Discover SPARK
The Importance of Motor Function and Physical Activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Date Published: May 2018
In this webinar, Rujuta Bhatt Wilson, M.D. and Shafali Spurling Jeste, M.D., discuss an overview of what we know about motor function and impairments in individuals with autism, the importance of physical interventions in autism and existing physical activity programs like ACEing Autism for individuals with autism. This webinar is 60 minutes long.
Who is Rujuta Bhatt Wilson?
Dr. Rujuta Bhatt Wilson specializes in behavioral child neurology with a focus on autism spectrum disorders and related neurodevelopmental disorders. She is an assistant professor in pediatric neurology and child psychiatry at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. She is also a member of the faculty of the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART).
Dr. Wilson’s research seeks to understand motor abnormalities in ASD and related genetic syndromes. She also studies how these motor abnormalities are related to social communication and adaptive function. Dr. Wilson works on developing methods that more precisely measure motor function to better characterize motor impairments in infants and children with neurodevelopmental disorders. She is the principal investigator on a study that brings together quantitative and standardized measures of motor function in ways intended to identify motor patterns that predict later atypical development. Clinically, Dr. Wilson evaluates and treats patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and neurogenetic conditions in UCLA’s Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Clinic, Child and Adult Neurodevelopmental Clinic, and Care and Research in Neurogenetics Clinic.
Who is Shafali Spurling Jeste?
Dr. Shafali Spurling Jeste is a behavioral child neurologist specializing in autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders. She is an associate professor in psychiatry and neurology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and a lead investigator within UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART).
Dr. Jeste’s research seeks new, more accurate early predictors of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ways to identify the best treatment targets for individuals. She is the principal investigator on several studies. One of these focuses on the early development of an intervention for infants with tuberous sclerosis complex. Another is the UCLA Autism Center of Excellence study of high-risk infant siblings. Dr. Jeste serves as the UCLA site director for the National Institutes of Health Autism Biomarkers Consortium for Clinical Trials research study. Clinically, she evaluates and treats patients with ASD and related neurological problems, and she directs the UCLA Care and Research in Neurogenetics Clinic.
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