[The Center’s] major emphasis is on prevention—to help prevent and catch memory loss in its early stages before it turns into Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Dr. Donald Stuss
Fear of memory decline going hand-and-hand with normal aging grips a population growing older day by day. But recent discoveries about brain plasticity – the brain’s ability to modify itself – can diminish the dread. Dr. Stuss will share more about the flexible brain, including its neuronal compensation abilities, the importance of the frontal lobes on brain training, and how environmental factors impact the brain’s remarkable plasticity.
Dr. Helen Neville
An array of research is underway examining a variety of influences on cognition in children of all ages. Some of it concentrates on the impact of experience on brain development; other studies investigate the role genes play in the optimal maturing of cognitive abilities. Dr. Neville will explain how such research expands understanding of brain function development and its implications for future directions in education.
Dr. John Gabrieli
Modern neuroimaging techniques measure functional and structural properties of the brain that actually predict future behavior. Such measurements can help identify when the brain is ready to perform and learn, and, for clinical purposes, predict when children will make the most progress in overcoming neurodevelopmental disorders or forecast which patients will best respond to specific therapies. Dr. Gabrieli will explain how today’s neuroimaging predicts the future.
Dr. Daniel Gilbert
Most of us think we know what would make us happy. But research in psychology, economics and neuroscience shows that people are not very good at predicting what will make them happy, how happy it will make them or how long that happiness will last. Dr. Gilbert will share why, when it comes to finding happiness, we cannot always trust our imaginations – or our mothers.