Terje Falck-Ytter’s research group
We conduct interdisciplinary research aiming to increase our understanding of child development, with a particular focus on neurodevelopmental conditions.
Our research includes several clinical projects about early development in individuals with autism spectrum conditions and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In our main clinical research project, EASE (Projekt Småsyskon), we aim to identify early signs of autism spectrum conditions and ADHD through an infant sibling design, to improve early detection and support for individuals and families in the future. We also do large-scale studies of typical development and individual differences in the general population. More specifically, through twin studies of infants and children, we seek to understand how genetic and environmental factors contribute to individual differences in brain development and behavior.
Understanding the nature of individual differences in the general population is of relevance for our theories of autism spectrum conditions and ADHD; hence, there is a tight link between the clinical and non-clinical studies in the lab. We use a range of methodologies in our studies, ranging from behavioral testing and interview with parents, to eye tracking/pupillometry and brain imaging.
Research group leader Terje Falck-Ytter
Terje Falck-Ytter
Research group leaderGroup members
Irzam Hardiansyah
Phd StudentAna Maria Vaz Portugal da Silva
Affiliated to Teaching/TutoringJohanna Ristolainen Spak
PsychologistCooperation
The group works in close collaboration with the Development and Neurodiverisity Lab (DIVE) at the department of Psychology at Uppsala University.
Research Projects
EASE (Early Autism/ADHD Sweden): Early signs of autism
iTWIN: Twin study of attentional functions
PIP-study: Preschool brain Imaging and Behaviour Project
GUT-2-TWIN: A twin study of the human microbiome in infancy
External funding
The work conducted in the lab is supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council, The Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social Sciences (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond), the European Union (EU), and ALF-funding.
Selected publications
T1-Weighted/T2-Weighted Ratio Mapping at 5 Months Captures Individual Differences in Behavioral Development and Differentiates Infants at Familial Risk for Autism from Controls.
Darki F, Nyström P, McAlonan G, Bölte S, Falck-Ytter T
Cereb Cortex 2021 Apr;():
Joint Attention in Infancy and the Emergence of Autism.
Nyström P, Thorup E, Bölte S, Falck-Ytter T
Biol Psychiatry 2019 10;86(8):631-638
Enhanced pupillary light reflex in infancy is associated with autism diagnosis in toddlerhood.
Nyström P, Gliga T, Nilsson Jobs E, Gredebäck G, Charman T, Johnson MH, Bölte S, Falck-Ytter T
Nat Commun 2018 05;9(1):1678
Genetic Influence on Eye Movements to Complex Scenes at Short Timescales.
Kennedy DP, D'Onofrio BM, Quinn PD, Bölte S, Lichtenstein P, Falck-Ytter T
Curr Biol 2017 Nov;27(22):3554-3560.e3