Understanding Emotions and Mental Health Risks in Children
Emotion Processing: Risk for Psychopathology in Children
This work helps us understand how difficult childhood experiences affect brain development and lead to mental health problems in children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11128145 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work explores how challenging childhood experiences shape a child's brain and behavior, potentially leading to mental and physical health issues. We want to discover how these experiences change brain circuits and how we might develop treatments for affected children. Our approach combines brain imaging, behavior observations, and computer modeling to understand how children learn from their experiences, especially in unstable environments, and how this affects their decision-making and ability to manage emotions. We hope to pinpoint specific ways these processes can be changed to help children.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research focuses on understanding children aged 0-11 who have experienced various forms of adversity.
Not a fit: Patients who have not experienced childhood adversity may not directly benefit from this specific line of inquiry.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent and treat mental health problems in children who have experienced adversity.
How similar studies have performed: This basic science work aims to identify new mechanisms, building upon general understanding of child development but exploring novel questions about specific learning processes.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pollak, Seth D — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Pollak, Seth D
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 below.