Last Update: 11/28/2007 Printer Friendly Printer Friendly   Email This Page Email This Page  

 

The Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism (CPEAs)

What are the CPEAs?

In 1997, the NICHD, in collaboration with the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) , started a five-year, $45 million, international Network on the Neurobiology and Genetics of Autism. The Network included 10 Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism (CPEAs) that would conduct research to learn about the possible causes of autism, including genetic, immunological, and environmental factors.

In 2002, the NICHD and NIDCD renewed funding for the CPEA Network, agreeing to provide $60 million over a period of five years.

The CPEAs link 129 scientists from 23 universities in the United States, Canada, Britain, and five other countries, and more than 2,000 families of people with autism. In fact, as a result of the CPEAs, researchers now have data on the genetics and outward characteristics of the largest group of well-diagnosed persons with autism in the world.

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What are the sites involved in the CPEA?

To learn more about the CPEA sites and their research, search by:

In 2003, the CPEA Network launched a Data Coordinating Center in Medford, Massachusetts, to provide data management and statistical support for Network activities. The Center will also maintain a Web site to ease communication and coordinate activities among the CPEAs. Three groups are managing different tasks in the Data Coordinating Center: DMSTAT, Inc.; the Boston University Statistics and Consulting Unit; and the Department of Biostatistics at the Boston University School of Public Health.

The Center will provide combined support for the CPEA Network and for the eight sites of the Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment (STAART) Centers Program, a five-year, $65 million effort supported by five NIH Institutes, including the NICHD. Such support will allow more data to be processed quickly and compared, which may increase the speed of discoveries from these research efforts.

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What collaborative projects have been supported by the CPEAs?

The table below lists several CPEA projects, the sites involved, and the scientific publications that resulted from each.

Project TitleLead SiteResulting Scientific Publication
Effectiveness of secretin for autismUniversity of Washington

(NICHD/NIDCD initiated in response to public health needs)
Unis AS, Munson JA, Rogers SJ, Goldson E, Osterling J, Gabriels R. Abbott RD, & Dawson G. (2002). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of porcine versus synthetic secretin for reducing symptoms of autism. [Comment]. Journal of the Am Acaf of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 41(11):1315-21.
Study of porcine secretin treatment of autismUniversity of California, Irvine

(Funding from the M.I.N.D. Institute and support from CPEA)
Owley T, McMahon W, Cook EH, Laulhere T, South M, Mays LZ, Shernoff ES, Lainhart J, Modahl CB, Corsello C, Ozonoff S, Risi S, Lord C, Leventhal BL, & Filipek PA. (2001). Multisite, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of porcine secretin in autism. Journal of the Am Acad of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(11):1293-1299.
Regression and vaccines in autismUniversity of Michigan

(NICHD/NIDCD initiated in response to public health needs)
Luyster R, Richler J, Risi S, Han-Ling H, Dawson G, Bernier E, Dunn M, Hepburn S, Hyman SL., McMahon W, Nice-Gougie J, Minshew NJ, Rogers S, Sigman M, Spencer MA, Tager-Flusberg H, Volkmar FR, & Lord C. (In press). Early regression in social communication in autism spectrum disorders: A CPEA study. Developmental Neuropsychology.

Richler J, Luyster R, Risi S, Hsu WL, Dawson G, Bernier R, Dunn M, Hyman S, McMahon W, Goudie J, Minshew N, Rogers S, Sigman M, Spence M, Tager-Flusberg H, Volkmar F, & Lord C. (In press). Is there a regressive "phenotype" of Autism Spectrum Disorder associated with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine? A CPEA study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
DNA collection on autism probandsGenetics subcommittee(NICHD/NIDCD initiated in response to public health needs)Ongoing data collection for next five years.
HOXA gene and autismUniversity of Pittsburgh

University of Washington
Devlin B, Bennett P, Cook EH Jr., Dawson G, Gonen D, Grigorenko EL, McMahon W, Pauls D, Smith M, Spence MA, Schellenberg GD, & the CPEA Genetics Network. (2002). No evidence for linkage of liability to autism to HOXA1 in a sample from the CPEA network. [Journal Article. Multicenter Study] American Journal of Medical Genetics, 114(6):667-72.
Reelin gene and autismUniversity of Pittsburgh

University of Washington
Devlin B, Bennett P, Dawson G, Figlewicz D, Grigorenko EL, McMahon W, Minshew NJ, Pauls D, Smith M, Spencer MA, Rodier PM, Stodgell C, Schellenberg GD, & the CPEA Genetics Network. (2004). Alleles of a reelin CGG repeat do not convey liability to autism in a sample from the CPEA network. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics,126B:46-50.
Genetic sibling linkage study of autismUniversity of WashingtonYu CE, Dawson G, Minson J, D'Souza I, Osterling J, Estes A, Leutenegger AL, Flodman P, Smith M, Raskind WH, Spencer MA, McMahon W, Wijsman EM, & Schellenberg GD. (20020. Presence of large deletions in kindreds with autism. American Journal Human Genetics, July; 71(1):100-115.

(Ongoing data collection years 05-10)
Head circumference in autismUniversity of UtahData analysis in progress.
Cognitive profiles in preschool aged children with autismUniversity of Washington

University of California, Davis

University of California, Los Angeles
Manuscript in preparation.
Executive functions in autismUniversity of UtahOzonoff S, Cook I, Coon H, Dawson G, Joseph RM, Klin A, McMahon WM, Minshew NJ, Munson JA, Pennington BF, Rogers SJ, Spence MA, Tager-Flusberg H, Volkmar FR, & Wrathall D. (2004). Performance on Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Subtests sensitive to frontal lobe function in people with autistic disorder: Evidence from the Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism Network. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 34(2);139-150.
Language function in autismBoston UniversityTager-Flusberg H, McGrath L, Cook E, Dawson G, Dunn M, Hyman S, Lord C, Rodier P, McMahon W, Minshew NJ, Sigman M, Spence S, Williams D, & Volkmar F. (Under revision). A CPEA study of developmental history and language outcomes in autism, asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified.
Cognitive Profiles in ChildrenBoston UniversityJoseph RM, Tager-Flusberg H, & Lord C. (2002). Cognitive profiles and social-communicative functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 43:6; 807-821.


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Who are the CPEA Scientific Advisors?

Peter Szatmari, M.D., MSc
Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioural
   Neurosciences
Associate Member, Clinical Epidemiology
   and Biostatistics
McMaster University, Faculty of Health Sciences
Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation
Chedoke Site, Patterson 207
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5
Email: szatmar@mcmaster.ca

Alan C. Evans, Ph.D.
McConnell Brain Imaging Centre
Montreal Neurological Institute
3801 University St
Montreal, QC
CANADA, H3A 2B4
Email: alan@bic.mni.mcgill.ca

Nick Lange, Sc.D.
Associate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics
Laboratory for Statistical Neuroimaging
McLean Hospital
115 Mill Street, Room 312
Belmont, MA 02478
Email: lange@mclean.harvard.edu

Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, M.D.
Medical Epidemiologist
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
   Disabilities
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
MS F-15, 4770 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30341-3724
E-mail: mxy1@cdc.gov

Eric London, M.D.
Vice President - Medical Affairs; National Alliance for
   Autism Research
99 Wall Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
E-mail: naarlondon@patmedia.net

Raquel E. Gur, M.D.
Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Psychiatry
10 Gates Building
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283
Email: raquel@bbl.med.upenn.edu 
assistant stacem@bbl.med.upenn

 Peter C. Mundy, Ph.D.
University of Miami
Department of Psychology
PO Box 249229
Psychology Annex
Coral Gables, FL 33124-0721
Email: pmundy@miami.edu

Steve Warren, Ph.D.
University of Kansas
Life Span Institute
1000 Sunnyside Ave
Lawrence, KS 66045
Email: sfwarren@ku.edu

Eric Fombonne, M.D.
Department of Psychiatry
Montreal Children's Hospital
4108 Ste-Catherine West
Montreal, Cancad H3Z 1P2
Email: Eric.fombonne@mcgill.ca

Linda Daly
342 N. Bowling Green Way
Los Angeles, CA 90049
E-mail: LindaDaly03@aol.com

Portia Iversen
Cure Autism Now
5455 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 715
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Email: Portia@CureAutismNow.org

 

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How can I get more information on the CPEAs?

For more information about the CPEAs, or about NICHD-supported research on autism, please contact:

Alice Kau, Ph.D.
Mail: 6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 4B09F, MSC 7510, Bethesda, MD 20892-7101
Phone: (301) 496-1383
FAX: (301) 496-3791
E-mail: kaua@mail.nih.gov


You can also contact the NICHD Information Resource Center at:

Phone: 1-800-370-2943
TTY: 1-888-320-6942
FAX: (301) 984-1473
Mail: P.O. Box 3006, Rockville, MD 20847
E-mail: NICHDInformationResourceCenter@mail.nih.gov

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NICHD Autism Research Home


CPEA Centers CPEA Centers

Table is sorted by Center Name.

Site Name Location Principal Investigator Research Focus Contact Info
Boston University Boston, Massachusetts Helen Tager-Flusberg, Ph.D.
  • Social-communicative abilities in autism;
  • Language delays and problems in autism; and
  • Brain pathology underlying social-communicative and language impairments in autism, using structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging.
    Read project abstract
  • Laboratory of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
    Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology,
    Boston University School of Medicine
    715 Albany Street, L-814
    Boston, MA 02118-2526
    617-414-1312 or htagerf@bu.edu
    University of California, Davis Sacramento, California Sally Rogers, Ph.D.
  • Imitation and motor function in autism;
  • Measurement, predictors, course, causes, and external validity of regression in autism; and
  • A longitudinal study of the developmental course of autism.
    Read project abstract
  • U.C. Davis M.I.N.D. Institute
    2825 50th Street
    Sacramento, CA 95817
    1-888-883-0961 or 916-703-0268 or
    sjrogers@ucdavis.edu
    University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Marian Sigman, Ph.D.
  • How social, communication, and language deficits in autism start and develop;
  • Follow-up and extension of certain treatments for autism;
  • Phenotype and genotype in inversion and duplication of chromosome 15; and
  • Neuroimaging and deficits in social communication in autism.
    Read project abstract
  • UCLA Center for Autism Research
    and Treatment (CART)
    760 Westwood Plaza
    Los Angeles, CA 92868
    info@autism.ucla.edu
    or www.autism.ucla.edu
    or 310-825-0180
    University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Nancy Minshew, Ph.D.
  • Organizing information into concepts in persons with high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome;
  • Visual perception and visual processing in persons with high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome;
  • Sensory, motor, and executive problems in persons with high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome; and
  • Functional brain imaging of language and cognition in persons with high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome.

    This research is done in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Illinois, Chicago.
    Read project abstract
  • University of Pittsburgh Autism
    Research Program
    Webster Hall, Suite 300
    3811 O'Hara Street
    Pittsburgh, PA 15213
    1-866-647-3436 or autismrecruiter@upmc.edu
    http://www.pitt.edu/~nminshew
    University of Rochester Medical Center Rochester, New York Patricia Rodier, Ph.D.
  • Animal models and mechanisms of injury in autism;
  • Behaviors that distinguish autism from other disorders; and
  • Mutations in genes involved in early development and influences on gene function.

    This research is done in conjunction with the University of Rochester Medical Center's Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto), Cornell Medical College, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    Read project abstract
  • University of Rochester Medical Center
    610 Elmwood Avenue
    Box 603
    Rochester, NY, 14642
    716-275-2582 or
    Patricia_Rodier@mrmc.rochester.edu
    University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (Affiliated Program) Houston, Texas Katherine Loveland, Ph.D.
  • Development of communication and social behavior and its relationship to brain function in autism;
  • Abnormalities in brain structure related to autism; and
  • Animal studies of brain structure, injury, and behavior.
    Read project abstract
  • The Autism Research Laboratory
    Center for Human Development Research
    University of Texas Mental Sciences Institute
    1300 Moursund Street
    Houston, Texas, 77030
    http://www.uth.tmc.edu/schools/med/
    psychiatry/msi/chdr2/autism.htm
    or 713-500-2580
    University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah William McMahon, M.D.
  • Genetics and genetic susceptibility of autism;
  • Brain development; and
  • Serotonin function and immune system functioning in autism.
    Read project abstract
  • Utah Autism Research Project
    421 Wakara Way
    Suite 143
    Salt Lake City, UT 84108
    801-585-9098
    University of Washington Seattle, Washington Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D.
  • The relationships between the brain and behavior in autism;
  • Language problems characteristic of autism;
  • Early diagnosis of autism and resulting outcomes;
  • Neuroimaging studies of autism; and
  • The genetics of autism.
    Read project abstract
  • Autism Research Program Project
    Autism Center at the Center for
    Human Development and Disability
    Box 357920
    University of Washington
    Seattle, WA 98195
    http://depts.washington.edu/uwautism/
    research/index.html

    or 1-800-994-9701 or cbrock@u.washington.edu
    Yale University New Haven, Connecticut Fred Volkmar, M.D.
  • Genetics of persons with autism;
  • The genetics of persons with autism and Asperger syndrome, their families, and family members with related disorders;
  • Changes to the nervous system in autism; and
  • Behavior problems, epilepsy, and puberty in adolescents with autism.
  • This CPEA also supports regression studies that seek to define the phenomena, predict outcomes, and evaluate medical factors that may play a role, such as vaccines, seizures, and prenatal conditions.

    This research is done in conjunction with the University of Michigan, the University of Chicago, and Harvard University.
    Read project abstract
  • Yale Child Study Center
    230 South Frontage Road
    New Haven, CT 06520-7900
    http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/
    or 203-785-5930