Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience of Adolescence

Catalog description

In this course students will evaluate a mix of foundational and cutting-edge research and theory investigating various changes during adolescence principally from a developmental cognitive neuroscience perspective. Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding the application of non-invasive neuroimaging techniques (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging, EEG) and the critical role these tools have played in our understanding of adolescent development. Topics to be discussed include (but will not be limited to) structural brain development, maturation in cognitive control functions (e.g., working memory, inhibitory control), as well as affective (e.g., emotion and reward processing), and social information processing. We will also examine factors contributing to adolescent decision-making and risk-taking behaviors.