The ABCs lab is interested in infant and child cerebral, cognitive and social development. Our goal is to better understand pediatric concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI). In order to do so, we also develop assessment and intervention tools to help evaluate these injuries.
Assessment
To evaluate the development of cognitive skills and behaviors
Behavior
To study the development of cognitive skills and behaviors
Concussion
To document a concussion’s impact on child development
Socialization
To evaluate and encourage social skills such as theory of mind, empathy, and moral reasoning
The majority of our projects are based on two domains of expertise.
Concussion and TBI
Social Cognition
Tools and Methods
We use a variety of tools and methods throughout our projects:
Neuropsychological Assessment
Tests to document cognitive (memory, attention, executive function, language) and socio-cognitive (emotion recognition, theory of mind, empathy, moral reasoning) processes
Oculometry
Techniques for recording eye movements, gaze, and pupil dilation in real time
Video Games
Serious video games focused on optimizing cognitive and social skills
Magnetic resonance imaging
Techniques to visualize brain structure and function. such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Virtual & Augmented Reality
Immersive and dynamic technologies to project realistic environments through head-mounting displays, 3D glasses or cave systems
Digital Health
Phone or tablet applications to assess or optimize skills