OUR MISSION
To conduct innovative research that improves knowledge of the environmental and biological factors that influence brain development during childhood and adolescence, and increases understanding of how these factors confer risk or resilience to the development of mental health problems.
OUR VISION
Our research will contribute in a meaningful way to understanding and treating mental health problems in young people, improving outcomes now and for future generations.
Our Research
We aim to characterise neurodevelopmental risk and resilience factors for common mental health problems in children and adolescents, particularly mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. An important aspect of our research is to incorporate a biopsychosocial approach, investigating whether and how a range of factors, such as adverse experiences and puberty, influence and interact with neurodevelopment to confer risk or resilience for mental health problems. Our research falls under two themes: The role of the social environment in shaping brain development and puberty and the developing brain
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The role of the social environment in shaping brain development
During childhood and adolescence, the social environment can be a source of both risk and resilience for young people. Adverse or stressful experiences, and relationships and interactions with parents and peers can influence brain development and mental health into adulthood. Our lab seeks to understand how the brain adapts to social environments for better and for worse. We focus particularly on how the family environment and parent-child interactions continue to influence child development into the adolescent years.
Recent Projects:
The Emotional Learning and Memory (ELM) Study seeks to understand the neural mechanisms of fear learning and emotion regulation in adolescents, and how these processes contribute to anxiety. It also investigates the influence of puberty, adverse experiences and the family environment.
Funding: Neural mechanisms of anxiety across development and sex. National Health and Medical Research Council (2019-2022). S Whittle, J Simmons, D Ganella, O Schwartz, J Kim, B Harrison, K Felmingham
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The Tuning in to Teens' Brains (TINT-B) Study investigates whether an emotion-focused parenting intervention for adolescents with internalising symptoms changes adolescent neural circuitry supporting emotion regulation.
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The Family and Childhood Transitions Study (FACTS) investigates the influence of the family environment on brain development in children from socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
Funding: Do family environments influence children's brain development during the transition to adolescence?Australian Research Council (2013-2015). S Whittle, M Seal, J Simmons, O Schwartz, M Yap, L Sheeber, N Allen
Puberty and the developing brain
Puberty is a major developmental process that is important not only for the attainment of reproductive maturity, but also for brain development and behaviour. The timing and tempo of pubertal maturation are thought to be important for mental health in adolescents, and it has been theorised that this is partially due to the impact of pubertal hormones on the developing brain. Puberty in females is also characterised by the onset of monthly hormone cycling, which can also affect brain function and mood. Our lab seeks to better understand how pubertal development influences the developing brain and mental health.
Recent Projects:
The Puberty and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescents (PANDA) Study aims to investigate the role of female sex hormones on brain development, with a focus on emotion regulation neural circuitry. It will investigate the association between short-term variability in oestradiol and progesterone, and brain and behaviour.
Funding: The impact of female sex hormones on neurodevelopment. Australian Research Council (2022-2026). S Whittle, M Seal, N Vijayakumar, J Simmons, O Schwartz, M Herting, M O'Connell.
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The Imaging in the Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study (iCATS) investigates the relationships between health and puberty by looking at brain development. iCATS is an extension of the larger Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study (CATS). Children in iCATS were scanned at age 9 and 12. They are currently being scanned in early adulthood.
Funding: Pubertal timing, brain development and mental health in adolescence. National Health and Medical Research Council (2015-2019). S Whittle, N Allen, G Patton, M Seal, J Simmons, P Dudgeon.Adolescence as a ‘sensitive window’ for stress exposure and implications for mental health. National Health and Medical Research Council (2024-2026). N Vijayakumar, S Whittle, S Sawyers