Clinical Research Oriented Workshop (CROW) Meeting: Jan 13, 2017

Present:   Marianne Burke, Deborah Hirtz, Kairn Kelley, Ben Littenberg, Mike LaMantia, Liliane Savard, Adam Sprouse-Blum, Connie van Eeghen

Start Up:  Happy new year!

1.                   Liliane – feedback on scoping review

a.       Goal of review: summarize current state of knowledge on motor learning in autism.  The purpose is to find gaps in the literature (this was not a problem; there are many). Liliane’s workshop on scoping reviews also including collecting data on the patient perspective – which is an unusual approach for a literature review-based activity.

                                                   i.      Definition of motor learning: a permanent change in motor behavior induced by practice, including ability to retain and generalize learning, engaging any kind of movement, limited to children

                                                 ii.      Similar to systematic review, but not limited to high level publications and not focused on a narrow topic

                                               iii.      Include existing evidence of physiologic presentation of autism, as related to motor learning

                                               iv.      The purpose of this type of review: wide range inclusion of what the field of research in a particular area has included, and what it has not.

1.       Use of terms

2.       Groups of research subjects

b.       Question: What are the motor learning characteristics of children with autism?

                                                   i.      Ability to learn new motor skills – must be measurable: acquisition rate or success; change in performance.  Ability defined as measured change in performance (which is evidence of learning).

1.       Simple skills

2.       Complex skills

                                                 ii.      Facilitators of motor learning

1.       Barriers

2.       Speed

                                               iii.      Differentiating acute vs retained vs generalized retention

                                               iv.      Typical vs autistic

c.       Who is the audience?  The feedback from this group discussed breadth and depth – both of which need more specificity. 

                                                   i.      Pick a focus and develop.  Then delve

1.       Does learning happen?

2.       What are the facilitators/barriers?

3.       What is the physiology?

2.                   Next Workshop Meeting(s): Fridays, 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m., at Given Courtyard South Level 4 until end of Dec.   

a.       Jan 20: TBD

b.       Jan 27: Kairn Kelley’s dissertation defense

c.       Feb 3: Marianne - update

d.       Future topics:

a.       Juvena: protocol development

b.       LaMantia: predictors of successful R01 applications: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0155060

Recorder: Connie van Eeghen