The Lab
Dr. Jeste dedicated her career to clinical research in NDDs after she experienced, first as a medical student and then as a resident in child neurology, the many gaps in the diagnosis and care of children with developmental disabilities. Specifically, clinicians were becoming increasingly proficient in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), or other developmental delays, but they often lacked an adequate explanation about the cause of the developmental disability, a clear path forward to share with a family, or effective treatments, any of which would provide families with much needed hope. Dr. Jeste started her research program at UCLA in 2010, shortly after completing her residency in child neurology and then fellowship in behavioral neurology at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her lab at UCLA started with one grant focused on identifying EEG biomarkers of language outcome in preschoolers with ASD, and over a decade it grew to include 8 research programs and more than 30 students, staff and faculty, with a large focus on infants at risk for NDDs and on children with genetic syndromes associated with NDDs. In 2021 Dr. Jeste moved to CHLA to become Chief of Neurology and Co-Director of its new Neurological Institute, and one of her main motivations for the move was the Safety Net designation of CHLA. CHLA cares for children of all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, regardless of a family’s ability to pay. Dr. Jeste noticed that children from under-represented minority groups and from less financially privileged settings often were excluded from research studies, largely due to access issues. Here, at CHLA, the KiNDD team prioritizes making research accessible and available to all families.
About KiNDD
The lab uses many tools to study NDDs, including refined behavioral assessments, EEG and Eye Tracking. Both EEG and ET are considered tools to measure biomarkers of NDDs.
Electroencephalogram (EEG):
The brain’s millions of neurons create electrical signals when they communicate, and these signals can be detected at the scalp through electroencephalography (EEG). EEG allows us to measure brain activity in real time, with millisecond level precision about the timing with which information is processed by the brain and about how the brain is wired and connected. During an EEG session, infants and children wear a net or cap that contains sensors that detect the brain’s electrical activity while a child engages in a task or sits at rest. This testing is noninvasive and does not require a child to be sedated or even very still! Through EEG studies we have identified early markers of atypical brain connectivity and function that may precede an NDD diagnosis. We also have identified patterns that reflect specific genetic conditions, such as Dup15q syndrome, that can be used in clinical trials.
Eye tracking (ET):
Eye tracking measures corneal reflection and, therefore, it can detect the exact location of eye fixations. With eye tracking we can measure viewing patterns as infants and children are shown various pictures or videos. During the assessment, a small sticker that looks like a bullseye will be placed on a child’s forehead to track the location of the eyes, and then looking time and place are captured by the eye tracker. We can use ET to test learning, cognition and attention in infants and children who have limited language ability and who cannot follow commands or answer questions but can track information with their eyes.
How do I participate in KiNDD Research?
We are currently recruiting infants, toddlers, and adolescents with and without a history of ASD to participate in our studies. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in our research, please fill out our research interest form, or contact our research staff at autismresearch@chla.usc.edu or call (323) 364-0839.