Capturing Developmental Brain Dynamics

The brain is not static but undergoes substantial structural and functional changes when we learn and develop. Understanding these changes yields crucial insights on how the brain typically learns and develops but also about atypical development in neurocognitive disorders, even before diagnostic symptoms can be observed. Capturing developmental and learning-induced dynamics is extremely challenging however, as changes occur interactively across multiple levels: (social) environmental, behavioral, structural and functional brain changes. Studying this interplay of factors calls for both an interdisciplinary and longitudinal approach, measuring changes across these different levels and at multiple time points within the same individuals. The analysis and interpretation of such complex and multi-level data requires tailored mathematical modelling and a close collaboration between social and natural sciences. Best practices and tools for integrated analyses across levels of change however are still in their infancy.  

This workshop aims to (1) bring together researchers from different disciplines (engineering, statistics, neuroimaging methods, cognitive neuroscience, biology, developmental psychology and educational science), (2) develop a research agenda, and (3) build a strong consortium for future grant proposals  combining the latest theoretical insights and state-of-the-art analysis approaches to move towards an integrated investigation of developmental brain dynamics.