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We were so delighted to finally be able to see each other in person since the COVID restrictions were set in place. Here is a photo from our first lab outdoor gathering since last year!

Our associate professor, Catherine Lebel, presented a talk on how white matter matures throughout childhood and adolescence. Here is a quick blurb on the talk:

“Brain white matter matures throughout childhood and adolescence, and this maturation can be measured in different ways. The most commonly used method is diffusion tensor imaging, which is highly sensitive to white matter changes, but not very specific. Longitudinal data is essential to appropriately measure changes over time, but relatively few studies have used longitudinal neuroimaging to characterize white matter development within participants. In this talk, I will share some of the recent work from my lab looking at typical white matter development from early childhood to adolescence using diffusion imaging and other white matter imaging techniques. I will also present results showing atypical brain connectivity and brain development in young children with prenatal alcohol exposure, and in infants and children who experienced prenatal maternal psychological distress.”

One of our PhD students, Preeti Kar, put together a poster presentation showcasing the results of alcohol and substance use in relation to pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information on the Pregnancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic study, please visit our website – pregnancyduringthepandemic.com!

One of our fellow lab members, Mercedes Bagshawe, put together a very educational poster presentation showcasing the results of our latest study – Pregnancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Also, if you are interested in learning more about the study, visit our website pregnancyduringthepandemic.com for more information!

Pregnant individuals are more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to the general population. Levels of symptoms have increased by 3-4 times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Symptoms of depression and anxiety compromise a pregnant parent’s wellness and have been related to child behavioural outcomes that confer risk for later mental illness in children themselves. There is also evidence that prenatal mental health is associated with child brain development, particularly in regions of the brain that regulate emotion. In this way, mental health reaches beyond individuals into families and communities. 

On Bell Let’s Talk Day 2021, it is important that we recognize the increased levels of anxiety and depression experienced by mothers in the past year and talk about how best we can support pregnant parents and their children.

As part of our Pregnancy During the Pandemic study, mothers have completed questionnaires about their mental health. Infant children and their parents have been invited to the hospital to have pictures taken of the infant’s brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We will study different regions and measures of the child brain and relate them to the mental health of their parent across multiple time points in pregnancy. Through this work we aim to identify when in pregnancy or postpartum the child brain appears to be most sensitive to the effects of prenatal mental health and stress, and we will provide evidence for when support and interventions for pregnant individuals may be most effective. Stay tuned for our findings!

Most mental health problems emerge in adolescence. Understanding the early roots of mental health problems may help to identify them early and provide more effective interventions.  

In our lab, we study mental health from the prenatal period to early adulthood. For example, see our Pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic study, which is looking at how mental health is affected in pregnancy during the pandemic and the resulting impacts on children. We also study links between internalizing and externalizing behavior in adolescence.  

Currently we are extending this work to understand brain alterations in children and youth with prenatal exposures, most of whom experience mental health challenges. 

Stay tuned for more exciting work on brain and mental health coming out of the Developmental Neuroimaging Lab!! 

Here, we show white matter changes in young children exposed to maternal prenatal depressive symptoms. Children of mothers with worse depressive symptoms had weaker white matter connectivity between areas related to emotional processing.

For further information click here