Grant: CIHR New Investigator

Neurodevelopmental disorders are becoming increasingly more prevalent. Some of the more common disorders include dyslexia (affecting approximately 5-17% of children), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (2-5%), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (3-11%) and autism spectrum disorder (~1.5%). All of these can negatively affect a child's quality of life by limiting school success, career prospects, and social interactions. Therefore, supporting healthy brain development in childhood and adolescence, and thereby maximizing a child's potential, remains an important goal. My research uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to understand structural brain development, and how it relates to cognitive and behavioral development in healthy children and those with neurodevelopmental disorders. My specific research goals over the next 5 years are to: (1) examine language and structural brain development in preschool-aged children, (2) use advanced imaging techniques to understand healthy white matter development in childhood and adolescence, and (3) identify brain abnormalities in children and adolescents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. This work will identify key periods of brain plasticity and highlight brain abnormalities, laying the foundation for future studies to develop appropriate interventions for developmental disorders. Ultimately, this research will enable programs that can support healthy brain development in children and adolescents.