Modeling how early caregiver responses shape brain development linked to anxiety and depression in young children
Official title: A computational model for how risk for anxiety and depression influences affective neurodevelopment
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11398130 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in 0-11 year olds explores how negative emotions and caregiver reactions influence developing brain networks tied to emotion, attention, and self-regulation, with the aim of understanding pathways to anxiety and depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,166,250 |
| NIH project number | 4DP5OD037370-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398130 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Young children (0-11 years old) experiencing or at risk for difficulties with negative affect and caregiver interactions.
✕Less likely to help
Children without emotional regulation challenges or caregiver factors may have limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at preschool-aged children to see how negative emotions interact with how caregivers respond, and how that affects the brain networks involved in attention and emotion regulation. It uses computational modeling to connect caregiver behavior, child emotion expression, and neural development. By following children over time, researchers hope to identify patterns that predict later risk for anxiety or depression and identify potential early intervention targets.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform early caregiver strategies and interventions to support healthy emotional development and reduce later risk of mood disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work links early negative affect and caregiving to later emotional outcomes, with growing use of computational models to map brain–behavior relationships.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Camacho, Maria Catalina — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Camacho, Maria Catalina
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.