Translationnal

Translational approach and identification of key neuronal networks for targeted and innovative therapeutics


ASD is characterized by a wide clinical heterogeneity, which probably covers different physiopathological mechanisms.  Establishing both subgroups and functional profiles is thus required to better study and understand the underlying relevant brain circuits. A combination of clinical data (based on the team’s database), neurophysiological data (e.g. sensori‐motor evaluation and social interactions) and language data will help the identification of functional clinical profiles, both in the hospital and in ecological context (ecological neuro‐vegetative recordings). Follow‐up studies will help identify outcome predictors, an essential step in developing individualized and targeted intervention programs. The research group has also great expertise in the development of new clinical tools, like the parents adapted version of BSE.
In collaboration with Teams 2 and 3 of the iBrain unit, the Austism group research also uses a combinatorial translational approach in ASD patients targeting glutamatergic transmission using PET, metabolomics and genomic characterization (TANGAU PROJECT, Grant Region Centre) and neuroinflammation using PET, metabolomics and RMN.
 

Projects within national and international networks

  The team is part of a European autism data sharing platform created in 2016 (part of the EU AIMS EU-AIMSclinical network) with clinical datasets from 20 sites situated in nine different European countries. These sites share phenotypic, behavioral and cognitive data on approximately 7,000 individuals to enable the identification of combinatorial profiles and sub‐groups of patients.
  aims2trial
We are also part of the european project AIMS-2-TRIAL, whose ai mis to conduct clinical studies in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to test new medicines using a biomarker-driven stratification approach.
 
stiped
The STIPED project (Stimulation in Pediatrics, H2020 funding) is a European project (Germany, Portugual, Spain, France). The Autism group is the only french partner and Frédérique Bonnet-Brilhault is the french supervisor. STIPED aims at developping an innovative therapeutic approach in ASD based on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the temporo-parietal junction.



The team also belongs to a National group for Research in Psychiatry (GDR 3557) and is therefore involved in a multicentric project for the validation of a social cognition assessment tool.