Adolescent Neuroscience and Brain Imaging

Dr. Abigail Baird,Vassar College

The present session will address the neurophysiological mechanisms that underlie an individual‚s ability to successfully integrate cognitive, emotional and social processes. This ability is thought to rely heavily on the neurodevelopmental trajectory of the relationship between medial temporal lobe structures and frontal cortices. Medial temporal lobe structures, like the amygdala and basal ganglia, have been described as convergence zones for the social homeostatic and survival-related meaning of stimuli. More simply, it is likely that these structures help the human animal recognize and learn the emotional meaning of stimuli in his/her environment. This function is only useful, however, when it results in the production of appropriate behavioral responses. The production of appropriate behavior may rely heavily on the functionality of the frontal cortex. The frontal cortex has been shown to contribute to a wide range of human behavior. Importantly, it has been implicated in behavioral inhibition, decision-making, and abstract thinking. It is also important to consider the fact that while medial temporal lobe structures are functionally mature very early in life, the human frontal cortex does not reach full functional maturity until after puberty. Therefore, this presentation will explore the hypothesis that early in development, many aspects of social behavior may be regulated by medial temporal lobe structures. Further, it is conceivable that during later development frontal regions begin to exert a more powerful influence, so that what once were largely survival-based unconscious behaviors become increasingly entwined with more conscious cognitive and social processes. This change in behavior closely parallels age-related changes in neural physiology. Importantly, the emergence of this behavior (as well as the concomitant neural hardware) may also represent essential scaffolding for more complex social behaviors.

Dr. Baird is a developmental neuroscientist at Vassar College, where she is an Assistant Professor, and Directory of the Laboratory for Adolescent Studies in the Department of Psychology. Professor Baird specializes in the application of neuroimaging techniques to the study of the developing brain, with a particular focus on adolescence. Currently, she is examining structural and physiological changes in the limbic system of adolescents. The goal of this research is to better understand how these changes relate to the emergence of specific cognitive and emotional behaviors that are specific to adolescent development. Dr. Baird received her Bachelor‚s degree from Vassar College in 1991, and both a Masters and Doctoral Degree from Harvard University in 1999 and 2001.

The P/T Colloquium is
typically held each
Thursday, 3:45–5:00 PM.

Collaborations and Refreshments, 3:15 PM.