Autism Speaks, with the support of a Royal Arch Research Assistance grant, is funding three pilot research projects to advance the study of central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) in autism.
Royal Arch Masons International ranks among the leading charities helping children with central auditory processing disorder, a condition that affects the ability to understand speech. People with CAPD can typically hear normally but have difficulty processing what they hear.
2023 Research Grantees
Emily Knight, M.D./Ph.D.
University of Rochester
Children with autism spectrum disorder often have difficulty understanding speech in noisy settings, resulting in social and academic challenges. Many autistic children also have co-occurring ADHD that can make understanding speech even more difficult.
This study will use electrophysiology (EEG) and virtual reality to better understand the neurology behind speech-in-noise perception in autistic children with and without co-occurring ADHD.
The results of this study will help researchers design future virtual reality training interventions for children with CAPD.
Elizabeth Smith, Ph.D.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
This project seeks to understand the neurological causes of CAPD through neuroimaging and auditory assessments in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and Fragile X syndrome.
Researchers will evaluate sensory processing, social communication and cognitive abilities before participants complete speech-in-noise testing while brain activity is measured. The team will also pilot a new video-based intervention designed to improve speech-in-noise perception.
The findings will expand understanding of CAPD while evaluating a promising new intervention for improving speech perception in individuals with autism.
Aarti Nair, Ph.D.
Loma Linda University
Research has shown that children with CAPD often experience sleep difficulties, yet little research has examined the relationship between sleep, CAPD and autism spectrum disorder.
Using caregiver reports and clinician-administered measures, this study will examine sleep disturbances in one hundred school-aged children with ASD and evaluate how CAPD contributes to these challenges.
The results will support development of targeted interventions addressing both sleep disturbances and auditory processing difficulties, improving overall quality of life for autistic children.
