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Dr. Jessica Brian, senior clinician scientist, Autism Research Centre

Jessica Brian, PhD., C.Psych.

Senior clinician scientist; Psychologist; Associate Professor, Developmental Paediatrics, University of Toronto

Visit the Autism Research Centre

Research

 

Research Focus:

Jessica Brian is a Psychologist and Senior Clinician Scientist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Associate Professor at the University of Toronto in the department of Paediatrics. She co-leads the Autism Research Centre at Holland Bloorview. Dr. Brian received her Ph.D. from the clinical-developmental program at York University and received intensive training in Applied Behaviour Analysis during a full-year internship at the Princeton Child Development Institute in New Jersey. Jessica has been heavily involved in a range of multi-site research programs aimed at understanding the emergence of ASD, the behavioural phenotype, and genetic markers of ASD and related disorders. For over a decade, Dr. Brian has been involved in the Canadian Infant Siblings Study, and is a member of the international Baby Siblings Research Consortium. Jessica co-developed and led the evaluation of the Social ABCs, a very early parent-mediated intervention for infants and toddlers with emerging ASD or related social-communication challenges.

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=MsycVg0AAAAJ

Education & Profession

Education:

  • Ph.D., Psychology (Clinical-Developmental), York University

  • MA, Clinical Developmental Psychology, York University

  • BA (Hons), Psychology, Queen's University at Kingston

Professional Memberships:

  • College of Psychologists of Ontario

  • Canadian Psychological Association

  • Baby Sibling Research Consortium

University Positions / Affiliations:

  • Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto 

  • Adjunct Professor, OISE/UT, Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, University of Toronto

  • Member, OISE/UT, School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto

Honours and Awards:

NATIONAL:

  • Medical Research Council of Canada Studentship Award, York University, Toronto, ON (Academic years 1993-1997)

LOCAL: 

  • York University Scholarship, York University, Toronto, ON (Academic year 1991 - 1992) 

  • Senator Frank Carrell Upper Year Scholarship, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON (Academic years 1987-1990)

  • Thesis/Dissertation Award (nominee), York University, Toronto, ON (Dec 1999)

Innovation

Assessment Measures Developed:

  • Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI; Bryson et al.) - currently available for use in research studies only. 
  • Co-developer of the Social ABCs, a parent-mediated early intervention for infants and toddlers with emerging ASD or related social-communication challenges. Led the pilot and RCT evaluation of this intervention program, a child-care model, and the development of an abbreviated, group-based model. Overseeing a large community implementation of the standard Social ABCs.

Current Projects

Publications

Click to see Dr. Brian's Publications at the Autism Research Centre.

2019

Mahendiran T, Dupuis A, Crosbie J, Georgiades S, Kelley E, Liu X, Nicolson R, Schachar R, Anagnostou E. and Brian J. (2019) Sex Differences in Social-Adaptive Function in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry-Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Accepted for publication 2019 Jul 30. Senior Responsible Author.

Leung R.C., Pang E.W., Brian J.A., Taylor M.J. (2019) Happy and Angry Faces Elicit Atypical Neural Activation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. Apr 10; Epub ahead of print. Coauthor

Sacrey L R, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Brian J, Smith IM, Raza S, Roberts W, Szatmari P, Vaillancourt T, Roncadin C, Garon N. (2019) Developmental trajectories of adaptive behavior in autism spectrum disorder: a high risk sibling cohort. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry. June; 60(6); 697-706. Coauthor.

Baribeau D.A, Dupuis A, Paton T.A., Hammill C, Scherer S.W., Schachar R.J., Arnold P.D., Szatmari P, Nicolson R, Georgiades S,  Crosbie J,  Brian J., Iaboni A, Kushki A,  Lerch J.P. & Anagnostou E. (2019). Structural neuroimaging correlates of social deficits are similar in autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: analysis from the POND Network.Translational Psychiatry (Feb.4). 9(72): 1-10. Co-Author

Raza S, Sacrey LR, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Brian J, Smith IM, Roberts W, Szatmari P, Vaillancourt T, Roncadin C, Garon N. (2019). Relationship Between Early Social-Emotional Behavior and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A High-Risk Sibling Study.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (March). ePub ahead of print: 1-13. Co-Author

Raza S,  Zwaigenbaum L, Sacrey L.R., Bryson S, Brian J, Smith I.M., Reid K, Roberts W, Szatmari P,  Vaillancourt T, Roncadin C, Garon N. (2019). Brief Report: Evaluation of the Short Quantitative Checklist for autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT-10) as Brief Screen for Autism Spectrum Disorder in a High-Risk Sibling Cohort. Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders. (Jan.29). e-Pub ahead of print. Co-Author

2018

Sacrey L.R., Bryson S, Zwaigenbaum L, Brian J.A., Smith I.M., Roberts W, Szatmari P, Vaillancourt T,Roncadin C, and Garon N. (2018). The Autism Parent Screen for Infants: Predicting Risk of ASD based on Parent-Reported Behaviour Observed at 6 to 24 months of Age.Autism (April). 22(3): 322-334.Co-Author

Sacrey LR, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Brian J Smith IM, Roberts W, Szatmari P, Vaillancourt T, Roncadin C, Garon N. (2018). Parent and clinician agreement regarding early behavioral in 12- and 18-month-old infants at-risk of autism spectrum disorder.Autism Res. (March). 11(3): 539-547. Co-Author

Sacrey LR, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Brian J, Smith IM. (2018). The reach-to-grasp movement in infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: a high-risk sibling cohort study.Journal Neurodevelopment Disorders. (Dec.27). 10(41): 1-11. Co-Author

Ozonoff, S., Young, G., Brian, J., Charman, T., Sheppard, E., Solish, A., Zwaigenbaum, L. (2018).Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder after age 5 in children evaluated longitudinally since infancy.Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.57(11): 849-857.Co-Author

Bryson S., Garon N., McMullen T., Brian J., Zwaigenbaum L., Armstrong V., Roberts W., Smith I., Szatmari P. (2018). Impaired disengagement of attention and its relationship to emotional distress in infants at highrisk for autism spectrum disorder.Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology (June). 40(5):487-501.Co-Author

Capano L, Dupuis A, Brian J, Mankad D, Genore L, Hastie Adams R, Smile S, Lui T, Odrobina D, Foster J, Anagnostou E. (2018). A pilot dose finding study of pioglitazone in children with autism spectrum disorder.Molecular Autism (Nov.26). 9(59): 1-14. Co-Author

Sacrey L R, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Brian J, Smith IM, Raza S, Roberts W, Szatmari P, Vaillancourt T, Roncadin C, Garon N. (2018). Developmental Trajectories of adaptive behavior in autism spectrum disorder: a high risk sibling cohort.Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry (Oct.8). epub ahead of print.Co-Author

2017

Baribeau DA, Dupuis A, Paton TA, Scherer SW, Schachar RJ, Arnold PD, Szatmari P, Nicolson R, Georgiades S, Crosbie J, Brian J, Iaboni A, Lerch J, Anagnostou E. (2017). Oxytocin Receptor Polymorphisms are Differentially Associated with Social Abilities across Neurodevelopmental Disorders.Scientific Reports (Sept). 7(1): 11618. Co-Author

C. Yuen RK, D. Merico, M.Bookman, J.Howe, B.Thiruvahindrapuram, R.Patel, J.Whitney, N.Deflaux, J.Bingham, Z.Wang , G. Pellecchia, J.Buchanan, S.Walker, C. Marshall, M.Uddin, M.Zarrei, E. Deneault, L. D’Abate, A. Chan, S. Koyanagi, T. Paton, S.Pereira, N. Hoang, W.Engchuan, T.Higginbotham, K. Ho, S. Lamoureux, L. Li, J. MacDonald, T.Nalpathamkalam, W.Sung, F. Tsoi, J.Wei, L. Xu, A. Tasse, E. Kirby, W.Van Etten, S. Twigger, S.W.Roberts, I. Drmic, S. Jilderda, B.MacKinnon, B. Kellam, M. Szego, C.Cytrynbaum, R. Weksberg, L .Zwaigenbaum, M.Woodbury-Smith, J. Brian, L.Senman, A. Iaboni, K.Doyle-Thomas, A. Thompson, C.Chrysler, J. Leef, S.Savion-Lemieux, I.Smith, X. Liu, R, Nicolson, V. Seifer, A. Fedele, E.Cook, S. Dager, A.Estes, L.Gallagher, B.Malow , J. Parr, S.Spence, J. Vorstman,

B.Frey, L.Strug, B.Fernandez, M. Elsabbagh, M.Carter, J. Hallmayer, B. Knoppers, E. Anagnostou, P.Szatmari, R.H. Ring, D. Glazer, M.T. Pletcher & S.W. Scherer. (2017). Whole genome sequencing resource identifies 18 new candidate genes for autism spectrum disorder.Nature Neuroscience (April). 20(4): 602-611.Co-Author

L.A.R. Sacrey, L. Zwaigenbaum, P. Szatmari, S. Bryson, S. Georgiades, J. Brian, I.M. Smith, T.

Vaillancourt, N. Garon, C. Roncadin, M. Elsabbagh. (2017). Brief Report: Characteristics of preschool children with ASD vary by ascertainment. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (May). 47(5): 1542-1550.Co-Author

Brian JA, Smith IM, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson SE. (2017). Cross-site randomized control trial of the Social ABCs caregiver-mediated intervention for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder.Autism Research (June 2). 10(10): 1700-1711. Senior Responsible Author.

Handen, B.L., Anagnostou, E., Aman, M.G., Sanders, K.B., Chan, J., Hollway, J.A., Brian, J., Arnold, L.E., Capano, L., Williams, C., Hellings, J.A., Butter, E., Mankad, D., Tumuluru, R., Kettel, J., Newsom, C.R., Peleg, N., Odrobina, D., McAuliffe-Bellin, S., Marler, S., Wong, T., Wagner, A., Hadjiyannakis, S., Macklin, E.A., Veenstra-VanderWeele, J. (2017). A randomized, placebo controlled trial of metformin for the treatment of overweight induced by antipsychotic medication in young people with ASD: Openlabel extension.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP). 56(10): 849-856.Co-Author

Longard J, Brian J.A., Zwaigenbaum L, Duku E, Moore C, Smith I.M., Garon N, Szatmari P, Vaillancourt T, Bryson S. (2017). Early Expressive and Receptive Language Trajectories in High-Risk Infant Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments (Nov.). 2: 1-11.Co-Author

Brian J, Bernardi K, Dowds E, Easterbrook R, MacWilliam S, Bryson S. (2017). Feasibility of Training Early Childhood Educators in a Community Child Care Setting Using a Caregiver-mediated intervention for toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Education and Training Studies (May). 5(5): 93-102. Senior Responsible Author.

T. Charman, G. S. Young, J. Brian, A Carter, L. J. Carver, K. Chawarska, S. Curtin, K. Dobkins, M.Elsabbagh, S. Georgiades, I. Hertz-Picciotto, Ted Hutman, Jana M. Iverson, E. J. Jones, R. Landa, S.Macari, D.S. Messinger,C. A. Nelson, S. Ozonoff, C. Saulnier, W. L.Stone, H. Tager-Flusberg,S. J. Webb,N. Yirmiya, and L. Zwaigenbaum. (2017). Non-ASD outcomes at 36 months in siblings at familial risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD): a baby siblings research consortium (BSRC) study. Autism Research -INSAR (January). 10(1): 169-178. Co-Author

2016

Garon N, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Smith IM, Brian J, Roncadin C, Vaillancourt T, Armstrong V, Sacrey LR, Roberts W. (2016). Temperament and its association with autism symptoms in a high-risk population. J Abnorm Child Psychology. 1(44): 757-769.Co-Author

Brian JA, Doyle-Thomas K, Baribeau D., Anagnostou E. (2016). Novel mechanisms and treatment approaches in autism spectrum disorder. Discovery Medicine. 22(119): 47-54. Senior Responsible Author

Pang EW, Valica T, MacDonald MJ, Taylor MJ, Brian J, Lerch JP, Anagnostou E. (2016). Abnormal brain dynamics underlie speech production in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Research. 2(9):249-261.Co-Author

Ameis HS, Lerch JP, Taylor M, Lee W, Viviano J, Pipitone J, Nazeri A, Croarkin P, Voineskos A, Lai MC,Crosbie J, Brian J, Soreni N, Schachar R, Szatmari P, Arnold P, Anagnostou E. (2016). A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study in Children With ADHD,Autism Spectrum Disorder, OCD, and Matched Controls: Distinct and Non-Distinct White Matter Disruption and Dimensional Brain-Behavior Relationships. Am J Psychiatry (Dec.1). 173(12): 1213-1222. Co-Author

Anagnostou E, Aman MG, Handen BL, Sanders KB, Shui A, Hollway JA, Brian JA, Arnold LE, Capano L, Hellings JA, Butter E, Mankad D, Tumuluru R, Kettel J, Newsom CR, Peleg N, Odrobina D, McAuliffe-Bellin S, Zakroysky P, Marler S, Wagner A, Wong T, Macklin EA, Veenstra-VanderWeele J. (2016). Metformin for the Treatment of Overweight Induced by Atypical Antipsychotic Medication in Young People With Autistic Spectrum Disorder; A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA psychiatry (Sept.1). 73(9): 928-937. Co-Author

Chiu TA, Anagnostou E, Brian J, Chau T, Kushki A. (2016). Specificity of autonomic arousal to anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Research. 9(4): 491-501.Co-Author

Brian J, Bryson SE, Smith IM, Roberts W, Roncadin C, Szatmari P, Zwaigenbaum L. (2016). Stability and change in autism spectrum disorder diagnosis from age three to middle childhood in a high-risk sibling cohort. Autism. 20(7): 888-892. Senior Responsible Author.

Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson SE, Brian J, Smith IM, Roberts W, Szatmari P, Roncadin C, Garon N, Vaillancourt T. (2016). Stability of diagnostic assessment for autism spectrum disorder between 18 and 36 months in a high-risk cohort. Autism Research (July). 9(7): 790-800. Co-Author

Brian JA, Smith IM, Zwaigenbaum L, Roberts W, Bryson SE. (2016). The Social ABCs caregiver-mediated intervention for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder: Feasibility, acceptability, and evidence of promisefrom a multi-site study. Autism Research. 9: 899–912. Senior Responsible Author

2015

Sacrey LA, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Brian J, Smith IM, Roberts W, Szatmari P, Roncadin C, Garon N, Novak C, Vaillancourt T, McCormick T, MacKinnon B, Jilderda S, Armstrong V. (2015). Can parents' concerns predict autism spectrum disorder? A prospective study of high-risk siblings from 6 to 36 months of age. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 54(6): 470-478. Co-Author

Drumm E, Bryson S, Zwaigenbaum L, Brian J. (2015). Language-related abilities in 'unaffected' school aged siblings of children with ASD. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 18(2015): 83-96.Co-Author

Filliter JH, Longard J, Lawrence MA, Zwaigenbaum L, Brian J, Garon N, Smith IM, Roncadin C, Roberts W,Bryson SE. (2015). Positive affect in infant siblings of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. JAbnorm Child Psychol. 43(3): 567-575.Co-Author

Panju S, Brian J, Dupuis A, Anagnostou E, Kushki A. (2015). Atypical sympathetic arousal in children with autism spectrum disorder and its association with anxiety symptomatology. Molecular Autism. 6: 64.Co-Author

Kushki A, Khan A, Brian J, Anagnostou E. (2015). A Kalman filtering framework for physiological detection of anxiety-related arousal in children with autism spectrum disorder. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. 62(3): 990-1000.Co-Author

Baribeau DA, Dupuis A, Paton T, Doyle-Thomas KA, Iaboni A, Crosbie J, McGinn H, Arnold PD, Brian J, Kushki A, Nicolson R, Schachar RJ, Soreni N, Szatmari P, Anagnostou E. (2015). Examining and comparing social perception abilities across childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorders. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 54(6): 479-486.e1. Co-Author

Brian JA, Bryson SE, Zwaigenbaum L. (2015). Autism spectrum disorder in infancy: developmental considerations in treatment targets. Current Opinion in Neurology. 28(2): 117-123. Senior responsible Author

Ozonoff S, Young GS, Landa RJ, Brian J, Bryson SE, Charman T, Chawarska K, Macari SL, Messinger D, Stone WL, Zwaigenbaum L, losif AM. (2015). Diagnostic stability in young children at risk for autism spectrum disorder: a baby siblings research consortium study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 56(9): 988-998. Co-Author

Mankad D, Dupuis A, Smile S, Roberts W, Brian J, Lui T, Genore L, Zaghloul D, Iaboni A, Marcon PM, Anagnostou E. (2015). A randomized, placebo controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of young children with autism. Molecular Autism. 6: 18. Co-Author

2014

Brian JA, Roncadin C, Duku E, Bryson SE, Smith IM, Roberts W, Szatmari P, Drmic I, Zwaigenbaum L. (2014). Emerging cognitive profiles in high-risk infants with and without autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 8(11): 1557-1566. Senior Responsible Author

Anagnostou E, Zwaigenbaum L, Szatmari P, Fombonne E, Fernandez BA, Woodbury-Smith M, Brian J, Bryson S, Smith IM, Drmic I, Buchanan JA, Roberts W & Scherer SW. (2014). Autism spectrum disorder: Advances in evidence-based practice.CMAJ. 186(7): 509-519. Co-Author

Germani T, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Brian J, Smith I, Roberts W, Szatmari P, Roncadin C, Sacrey LA, Garon N, Vaillancourt T. (2014). Brief report: assessment of early sensory processing in infants at high-risk of autism spectrum disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 44(12): 3264-3270. Co-Author

Zwaigenbaum L, Young G, Stone W, Dobkins K, Ozonoff S, Brian J, Bryson SE, Carver L, Hutman T, Iverson JM, Landa RJ, Messinger D. (2014). Early head growth in infants at risk of autism: a baby siblings research consortium study. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 53(10):1053-62. Co-Author

Kushki A, Brian J, Dupuis A, Anagnostou E. (2014). Functional autonomic nervous system profile in children with autism spectrum disorder. Molecular Autism. 5: 39. Co-Author

Chawarska K, Shic F, Macari S, Campbell DJ, Brian J, Landa R, Hutman T, Nelson CA, Ozonoff S, Tager-Flusberg H, Young GS, Zwaigenbaum L, Cohen IL, Charman T, Messinger DS, Klin A, Johnson S, Bryson S. (2014). 18-month predictors of later outcomes in younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder: a baby siblings research consortium study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 53(12): 1317-1327.e1. Co-Author

Anagnostou E, Soorya L, Brian J, Dupuis A, Mankad D, Smile S, Jacob S. (2014). Intranasal oxytocin in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders: A review of literature and early safety and efficacy data in youth. Brain Research. 1580: 188-198. Co-Author

Abu Kuwaik G, Roberts W, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Smith IM, Szatmari P, Modi BM, Tanel N, Brian J. (2014). Immunization uptake in younger siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism. 18(2):148-155. Co-Author

Leung RC, Pang EW, Cassel D, Brian JA, Smith M, Taylor MJ. (2014). Early neural activation during facial affect processing in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. NeuroImage: Clinical. 7: 203-212. Co-Author

Siller M, Morgan L, Turner-Brown L, Baggett KM, Baranek GT, Brian J, Bryson SE, Carter AS, Crais ER, Estes A, Kasari C, Landa RJ, Lord C, Messinger DS, Mundy P, Odom SL, Reznick JS, Roberts W, Rogers SJ, Schertz H, Smith IM, Stone WL, Watson LR, Wetherby AM, Yoder PJ, Zwaigenbaum L. (2014).Designing studies to evaluate parent-mediated interventions for toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of Early Intervention. 35(4): 355-377.Co-Author

2013

Drumm E & Brian J. (2013). The developing language abilities and increased risks of ‘unaffected’ siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (Review Paper). Neuropsychiatry. 3(5): 513-524. Co-Author

Georgiades S, Szatmari P, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Brian J, Roberts W, Smith I, Vaillancourt T, Roncadin C, Garon N. (2013). A prospective study of autistic-like traits in unaffected siblings of probands with Autism Spectrum Disorder.JAMA Psychiatry. 70(1): 42-48. Co-Author

Leung B, Brian JA, Chau T. (2013). Learning and mastery behaviours as risk factors to abandonment in a paediatric user of advanced single-switch access technology.Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. 8(5): 426-433. Co-Editor

Books

Anagnostou E, Brian J, editor(s). Clinician’s Manual: Autism Spectrum Disorder. (Switzerland): Springer International Publishing Switzerland; 2015. ISBN: 978-3-919-03055-5 ISBN: 978-2-319-03056-2

Book Chapters

Brian JA, Bryson SE, Zwaigenbaum L, Cosgrove S, Roberts W. Supporting families of high-risk infant siblings: Collaboration, consultation, and care. In: Siller M, Morgan L, editor(s). Family-Centered Practice for Very Young Children with Autism

Contact Info

Contact Information:

Bloorview Research Institute
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital 
150 Kilgour Road Toronto, Ontario M4G 1R8                                                                       

T: 416-425-6220, Ext. 3716

 F: 416-422-7045

Contact Email:
jbrian@hollandbloorview.ca

Media Expertise

autism spectrum disorder - early identification and intervention