NEURODEVELOPMENT

 
 

DEVELOPMENT

Early development is a critical period of cognitive, behavioural, and brain development, marked by significant changes in brain structure and function. During development, the brain is highly receptive to environmental influences. This makes it a unique time window for studying brain-behaviour relationships and for identifying early biomarkers and intervention targets. By characterizing healthy developmental trajectories, we can enhance our understanding of typical brain maturation and establish a reference point for recognising deviations linked to behavioural outcomes or neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Subject-specific computational models offer a powerful approach to explore the potential mechanisms underlying neurodevelopment. “TheVirtualBrain” (TVB) is a platform that integrates subjects’ neuroimaging data to create biologically realistic, personalized simulations of brain network dynamics. By incorporating children’s structural and functional data into TVB, we aim to develop a computational modelling framework to investigate key brain network changes across early development. Modelling brain networks during this formative period can uncover patterns and neurobiological features that are established early on and may be important for predicting, detecting, and mitigating potential declines later in life. Ultimately, this work will lay the foundation for modelling individualised brain network dynamics across the entire lifespan.