# Cerebellar and Basal Ganglia Markers Underlie Neuromotor Impairments in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2023 · $379,810

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Although conceptualized as a neurodevelopmental disorder with present research primarily focused on infants
and children, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increasingly been recognized as a lifelong condition with the
potential to have a detrimental impact on adult functioning and quality of life. Based on clinical observations that
mid-to-older aged adults with ASD may be particularly susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases during aging,
the proposed studies will test the central hypothesis that the cerebellum and basal ganglia are selectively
disrupted in adults with ASD aged 40 to 60 years. And, this disruption is associated with neuromotor impairments
and clinical signs of movement disorders. Free-water diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (FWdMRI) will be
applied to quantify neuronal degeneration of the cerebellar lobules, dentate, and basal ganglia nuclei and axonal
integrity of cerebellar peduncles to determine whether these subcortical targets are disrupted in adults with ASD
relative to age-, sex-, and IQ-matched controls. Functional MRI (fMRI) of precision grip will be used to quantify
abnormal activations of cortico-subcortical brain targets and whether these alterations underpin grip force
production-related impairments in ASD. Using neuromotor tests sensitive in detecting alterations of the
cerebellum and basal ganglia, we will clarify the extent to which performance of Romberg stances, quick step
initiation, sit-to-stance balance, and goal-directed finger-pointing is compromised in adults with ASD. Guided by
strong preliminary data, we will pursue three specific aims: Aim 1) Determine structural alterations in the
cerebellum and basal ganglia in adults with ASD using FWdMRI. Aim 2) Determine functional deficits in the
cerebellum and basal ganglia in adults with ASD using motor fMRI. Aim 3) Determine neuromotor impairments
in adults with ASD. Our group is uniquely qualified to undertake this critical R01 project as it includes investigators
with expertise and experience in sensorimotor neurophysiology in ASD, ASD diagnosis, aging and movement
disorders, MRI physics and research, and biostatistics. This proposal is scientifically innovative as it will be the
first to systematically quantify aging-related neuromotor issues in ASD at the levels of brain, behavioral, and
clinical domains. This project is significant as it holds the promise to identify putative non-invasive traits of
subcortical brain targets contributing to aging in ASD. If successful, this work will identify new brain and
biobehavioral targets that can be tracked to understand, monitor, and treat aging-related conditions in ASD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10619012
- **Project number:** 5R01NS121120-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Zheng Wang
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $379,810
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-05-01 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10619012

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10619012, Cerebellar and Basal Ganglia Markers Underlie Neuromotor Impairments in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (5R01NS121120-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10619012. Licensed CC0.

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