Explore projects in Brain Development!
These projects explore how the structure and function of the brain change from infancy through adulthood, and how these changes support cognitive, emotional, and behavioral growth. These studies investigate key developmental processes such as synaptic pruning, myelination, and neural connectivity, as well as how brain regions mature in relation to functions like memory, attention, language, and self-regulation. Researchers use neuroimaging, electrophysiological methods, and behavioral assessments to study both typical and atypical developmental trajectories. Many projects also examine how genetic, environmental, and experiential factors—such as stress, nutrition, caregiving, and education—shape brain development. This research deepens our understanding of human development and informs practices in health, education, and early intervention.
“Human brain 01” by Museum of Veterinary Anatomy FMVZ USP/Wagner Souza e Silva is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International via Wikimedia Commons
- Neural Responding to Infant Distress Cues over the Transition to MotherhoodProject Abstract/Summary For the nearly 4 million American women who give birth annually, infant crying is a significant stressor. The transition to motherhood may be a time of neural plasticity during which the brain undergoes change supporting distress responding. Further, this normative transition may be disrupted by maternal psychological risk. However, little is known about how change in neural responding to distress unfolds over the transition to motherhood, whether psychological factors disrupt such change, and whether such brain responses impact… Read more: Neural Responding to Infant Distress Cues over the Transition to Motherhood
- The developmental origins of social interaction processing in the human brainProject Abstract/Summary Humans are intensely social beings who live in complex groups. One major challenge for the human brain is to enable us to effectively navigate and benefit from this complex social environment. This project will examine the early development of the brain systems that enable us to process and learn from third-person social interactions. The researchers will investigate brain, cognitive and behavioral development during infancy with a specific focus on observing social interactions. By revealing how brain processes underpinning… Read more: The developmental origins of social interaction processing in the human brain
- CAREER: Stereotypes of Teens and Adolescent Neuropsychological DevelopmentProject Abstract/Summary Adolescence is often viewed in a negative light in American society. Both American youth and adults view teens as more rebellious and irresponsible than younger children. Accumulating evidence underscores that negative stereotypes that youth hold about teens, which appear to be culturally shaped, undermine their behavioral adjustment and neural development. Despite the detrimental impact of negative stereotypes about teens, little is known about how youth’s stereotypes of teens change over adolescence, how such changes impact long-term academic, social,… Read more: CAREER: Stereotypes of Teens and Adolescent Neuropsychological Development
- Resilience and Vulnerability of the Developing Brain’s Connectome during the COVID-19 PandemicProject Abstract/Summary Around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profoundly disruptive impact on everyday life. For children at vulnerable periods of development, such as adolescence, restrictions on activities that are critical to their physical, mental and cognitive health may have extensive but difficult to predict negative effects. Specifically, increased stress, fear and loneliness, may have detrimental effects on brain development and the organization of neural circuits that support critical functions, such as decision-making and social cognition. To address… Read more: Resilience and Vulnerability of the Developing Brain’s Connectome during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- CAREER: Examining Prenatal and Postnatal Influences on Infant Brain DevelopmentProject Abstract/Summary This project explores the influence of stressful experiences and supportive caregiving on the developing brain. Given the dramatic growth that occurs during the prenatal and early postnatal periods, the brain seems especially sensitive to the environment during these months. Understanding when and how exposure to stress shapes the brain is essential for advancing knowledge about long-term health and functioning. This research will address fundamental questions regarding infant brain plasticity and provide insights that can be used to inform… Read more: CAREER: Examining Prenatal and Postnatal Influences on Infant Brain Development