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Carolina Autism and Neurodevelopment Research Center

Our Past Work

Our research has helped to explore links between fragile X and autism, anxiety, ADHD and other conditions. We also have pioneered ways of using technology to learn more about fragile X and the FMR1 premutation.

Published Papers page: 

  1. Chase, A., Hamrick, L., Arnold, H., Smith, J., Hantman, R., Cortez, K., ... & Roberts, J. (2025). Reduced Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia in Infants with theFMR1Premutation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(5), 2186. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26052186 
  2. Hogan, A. L., Caravella, K. E., Ezell, J., Rague, L., Hills, K., & Roberts, J. E. (2017). Autism spectrum disorder symptoms in infants with fragile X syndrome: a prospective case series.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,47(6), 1628-1644. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3081-9 
  3. Klusek, J., Fairchild, A. J., & Roberts, J. E. (2019). Vagal tone as a putative mechanism for pragmatic competence: An investigation of carriers of theFMR1premutation. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(1), 197-208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3714-7 
  4. Klusek, J., Hong, J., Sterling, A., Berry-Kravis, E., &Mailick, M. R. (2020). Inhibition deficits are modulated by age and CGG repeat length in carriers of theFMR1 premutation allele who are mothers of children with fragile X syndrome. Brain and Cognition, 139, 105511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2019.105511 
  5. Klusek, J., LaFauci, G.,Adayev, T., Brown, W. T., Tassone, F., & Roberts, J. E. (2017). Reduced vagal tone in women with the FMR1 premutation is associated withFMR1 mRNA but not depression or anxiety. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 9(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-017-9197-6 
  6. Klusek, J., LaFauci, G.,Adayev, T., Brown, W. T., Tassone, F., & Roberts, J. (2017). Cardiac autonomic function in women with theFMR1 premutation is associated with mRNA and CGG Expansion but not depression or anxiety. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 9(16), 1-16.https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-017-9197-6 
  7. Klusek, J., McGrath, S. E.,Abbeduto, L., & Roberts, J. E. (2016). Pragmatic language features of mothers with theFMR1 premutation are associated with the language outcomes of adolescents and young adults with fragile X syndrome. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 59(1), 49-61. https://doi.org/10.1044/2015_JSLHR-L-15-0102 
  8. Klusek, J., Moser, C., Schmidt, J.,Abbeduto, L., & Roberts, J. E. (2020). A novel eye‐tracking paradigm for indexing social avoidance‐related behavior in fragile X syndrome.American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 183(1), 5-16.https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.32757 
  9. Klusek, J., Porter, A.,Abbeduto, L.,Adayev, T., Tassone, F., Mailick, M. R., ... & Roberts, J. E. (2018). Curvilinear association between language disfluency and FMR1 CGG repeat size across the normal, intermediate, and premutation range. Frontiers in Genetics, 9, 344. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2018.00344 
  10. Klusek, J.,Ruber, A., & Roberts, J. E. (2018). Impaired eye contact in theFMR1 premutation is not associated with social anxiety or the broad autism phenotype. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 32(7), 1337-1352. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2017.1384063 
  11. Klusek, J., Schmidt, J., Fairchild, A. J., Porter, A., & Roberts, J. E. (2017). Altered sensitivity to social gaze in theFMR1premutation and pragmatic language competence. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 9(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-017-9211-z 
  12. Klusek, J., Thurman, A. J., &Abbeduto, L. (2022). Maternal pragmatic language difficulties in theFMR1 premutation and the broad autism phenotype: Associations with individual and family outcomes. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 52(2), 835-851.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-04980-3 
  13. Klusek, J., Will, E., Christensen, T., Caravella, K., Hogan, A., Sun, J., ... & Roberts, J. E. (2024). Social Communication Delay in an Unbiased Sample of Preschoolers with theFMR1Premutation.Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 67(7), 2316-2332. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_JSLHR-23-00580 
  14. Losh, M., Klusek, J., Martin, G. E., Sideris, J., Parlier, M., & Piven, J. (2012). Defining genetically meaningful language and personality traits in relatives of individuals with fragile X syndrome and relatives of individuals with autism.American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics,159(6), 660-668. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.32070 
  15. Lowell, E. P., Tonnsen, B. L., Bailey, D. B., & Roberts, J. E. (2017). The effects of optimism, religion, and hope on mood and anxiety disorders in women with theFMR1premutation. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 61(10), 916-927. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12409 
  16. Moser, C., Mattie, L.,Abbeduto, L., & Klusek, J. (2021).The FMR1 premutation phenotype and mother-youth synchrony in fragile X syndrome. American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 126(6), 443-459. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-126.6.443 
  17. Roberts, J. E., Bailey Jr, D. B., Mankowski, J., Ford, A., Sideris, J., Weisenfeld, L. A., ... & Golden, R. N. (2009). Mood and anxiety disorders in females with theFMR1premutation. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 150(1), 130-139.https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.30786 
  18. Roberts, J. E., Bradshaw, J., Will, E., Hogan, A. L., McQuillin, S., & Hills, K. (2020). Emergence and rate of autism in fragile X syndrome across the first years of life.Development andpsychopathology, 32(4), 1335-1352. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579420000942 
  19. Roberts, J. E., Tonnsen, B. L., McCary, L. M., Ford, A. L., Golden, R. N., & Bailey Jr, D. B. (2016). Trajectory and predictors of depression and anxiety disorders in mothers with theFMR1premutation. Biological psychiatry, 79(10), 850-857.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.07.015 

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