Objective
Rostral prefrontal cortex (rPFC) is a brain area that is significantly larger in humans than in other primates and is one of the last areas to achieve maturation. Cellular studies have suggested that significant synaptic proliferation occurs in the PFC at the onset of puberty, followed by a period of synaptic pruning and continued axonal myelination, which continues throughout adolescence.
Similarly, recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated continued development in terms of the volume of grey matter and white matter in the adolescent human brain. Behavioural studies have demonstrated a development of executive functions abilities during this time period. Some studies demonstrated linear improvements, other non linear changes, e.g. Mc Givern et al. observed a significant rise in reaction time on an executive function task involving emotionally related stimuli around the age of puberty onset, possibly associated with these neural alterations.
In this project, we propose to investigate the development of rPFC during puberty and adolescence, focusing on two functions of rPFC. It has been proposed that posterior medial rPFC is involved in interpreting others mental states (Theory of Mind: ToM), while anterior medial rPFC and lateral rPFC are differentially involved in allocating attention to ones thought or towards the environment. Behaviourally, we would first aim to study differences in performance in a task combining the social (ToM) and attention aspects of rPFC function. Functional MRI would be used to investigate the different involvement of lateral, medial, and posterior rPFC in these two functions.
Finally an anatomical study, using voxel-based morphometry, would add quantitative observation of the structural development of the brain. We predict a decrement in performance on mentalising/social tasks and attention switching tasks around the age of puberty onset, associated with developmental changes in posterior and lateral rPFC.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology mammalogy primatology
- social sciences psychology behavioural psychology
- engineering and technology medical engineering diagnostic imaging magnetic resonance imaging
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2005-MOBILITY-5
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
LONDON
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.