San Diego State University · PsychologyAutism and Brain Aging Research Lab
Ruth Carper · San Diego, California
Research Focus
Dr. Ruth Carper's lab at San Diego State University focuses on understanding how autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect the brain and behavior in adults aged 40 to 70. The research aims to explore changes in brain structure and function as individuals with ASD age, particularly looking at cognitive issues and mental health. By studying brain imaging and other assessments over time, the lab seeks to identify risk factors that might predict both positive and negative outcomes in this population.
autismbrain agingMRIcognitive declinebehavioral assessments
Research Aims
3AIM 01Characterize brain anatomy and function changes in adults with ASD as they age.
AIM 02Test for differences in brain chemistry and connectivity based on age and diagnosis.
AIM 03Identify behavioral and neural risk factors for positive and negative outcomes in adults with ASD.
Skills the Lab Values
multimodal MRIMR spectroscopymachine learninglongitudinal study designdata collection
Output against the department
Publications46bottom 7% of dept.272nd of 296
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations5.9ktop 50% of dept.147th of 296
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.