SFIC Increasing Human Potential

Ongoing Studies > SFIC Increasing Human Potential

Santa Fe Institute Consortium:
Increasing Human Potential

About the study

Team members from Rutgers University and New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ) are part of a consortium of distinguished developmental psychologists, neuroscientists, and neurobiologists from six top institutions in North America who have been funded to study brain development in both very young children and adolescents. A convergence of techniques will be used to study how brain structure, function, and behavior change over time; these techniques will yield information about how changes in the brain affect language, memory, and reasoning.

About the findings

The data obtained during the study will provide essential information for scientists for years to come. First, we will be able to understand how children learn within their environments and ultimately to realize how best to maximize the educational process. Second, we can begin to better understand what mechanisms fail when a child has some type of developmental disability.

Who will participate?

Approximately eighty children will be followed at our site; they will be seen at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Concurrent research will occur at the other member sites.

Why should we participate?

The Infancy Studies Laboratory of Rutgers University has a long history of successfully studying babies from 6 months through 7 years of age. Parents are kept informed about all of the procedures performed during the sessions and their children's responses to these procedures. While you are here, you and your child are surrounded by professionals that make every effort to let you know how special you and your child are to us and how appreciative we are of your participation in our search for answers to the many mysteries of the brain.

What kinds of techniques will be used?

Behavioral Tasks

Event-Related Potential (ERP)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Principal Researchers

Santa Fe Institute
Ellen Goldberg, Ph.D.
George Cowan, Ph.D.

McGill University, Montreal
Tomas Paus, M.D., Ph.D.
Kate Watkins, Ph.D.

Rutgers University, Newark
April Benasich, Ph.D.
Paula Tallal, Ph.D.

New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ)

University of California, Los Angeles
Mirella Dapretto, Ph.D.
Marco Iacoboni, M.D., Ph.D.
John Mazziotta, M.D., Ph.D.

University of Washington, Seattle
Andrew Meltzoff, Ph.D.
Patricia Kuhl, Ph.D.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of behavioral tasks will be used?

As babies, the children will be asked to view images and listen to sounds while scientists observe how they respond during these tasks. Speed and efficiency of processing of auditory and visual information, short- and long-term memory, categorization, discrimination, and object permanence can all be assessed this way. The children will also be asked to play with objects, toys, and pictures while specific language, cognitive, and social skills are observed. As the children get older, more structured measures will be introduced that assess the same skills.

What is an ERP?

An EEG (Electroencephalogram) records the ongoing activity in the brain. An ERP is a special kind of EEG that shows us the brain's response to a stimulus such as a picture or a sound, and allows us to observe where, when, and how the brain responds to different conditions. Sensors, small sponges attached to a net, are placed gently on the child's head and record information from the brain before, during, and after each stimulus is presented. This is a non-invasive, risk-free procedure. The sensors are passive and only pick up the brain's ongoing activity from the surface of the scalp; they do not cause any responses themselves.

What is an MRI?

MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is a way to take pictures of the brain using a large magnet, radio waves, and a computer. The tunnel-like magnet around the subject sets up a strong magnetic field. Radio waves, like those detected by a radio, are transmitted and interact with water molecules in the body that are in resonance. These water molecules send out signals that the computer turns into images that reveal the differences between varying types of tissue. The magnetic fields have no known harmful effects. MRI does not use x-rays and is not painful.

How is this done with a young child?

Children are invited to come to the MRI suite at New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ) in the evening at a time when they are regularly scheduled to go to sleep. There will be a rocking chair, soothing lullaby music, and headphones available in the scanning room. Parents are encouraged to use a customary bedtime routine to put their children to sleep (nursing, cuddling, rocking), and then to place headphones on them while soothing music is piped in. As babies, the children will be swaddled in light blankets to avoid excessive movement once they are asleep. Parents will then gently lay their children on the scanning bed, and the imaging procedure can begin.

Ongoing Studies > SFIC Increasing Human Potential

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		About the study Team members from Rutgers University and New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ) are part of a consortium of distinguished developmental psychologists, neuroscientists, and neurobiologists from six top institutions in North America who have been funded to study brain development in both very young children and adolescents. A convergence of techniques will be used to study how brain structure, function, and behavior change over time; these techniques will yield information about how changes in the brain affect language, memory, and reasoning. About the findings The data obtained during the study will provide essential information for scientists for years to come. First, we will be able to understand how children learn within their environments and ultimately to realize how best to maximize the educational process. Second, we can begin to better understand what mechanisms fail when a child has some type of developmental disability. Who will participate? Approximately eighty children will be followed at our site; they will be seen at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Concurrent research will occur at the other member sites. Why should we participate? The Infancy Studies Laboratory of Rutgers University has a long history of successfully studying babies from 6 months through 7 years of age. Parents are kept informed about all of the procedures performed during the sessions and their children's responses to these procedures. While you are here, you and your child are surrounded by professionals that make every effort to let you know how special you and your child are to us and how appreciative we are of your participation in our search for answers to the many mysteries of the brain. What kinds of techniques will be used? Behavioral Tasks Event-Related Potential (ERP) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Principal Researchers
Santa Fe Institute Ellen Goldberg, Ph.D. George Cowan, Ph.D. McGill University, Montreal Tomas Paus, M.D., Ph.D. Kate Watkins, Ph.D. Rutgers University, Newark April Benasich, Ph.D. Paula Tallal, Ph.D. New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ) University of California, Los Angeles Mirella Dapretto, Ph.D. Marco Iacoboni, M.D., Ph.D. John Mazziotta, M.D., Ph.D. University of Washington, Seattle Andrew Meltzoff, Ph.D. Patricia Kuhl, Ph.D.

Frequently Asked Questions

		What kinds of behavioral tasks will be used? As babies, the children will be asked to view images and listen to sounds while scientists observe how they respond during these tasks. Speed and efficiency of processing of auditory and visual information, short- and long-term memory, categorization, discrimination, and object permanence can all be assessed this way. The children will also be asked to play with objects, toys, and pictures while specific language, cognitive, and social skills are observed. As the children get older, more structured measures will be introduced that assess the same skills.

		What is an ERP? An EEG (Electroencephalogram) records the ongoing activity in the brain. An ERP is a special kind of EEG that shows us the brain's response to a stimulus such as a picture or a sound, and allows us to observe where, when, and how the brain responds to different conditions. Sensors, small sponges attached to a net, are placed gently on the child's head and record information from the brain before, during, and after each stimulus is presented. This is a non-invasive, risk-free procedure. The sensors are passive and only pick up the brain's ongoing activity from the surface of the scalp; they do not cause any responses themselves.

		What is an MRI? MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is a way to take pictures of the brain using a large magnet, radio waves, and a computer. The tunnel-like magnet around the subject sets up a strong magnetic field. Radio waves, like those detected by a radio, are transmitted and interact with water molecules in the body that are in resonance. These water molecules send out signals that the computer turns into images that reveal the differences between varying types of tissue. The magnetic fields have no known harmful effects. MRI does not use x-rays and is not painful.

		How is this done with a young child? Children are invited to come to the MRI suite at New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ) in the evening at a time when they are regularly scheduled to go to sleep. There will be a rocking chair, soothing lullaby music, and headphones available in the scanning room. Parents are encouraged to use a customary bedtime routine to put their children to sleep (nursing, cuddling, rocking), and then to place headphones on them while soothing music is piped in. As babies, the children will be swaddled in light blankets to avoid excessive movement once they are asleep. Parents will then gently lay their children on the scanning bed, and the imaging procedure can begin.