Project Reference: TRG27-PSY-SB1

Project title: Neurocognitive development and mental health in human adolescence

Project outline

Adolescence, defined as the period between 10 and 24 years of age, is a critical stage of development characterised by profound changes in the brain, cognition and social behaviour. It is also the period during which most mental health conditions first emerge. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying individual differences in development is important for identifying factors that promote resilience and increase vulnerability to mental health problems.

Aims and objectives

The aim of this project is to investigate how adolescent brain microstructural development relates to individual differences in cognitive function and mental health. The objectives are to:

  • Characterise age-related changes in brain microstructure using advanced MRI-derived imaging markers.
  • Examine associations between brain development, social-cognitive processing and mental health.
  • Identify neurobiological markers of risk and resilience for mental health during adolescence.

Methods

The student will analyse data from a large, multi-site longitudinal study combining advanced MRI, social-cognitive assessments and measures of mental health. Imaging data will be analysed using state-of-the-art biophysical modelling to derive sensitive markers of brain microstructure. Statistical analyses will include longitudinal modelling, multivariate methods and machine learning approaches to investigate relationships between brain development, cognition and mental health. 

The student will receive interdisciplinary training in developmental neuroscience, advanced neuroimaging and computational analysis within a collaborative research environment spanning psychology, psychiatry and computational neuroscience.

Principal Supervisor

Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

Email address: sjblakemore@psychol.cam.ac.uk

Department / Partner Institute: Psychology

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/blakemorelab/

BBSRC strategic theme

Bioscience for an integrated understanding of health