February 9th, 2011
Distinguished Lecture Series
February 9th, 2011
Title of Talk: Brain Dynamics Underlying Cognitive
Development Through Adolescence
Speaker: Beatriz Luna, Ph.D. Laboratory of Neurocognitive Development
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Location: Georgia State University
1000 Urban Life Building
Time: 10:30 AM
Abstract:
Adolescence is a period of development characterized by impulsive and risk-taking behavior. There is accumulating evidence that while adolescents have the capability to exert adult level voluntary control of behavior, this is still immature undermining decision making. Our neuroimaging studies on response inhibition have found evidence for particular immaturities during adolescence including limitations in the ability to monitor performance, sustain voluntary control, and be affected by reward incentives. Results also indicate that these limitations in voluntary control may be underlied by evidence for immaturities in brain effective functional integration and white matter integrity of top down executive control of behavior. More recently our fMRI studies of activation during rest states show that the basic hub architecture of the brain is in place by childhood but that connections from frontal areas to other cortical and subcortical regions continues to strengthen into adulthood. Overall, results indicate that with development the brain integrates function in a more distributed collaborative manner supporting complex processing such as voluntary control of behavior.
*Lecture series will be held at 10:30 AM in Room 1000 of the Urban Life Building. There will be a small coffee reception at 10:00 AM preceding each lecture.