AnxNPS · Anxiety across childhood and adolescence: Neural, psychological, and social factors

Anxiety disorders are one of the most prevalent and chronic forms of psychiatric disorder. Critically, these disorders often have an early onset, with childhood and adolescence being the core period of developmental risk. Anxiety in this period can lead to academic and socio-emotional difficulties, as well as long-term mental health problems. Elucidating the developmental trajectories and aetiology of early anxiety is therefore of great importance. This project aims to further understanding of the neurobiological and psychological mechanisms through which anxiety emerges and is maintained across childhood and adolescence, as well as how atypical early social experience may increase risk. Multi-model techniques (neuroimaging, cognitive assessment, behavioural observation) incorporating interdisciplinary insights will be utilized to realize the following objectives in a longitudinal study of rhesus macaques varying in early social experience: 1) assess levels of anxiety over time; 2) track brain development over time and relate to concurrent and future anxiety; 3) assess attention bias to threat (ABT) over time and investigate its relationship with brain development and anxiety; and 4) consider effects of atypical early social experience on relationships between brain development, ABT and anxiety. Novel aspects of this project include the longitudinal investigation of brain development across the core period of risk for anxiety disorders, and consideration of how atypical early experience might modulate relationships between brain development, ABT, and anxiety. Project results will provide a more in-depth and nuanced understanding of early anxiety, which can be used to guide future human research and aid the design of more effective treatments and early interventions. Advanced training in neuroimaging and nonhuman primate behaviour will expand the candidate’s skill-set significantly, establishing their trajectory towards becoming an independent research leader.