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SUMMARY:The typical and atypical development of the human social brain - D
 r. Mark Johnson\, Birkbeck College
DTSTART:20111202T130000Z
DTEND:20111202T140000Z
UID:TALK33057@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Carissa Sharp
DESCRIPTION:A central issue in human development is how regions of the cer
 ebral cortex become specialized for specific perceptual\, motor\, and cogn
 itive functions. I will compare and contrast three general viewpoints on h
 uman functional brain development:  a maturational view (in which cognitiv
 e and behavioural change is attributed to the maturation of underlying bra
 in regions)\, a skill-learning view (in which the brain changes with cogni
 tive development are viewed as similar to those seen when adults acquire c
 omplex new skills)\, and “Interactive Specialisation”.   The latter vi
 ew hypothesises that the functional specialisation of some regions of the 
 cortex becomes increasingly finely tuned during postnatal development thro
 ugh interactions between different cortical regions\, between cortical and
  sub-cortical structures in the brain\, and interactions between the baby 
 and its social and physical environment.\n\nAs an example of the Interacti
 ve Specialization approach I will review studies from our laboratory and o
 thers on the emergence of the “social brain”\, a cortical network that
  enables us adults to recognise the identity\, actions and intentions of o
 ther humans. My review of studies of face processing\, eye gaze perception
  and human voice perception in infants and children support the Interactiv
 e Specialisation perspective.  In the final part of my talk I turn to the 
 atypical development of the social brain\, and discuss recent studies of b
 abies at-risk for a later diagnosis of autism.\n\nJohnson\, M.H. (2001) Fu
 nctional brain development in humans.  Nature Reviews Neuroscience\, 2\, 4
 75-483.\n\nJohnson\, M.H. & de Haan\, M. (2011) Developmental Cognitive Ne
 uroscience\, 3rd Edition.  Wiley -Blackwell\n\n
LOCATION:PPSIS Seminar Room (Free School Lane)
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