Research project UNIKA: Behavior, cognition and sensory processing

Children and adults with intellectual disability (ID) have cognitive impairments which cause significant challenges in domains of life ranging from social, to academic and occupational. The degree of everyday impairment and adaptive functions in social, academic, and home environments varies widely between individuals with the diagnosis. There is a limited understanding about the mechanisms underlying this heterogeneity.

Thanks to the development in genetic testing genetic alterations underlying ID are currently detected at a rapid pace. Today, a number of rare genetic conditions leading to ID are known, and the number is steadily increasing. Improvements in genetics can contribute to better health care, habilitation, and pedagogy. However, this requires an understanding of the specific cognitive and emotional processes affected by genetic alterations.

The overall aim of the current project is to map profiles of behavior, cognition, and sensory responsiveness in ID and co-occurring neurodevelopmental conditions with and without a known genetic cause. The project uses a combination of eye tracking technology, clinical genetics, and mathematical modeling approaches developed in the intersection between psychology and computer science.

The project is a part of the UNIKA consortium, a collaboration between research groups at Stockholm University, Karolinska Institutet and the University of Gothenburg initiated by professor Ann Nordgren.