# Center for Sleep in Autism Spectrum Disorder

> **NIH NIH P50** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $1,945,940

## Abstract

The mission of our proposed Autism Center of Excellence (ACE) is to examine if dysregulation of sleep is
central to the development and exacerbation of symptoms in ASD. Animal data demonstrate that sleep is
essential for the maturation of fundamental brain structures, neuronal development and synaptic plasticity.
Sleep dysregulation is one of the most burdensome symptoms in individuals with ASD. Late sleep onset,
frequent nighttime awakening, sleep fragmentation and abnormal sleep quantity hallmark sleep in ASD. Sleep
EEG studies indicate less REM sleep and increased Non-REM Sleep. Despite its central role in brain
development and function, sleep impairments are frequently considered as secondary. The main goal of our
Center for Sleep in ASD is to determine if sleep disturbances reflect convergent pathways that can act as
causal for, and/or co-aggravating factors of, core, behavioral and cognitive symptoms in ASD. We propose a
multi-modal, human subjects and animal models program which encompasses four synergistic projects aimed
at characterizing the role of sleep fragmentation and physiology on the core symptoms of ASD. We will
examine Sleep EEG, daytime awake, resting EEG, and actigraphy in 150 individuals with ASD, 4 to 17 years,
compared to 75 age- and sex-matched Typical Developing (TD) controls and determine the impact of these
sleep parameters on core symptoms (Project 1). Using a target engagement approach, we will determine if
normalization of sleep is associated with improvements in the core symptoms (Project 2). We will examine if
these findings are recapitulated in genetic animal models of ASD (Mice: Project 3; & Zebrafish: Project 4). The
evolutionary conservation of Sleep EEG signatures and behavior makes this a powerful translational approach
as the same physiological parameters, biological endpoints and behavioral phenotypes can be compared
across species, revealing if there is a convergence of the impact of sleep phenotypes across different genetic
models of ASD, or alternatively differential pathways from sleep phenotypes to core symptoms.
Specific Aim 1: To leverage comparative biology across humans with ASD and controls and complementary
genetic animal models of ASD and wild type to examine if multisystem sleep measurements across species a)
converge on a common phenotype of sleep fragmentation and architecture in ASD; or b) capture different sub-
phenotypes of sleep dysregulation and sleep architecture across species. Specific Aim 2: Examine if a) the
sleep phenotypes identified are differentially associated with the core, behavioral and cognitive symptoms of
ASD across humans with ASD and complementary genetic animal models of ASD; b) if sleep normalization in
humans with ASD and in complementary genetic animal models of ASD, alleviate the core, behavioral and
cognitive symptoms of ASD; and c) if these effects are moderated by age and/or sex. Specific Aim 3: Provide
research and collaborative opportunities to junior and esta...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10698028
- **Project number:** 5P50HD109861-02
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JOACHIM F HALLMAYER
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $1,945,940
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-06 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10698028

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10698028, Center for Sleep in Autism Spectrum Disorder (5P50HD109861-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10698028. Licensed CC0.

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