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Plasticity during childhood and adolescence: innovative approaches to investigating neurocognitive development
Author(s) -
Kadosh Kathrin Cohen,
Linden David E.J.,
Lau Jennifer Y.F.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
developmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.801
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1467-7687
pISSN - 1363-755X
DOI - 10.1111/desc.12054
Subject(s) - neurocognitive , psychology , context (archaeology) , cognition , developmental psychology , cognitive psychology , child development , developmental cognitive neuroscience , neuroplasticity , cognitive development , neurofeedback , neuroimaging , intervention (counseling) , functional neuroimaging , neuroscience , electroencephalography , paleontology , psychiatry , biology
Adolescence is a period of profound change, which holds substantial developmental milestones, but also unique challenges to the individual. In this opinion paper, we highlight the potential of combining two recently developed behavioural and neural training techniques (cognitive bias modification and functional magnetic neuroimaging‐based neurofeedback) into a research approach that could help make the most of increased levels of plasticity during childhood and adolescence. We discuss how this powerful combination could be used to explore changing brain–behaviour relationships throughout development in the context of emotion processing, a cognitive domain that exhibits continuous development throughout the second decade of life. By targeting both behaviour and brain response, we would also be in an excellent position to define sensible time windows for enhancing plasticity, thereby allowing for targeted intervention approaches that can help improve emotion processing in both typically and atypically developing populations.