 |
||
 |
||
| Neuroscience Research Program Focuses on Down Syndrome
An ongoing project at The Smith Mental Retardation Research Center, located on The University of Kansas Medical Center campus, and the Parsons Research Center, located on the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center grounds, is committed to the study of cognitive development of infants with or without Down syndrome. Tools within this investigation include brain wave and behavioral responses which indicate how infants develop their abilities necessary for perceiving and remembering objects or events in the world around them. Brain waves can help us better understand the brain mechanisms involved in learning and memory during early development. The information from this research will expand our knowledge of Down syndrome. It is known that individuals with Down syndrome have specific neural differences from individuals who do not have Down syndrome. It is not yet understood how these neural structural differences relate to the behavior and development of individuals with Down syndrome. Brain waves reflect the activity of neural structures. The more information we can obtain about the relations between behavior and brain processes, the better we will be able to design reliable diagnostic / intervention tools for problems early in development. We are currently inviting healthy, full-term, two through six-month-old infants (with and without Down syndrome) to participate in our research. During a two-hour visit to either the Parsons or Kansas City office (depending upon participant preference), the infant views a series of simple pictures presented on a computer monitor while brain waves and looking behaviors are recorded. Brain waves are recorded by placing small sensors on the infant's scalp. These sensors record the very small electrical activity that is produced by the brain. This procedure is similar to an EEG, or electroencephalogram. Submitted by Lisa ChaneyIf you know of someone who would like to participate in this research study or if you have any questions, please contact: Lisa Chaney, M.S. | ||
