Nov
21
Date: 21-November-2025
Time: 1:00 PM ET (New York Time)
Presenter: Dr. Beatriz Luna
Meeting information:
Meeting number: 2533 908 5841
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Beatriz Luna entitled: “Investigating the Brain Mechanisms Supporting Adolescent Neurocognitive Plasticity Supporting the Formation of Adult Trajectories” as part of the activities of the Brain Space Initiative, co-sponsored by the Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS) and the Data Science Initiative, IEEE Signal Processing Society.
Abstract
Complementary Approaches to Understanding Brain Function: Networks, Dynamics, Information
During adolescence the foundation of adult neurocognitive trajectories is being established. Studies will be presented that characterize neurobiological mechanisms that provide evidence for unique developmental plasticity and specialization underlying this maturational period. We performed longitudinal studies using an accelerated cohort design spanning 10-30 years of age using high-field 7T MRI and EEG. We investigated the shape of cognitive development and reward processing and applied multimodal neuroimaging to measure concomitant developmental changes reflecting plasticity in neural activity (EEG), myelination (MRI R1), glutamate/GABA balance (MRSI) in prefrontal cortex, dopaminergic function (striatal tissue iron) in limbic systems and their connectivity informing a model of developmental specialization. Our studies provide evidence for adolescent specific plasticity of executive brain systems that may underlie risk for atypical trajectories that underlie the emergence of psychopathology but also identifies a window of unique malleability when trajectories can be affected.
Biography
Beatriz Luna received the B.A. in Psychology at the American University, the M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Duquesne University, and the Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh in 1984, 1985 & 1996 respectively.
She is currently a Distinguished Staunton Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics as well as Professor of Psychology, Radiology, and Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh. She is the founder and Director of the Laboratory for Neurocognitive Development, a founder and first president of the Flux Society for Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Dr. Luna uses multimodal neuroimaging to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms that support the transition from adolescence to adulthood when lifetime trajectories are determined to inform basic processes of normative development.
Dr. Luna has received numerous awards including being elected to the National Academy of Medicine, receiving the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering, the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring, and the Flux Huttenlocher Award for pioneers in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Her research has been continuously supported by the National Institutes of Mental Health and has informed US Supreme Court briefs regarding extended sentencing in the juvenile justice system.
Recommended Articles:
- Calabro, F. J., Lecroy, D., Foran, W., Sydnor, V. J., Parr, A. C., Constantinidis, C., & Luna, B. (2025). Developmental decorrelation of local cortical activity through adolescence supports high-dimensional encoding and working memory. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. (Link to Paper).
- McKeon, S. D., Perica, M. I., Calabro, F. J., Foran, W., Hetherington, H., Moon, C. H., & Luna, B. (2024). Prefrontal excitation/inhibition balance supports adolescent enhancements in circuit signal to noise ratio. Progress in Neurobiology. (Link to Paper).
- Sydnor, V. J., Petrie, D., McKeon, S. D., Famalette, A., Foran, W., Calabro, F. J., & Luna, B. (2025). Heterochronous laminar maturation in the human prefrontal cortex. bioRxiv. (Link to Paper).
- Sydnor, V. J., Ojha, A., Larsen, B., Martinez, A., Calabro, F. J., & Luna, B. (2025). Investigating hierarchical critical periods in human neurodevelopment. Neuropsychopharmacology. (Link to Paper).
