Significant achievement from Turkish scientist Dr. Ayşegül Güngör Aydın in New Jersey

Whether the risk of autism can be determined in the very early stages of infancy will be examined with a new study in the United States. Turkish scientist Dr. Ayşegül Güngör Aydın, who is conducting research in New Jersey, will investigate the link between the brain responses of preterm infants to sounds and later developmental outcomes.

Support for Research from New Jersey

Dr. Güngör Aydın, who runs his own laboratory at the Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey (BRInj), also holds an academic position at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. The NEAF Laboratory studies the development of the auditory system and brain processes linked to sounds in both experimental models and human infants.

The Response of Babies to Sounds Will Be Measured

In the new project, the brain responses that preterm infants generate to auditory stimuli will be tracked. Researchers plan to monitor infant development starting from the period corresponding to the 32nd week in utero and to compare the obtained neurophysiological measurements with the children's later speech, language, and communication skills.

Goal: Catch Early Signs

The study’s primary goal is to investigate biological markers that could help identify differences potentially linked to autism as early as possible in future years. If the research proves successful, new data are expected to show whether infants’ brain responses to sounds can be used to develop earlier assessment methods in the future.

Similar Approach to Alzheimer Research

Auditory brain signals also play a significant role in Dr. Güngör Aydın’s research history. In a study in which Aydın participated and published in Scientific Reports in 2026, it was examined whether auditory neurophysiological signals elicited by sound could reveal functional differences in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Tracking from Infancy to Development

The new study also aims to leverage brain responses to sounds in a similar manner. This time, the focus will be on the neurodevelopment of preterm infants and the speech, language, and communication skills that will emerge in later stages. It is noted that NEAF Laboratory is collaborating with the neonatal intensive care, neonatal, and child development units of Morristown Medical Center.

The Research Is Not Yet a Diagnostic Method

The study carried out by experts does not yet constitute a test that diagnoses autism in infants. The purpose of the research is to uncover the relationship between auditory brain responses measurable in early stages and later developmental indicators, and to investigate possible early biomarkers.

New Audience for the Work of a Turkish Scientist

Dr. Ayşegül Güngör Aydın established her own laboratory at the Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey in 2025. In 2026, she joined the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School as an assistant professor. Her laboratory investigates experience-dependent neuroplasticity in the auditory system and the effects of these processes on development.

A New Path for Early Support

With the research supported in New Jersey, the goal is to strengthen scientific evidence aimed at understanding neurodevelopmental differences that may be associated with autism at a much earlier stage. Whether the results obtained from the study will contribute to the future development of early assessment and support methods will become apparent at the end of the research process.