REward SYSTem in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Addictive Disorder

To join this study, you need to be an adult, at least 18 years old. We are looking for three main groups of people: adults with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, adults who have been diagnosed with food addiction, and healthy adults who do not have any known brain or mental health conditions.

Everyone taking part also needs to be able to understand and follow instructions, have an IQ over 70 (meaning no intellectual delay), and be willing to give their clear permission to participate. It's important that you don't have certain other health issues, such as problems with movement, uncorrected vision problems that would affect an MRI, or epilepsy. We also can't include people with current drug or alcohol problems that are causing significant distress.

There are also some safety checks for MRI scans; for example, if you have metal implants in your body or certain other medical devices, you wouldn't be able to have an MRI. For women who could become pregnant, we would need a negative pregnancy test first.

If you decide to take part in this study, you would undergo special brain scans. This includes an MRI scan, which involves lying down in a large machine that takes pictures of your brain, and an EEG scan, where small sensors are placed on your head to measure brain activity. You might also be asked to do some simple tasks during these scans or answer questions. The research team will explain everything to you in detail before you start. The total duration of your involvement, including all scans and tasks, would be discussed with you by the research team. This study does not involve taking any new medication; it focuses solely on understanding brain activity.