Min Fu, Ph.D., at Duke University will investigate core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder: social interaction and social communication deficits. Studies have shown that the prefrontal cortex (PFC plays a crucial role in social cognition. How PFC neurons mediate social recognition and regulate social behaviors remains largely unknown, however. Dr. Fu will record large populations of PFC neurons using a brain imaging system that allows mice to move freely (required for social interaction behaviors. Results may provide novel insights into neural substrates underlying social recognition, and how this process might be abnormally altered in mouse models of autism.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
Autism Research Database (AFD)
