Talk title: A transdiagnostic approach to neurodevelopment

Abstract

Macroscopic brain organisation emerges early in life, even prenatally, and continues to change through adolescence and into early adulthood. The emergence and continual refinement of large-scale brain networks, connecting neuronal populations across anatomical distance, allows for increasing functional integration and specialisation. But this gradual process of network emergence is incredibly variable across individuals, and it is not clear why the diversity exists, what consequences it holds for cognition, or what factors might shape it over time.  

This talk will showcase the application of different AI-inspired computational models to address three crucial challenges that we face as developmental scientists. Firstly, how do we capture the incredible heterogeneity that exists across childhood and adolescence, and do these differences map to established diagnostic categories? Secondly, can we build developmental models that formalise simple biological principles in order to capture complex developmental phenomena? Thirdly, can we use these models to bridge scales and species to establish fundamental and causal mechanisms that shape development?

The take home message? Whilst certain modelling techniques might appear new, in reality they offer us a formal way of addressing some of the most long-standing questions at the heart of developmental science.