Translational Psychophysiology and Assessment Laboratory (T-PAL) | UC Davis MIND Institute

MIND INSTITUTE RESEARCH

Translational Psychophysiology and Assessment Laboratory

Focusing on understanding how genes, the brain, and behavior are connected in neurodevelopmental disabilities.

MIND Institute

About Our Lab

Our laboratory, called T-PAL (Translational Psychophysiology and Assessment Laboratory), focuses on understanding how genes, the brain, and behavior are connected in neurodevelopmental disabilities, particularly in conditions related to fragile X syndrome. Our main goal is to improve the assessment of cognitive and behavioral abilities and develop objective measures using psychophysiology for individuals with developmental disabilities.

As the field of translational research and treatment continues to evolve, we are dedicated to developing and enhancing assessments that are more effective in identifying impairments and measuring responses to interventions. We work as an integral part of an interdisciplinary research team at the UC Davis MIND Institute. Our team includes experts in molecular genetics, developmental pediatrics, psychiatry, neurology, and brain imaging. Together, we aim to uncover the genetic and brain-related causes behind emotional, social, and cognitive difficulties experienced by individuals affected by fragile X syndrome, the fragile X premutation, and other neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism.

Methods Used:

Contact Us

If you have questions about T-PAL, or would like to learn more about scheduling an appointment, please contact David Hessl, Ph.D. at drhessl@ucdavis.edu. 

  • infrared eye-tracking
  • electromyography (EMG)
  • electrocardiography (ECG)
  • galvanic skin response
  • cortisol measures
  • electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERP)
  • biofeedback and neurofeedback
  • neuropsychological assessments for cognition, memory, attention and emotion
Current Research Studies

The Toolbox Study aims to explore whether certain types of intellectual or cognitive tests are reliable, valid and sensitive in evaluating treatment responses among individuals with intellectual disability. The NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery has been shown to accurately measure various cognitive skills across a wide age range, but has yet to be widely adopted among individuals with intellectual disability. In 2015, the Toolbox Study began enrolling children, teens, and young adults with Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disabilities from other causes. In 2020, the Toolbox Study received renewed funding to continue following current participants and enrolling participants with an expanded age range.

From the first phase of the study, we published a paper in the journal Neurology that detailed how well the battery performs in children and young adults with intellectual disability. Briefly, we proved that with some accommodations and adjustments, people with intellectual disabilities can provide scores on the test that are, in most ways, as reliable and valid as scores from typically developing people. This is a big achievement because it promotes inclusion in research for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who may have previously been excluded from such opportunities due to a misperception that they are not able to be assessed or participate in study activities. This good news led several investigators to choose the Toolbox test as an outcome measure in clinical trials, another important indicator of progress. This means, because the Toolbox test was successful in our study, it is being used to measure specific cognitive skills to track how well a treatment might be working.

Participation

Your child may be eligible to participate in the Toolbox Study if they:

  • Are between 4 and 25 years old at the time of enrollment
  • Have been diagnosed with intellectual or developmental disability caused by Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Williams syndrome, or another/unknown cause

Families who enroll in the study will:

  • Come to the MIND Institute for a study visit lasting approximately 6 hours
  • Their child will participate in a variety of cognitive assessments, including the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery
  • Parents/caregivers will be asked to answer questions about their child’s home environment, behavior, and functioning
  • Participants will be invited back for a follow-up visit 2 years after their first study visit
  • Receive compensation for both travel and participation in the study, and receive detailed assessment results

If you are interested in learning more or participating in this study, please contact our Study Coordinator at hs-toolboxstudy@ucdavis.edu or by phone at 916-734-1541.

Contact

Toolbox Study
hs-toolboxstudy@ucdavis.edu 
916-734-1541.

For interested individuals with Down syndrome or fragile X syndrome who are over 25 years old, please see the Toolbox Study in Aging study.

The Toolbox Study aims to explore whether certain types of intellectual or cognitive tests are reliable, valid and sensitive in evaluating treatment responses among individuals with intellectual disability. The NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery has been shown to accurately measure various cognitive skills across a wide age range, but has yet to be widely adopted among individuals with intellectual disability. In 2015, the Toolbox Study began enrolling children, teens, and young adults with Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disabilities from other causes. In 2021, the Toolbox Study received supplemental funding to enroll participants with Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome who are over 25 years old. The data collected from this study will provide insight into the natural aging trends of adults with intellectual disability, and motivate future research to focus on the cognitive projections for aging adults with neurocognitive disabilities. .

From the first phase of the study, we published a paper in the journal Neurology that detailed how well the battery performs in children and young adults with intellectual disability. Briefly, we proved that with some accommodations and adjustments, people with intellectual disabilities can provide scores on the test that are, in most ways, as reliable and valid as scores from typically developing people. This is a big achievement because it promotes inclusion in research for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who may have previously been excluded from such opportunities due to a misperception that they are not able to be assessed or participate in study activities. This good news led several investigators to choose the Toolbox test as an outcome measure in clinical trials, another important indicator of progress. This means, because the Toolbox test was successful in our study, it is being used to measure specific cognitive skills to track how well a treatment might be working.

Participation

Your child may be eligible to participate in the Toolbox Study if they:

  • Are over 25 years old at the time of enrollment
  • Have been diagnosed with intellectual or developmental disability caused by Down syndrome or fragile X syndrome

Families who enroll in the study will:

  • Come to the MIND Institute for a study visit lasting approximately 6 hours. Participants may also be eligible for an in-home assessment without having to travel to the MIND Institute
  • Participate in a variety of cognitive assessments, including the NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery
  • Caregivers will be asked to answer questions about the participant’s home environment, behavior, and functioning
  • Participants will be invited back for a follow-up visit 2 years after their first study visit
  • Receive compensation for both travel and participation in the study, and receive detailed assessment results

If you are interested in learning more or participating in this study, please contact our Study Coordinator at hs-toolboxstudy@ucdavis.edu or by phone at 916-734-1541.

Contact

Dana Glassman
Study Coordinator
hs-toolboxstudy@ucdavis.edu 
916-734-1541

For interested individuals with intellectual disability caused by Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, or other causes under 25 years old, please see the Toolbox Study.

Fragile X carriers are individuals with the FMR1 premutation, who are at risk of developing a neurodegenerative condition called fragile X-associated tremor/ ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) in later life. FXTAS symptoms include tremor, balance problems, cognitive changes, and a range of other neurological problems.

This study, co-directed by Dr. David Hessl and Dr. Susan Rivera,  aims to discover genetic, brain and cognitive factors that may precede or occur with the onset of FXTAS in adult male fragile X carriers. This is the first longitudinal study of this population. We study intellectual function, motor function, executive function, memory, dexterity, and balance, as well as learn about participants’ psychological health. The brain health portion of our study is completed through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Information gathered from these scans includes size, shape, and integrity of the brain and its structures.

We know that many of our participants and their family members have questions about the premutation, especially how to identify early signs of neurodegeneration and most importantly how to treat or prevent FXTAS. While this is not a treatment study, it will provide extremely valuable information about the natural course of aging in these carriers that will inform treatment studies, and we are working hard, with Dr. Randi Hagerman and others, to identify the most promising interventions to investigate. Our study will also help to develop and validate clinical or neuroimaging methods that could be used to track effectiveness of these interventions.  List of the scientific publications that were made possible by this study (PDF).

We continue to recruit new participants, and also to bring participants back for follow up visits, and we have enjoyed getting to know them over time. We have learned a great deal about the structure of white matter in the brain, aspects of social cognition, anxiety, and age-related patterns of changes in brain structure. We look forward to exploring the longitudinal data over the course of this study.

If you or someone you know would be interested to participate in this study, please contact Glenda M Espinal at HS-TrajectoriesStudy@ucdavis.edu or by phone at 916-703-0470.