regarded, R1 institution with collaborations at Barrow Neurological
Institute’s state-of-the-art neuroimaging facilities. Training in phenotyping of ASD will occur at the Southwest
Autism Research and Resource Center, a community center dedicated to ASD research and clinical care across
the lifespan. These institutions provide optimal supportive environments for Mrs. Walsh to meet her training
goals. They are at the forefront of aging research in ASD, collabo...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10246978
- **Project number:** 5F31MH122107-03
- **Recipient organization:** ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** Melissa Walsh
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $40,701
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-15 → 2023-09-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10246978

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10246978, Are aging outcomes worse for women with autism? Sex differences in the neurocircuitry of symptom camouflaging and its vulnerability to aging (5F31MH122107-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10246978. Licensed CC0.

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