Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the delivery of face-to-face (F2F) therapeutic interventions and neuroimaging assessments for children with autism spectrum disorder has been disrupted. To resume interventions and assessments, many services are now using telehealth-based online platforms. Using the Zoom conferencing platform, our research group has been providing creative play-based interventions to school-age children with autism spectrum disorder. The feedback on this telehealth intervention experience has been generally positive (mean satisfaction score: 4.4 on a 5-point Likert-type scoring range) and our preliminary data from six children with autism spectrum disorder suggest training-related improvements in gross motor, balance, and imitation skills. Despite the positive results, it remains to be explored if the effects of telehealth interventions are similar to those of F2F interventions. Neuroimaging techniques could provide objective measures of intervention effects. However, this will require researchers to resume neuroimaging research while adopting safe public health protocols to control the risk of COVID-19 transmission. In this short report, we summarize existing safety protocols for F2F neuroimaging research, our own experiences of safely conducting alternative, on-site and off-site neuroimaging data collection, as well as the potential opportunities of using online data sharing and low-cost, remote neuroimaging/electrophysiological techniques to continue brain research during the pandemic.

Lay abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption in F2F healthcare delivery and neuroimaging research, especially when involving vulnerable populations such as children with autism spectrum disorder. Given the easy access to multiple video conferencing platforms, many healthcare services have moved to an online delivery format (i.e. telehealth). It is important to monitor the behavioral and neural effects of telehealth interventions and resume neuroimaging research while adopting public health safety protocols to control the risk of COVID-19 transmission. We summarize existing safety protocols and our own experience from in-person functional near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging data collection (on-site, at home, and in outdoor settings), as well as potential opportunities of using online data sharing and low-cost, remote neuroimaging/electrophysiological techniques to continue brain research during the pandemic.

中文翻译：

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关于 COVID-19 大流行期间的研究趋势以及在自闭症谱系障碍儿童中使用远程医疗干预和远程大脑研究的简短报告

随着 COVID-19 大流行的爆发，为自闭症谱系障碍儿童提供的面对面 (F2F) 治疗干预和神经影像学评估已经中断。为了恢复干预和评估，许多服务现在正在使用基于远程医疗的在线平台。使用 Zoom 会议平台，我们的研究小组一直在为患有自闭症谱系障碍的学龄儿童提供基于游戏的创造性干预措施。对这种远程医疗干预体验的反馈总体上是积极的（平均满意度得分：在 5 分的李克特型评分范围内为 4.4），我们来自 6 名自闭症谱系障碍儿童的初步数据表明，与训练相关的粗大运动、平衡、和模仿技巧。尽管取得了积极的成果，远程医疗干预的效果是否与 F2F 干预的效果相似仍有待探索。神经影像学技术可以提供干预效果的客观测量。然而，这将要求研究人员恢复神经影像学研究，同时采用安全的公共卫生协议来控制 COVID-19 传播的风险。在这份简短的报告中，我们总结了 F2F 神经影像研究的现有安全协议、我们自己安全地进行替代、现场和非现场神经影像数据收集的经验，以及使用在线数据共享和低成本的潜在机会，在大流行期间继续进行大脑研究的远程神经成像/电生理技术。神经影像学技术可以提供干预效果的客观测量。然而，这将要求研究人员恢复神经影像学研究，同时采用安全的公共卫生协议来控制 COVID-19 传播的风险。在这份简短的报告中，我们总结了 F2F 神经影像研究的现有安全协议、我们自己安全地进行替代、现场和非现场神经影像数据收集的经验，以及使用在线数据共享和低成本的潜在机会，在大流行期间继续进行大脑研究的远程神经成像/电生理技术。神经影像学技术可以提供干预效果的客观测量。然而，这将要求研究人员恢复神经影像学研究，同时采用安全的公共卫生协议来控制 COVID-19 传播的风险。在这份简短的报告中，我们总结了 F2F 神经影像研究的现有安全协议、我们自己安全地进行替代、现场和非现场神经影像数据收集的经验，以及使用在线数据共享和低成本的潜在机会，在大流行期间继续进行大脑研究的远程神经成像/电生理技术。

抽象

COVID-19 大流行已导致 F2F 医疗保健服务和神经影像学研究中断，尤其是在涉及弱势群体时，例如患有自闭症谱系障碍的儿童。鉴于可以轻松访问多个视频会议平台，许多医疗保健服务已转向在线交付形式（即远程医疗）。在采用公共卫生安全协议控制 COVID-19 传播风险的同时，监测远程医疗干预的行为和神经影响并恢复神经影像学研究非常重要。我们总结了现有的安全协议和我们自己从现场功能性近红外光谱神经成像数据收集（现场、在家和户外环境中）中获得的经验，以及使用在线数据共享和低成本的潜在机会，