Invited symposium
Chairs: George Butterworth and Alan M. Slater
The aim of this invited symposium is to present the work of various leadingEuropean infancy laboratories. As such, the symposium is not based on asingle research topic but instead is intended to provide a summary ofresearch currently taking place in five laboratories in a number ofEuropean countries. Laboratories were selected in terms of their size andprominence, and such a strategy of course does not reflect the volume ofwork being carried out by individuals in smaller laboratories acrossEurope. However, it is anticipated that this symposium will provide aflavour of the diversity of work currently taking place in Europe. Thedirector or a senior member of each laboratory will speak on the mainresearch themes of the laboratory, and the symposium will conclude with ashort open discussion.
Details of individual items:
paper
no abstract
paper
paper
The aim of our research is to elucidate the processes involved in thedevelopment of certain adverse psychological outcomes, principallythrough the study of the child's interpersonal relationships. Outcomesinclude cognitive delays and disorders of social attachments andbehavioural regulation in infancy, and antisocial behaviour, educationalfailure and frank psychiatric disorders in older children. This workprovides the basis for the development and evaluation of clinicalinterventions. Three lines of research are being undertaken. 1. Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of the parent-childrelationship and child outcomea) The impact on development of disturbances in parenting: A principalfocus has been maternal psychiatric disorder, but we are also examiningthe impact of extreme social adversity. To date, three communitypsychiatric populations (maternal depression, eating disorders andanxiety disorder) have been studied, as well as populations living inconditions of extreme deprivation in Britain and in South Africa. Thisresearch has permitted routes of environmental transmission ofdevelopmental disorder to be identified that are specific to particularconditions.b) The contribution of infant factors: Newborn populations are screenedfor the presence of particular characteristics (e.g. neonatalirritability; cranio-facial abnormalities), and their role, both direct,and via their impact on the environment, has been investigated.2. Experimental manipulation of both infant/child and environmentalvariablesa) Experimental procedures are employed for two purposes: (i) tomanipulate selected aspects of interpersonal functioning (e.g.contingency) in order to help specify the parameters of either maternalor infant behaviour involved in adverse outcome. (ii) to elucidate thenature of underlying deficits associated with different adverseoutcomes.3. Treatment trialsBy studying the impact of different treatment conditions, treatmenttrials are used to test particular hypotheses concerning the mechanismswhereby adverse outcomes arise. In the course of evaluating theeffectiveness of different treatments we are also concerned to influencewider clinical practice.
paper
The Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development at Birkbeck College (part ofthe University of London) was founded in October 1998. The CentreB9s missionis to investigate relations between postnatal brain development andchanges in perceptual, cognitive, and linguistic abilities in normal andatypical infants and children. While a wide range of scientific studies areconducted at, or associated with, the Centre, a primary focus is on thespecialisation of the infantB9s brain for visual perception andvisually-guided action. We believe in gaining coverging evidence fromdifferent methods, including behavioural testing, brain imaging, andcomputational modelling.The Centre is housed in its own building which includes a fully equippedbabylab for behavioural testing, two high-density ERP suites, and an eyetracking system suitable for infants. Core funding is obtained from the UKMedical Research Council, but members of the Centre also have funding fromother UK, European, and American grant agencies. A specific aim of theCentre is to provide a focus for international collaboration and training,and we have strong collaborative links with other infant laboratories in theUS, Canada, France, and Italy. Our geographical location in central London also provides an excellent local scientific environment with collaborationsat the UCL Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience and Institute for ChildHealth. Currently, scientists working on infancy and most closely associated withthe Centre include Mark Johnson (Director), Gergely Csibra, Denis Mareschal,Jordy Kauffman, Michelle de Haan, Greg Davis, Jim Barnes and Mike Spratling. There are also six research support staff and students housed in theCentre.
paper
The principle aim of the Fetal Behaviour Research Centre is to study the behaviour of the fetus. Understanding the behaviour of the human fetus presents one of the greatest challenges to scientist, clinicians and parents in the present day. The research takes place in a purpose designed research facility funded by a grant from The Wellcome Trust. The Centre a wide-ranging, multidisciplinary research programme that is studying the dynamic interactions between the fetus, its environment and behaviour that are essential for successful functioning in the womb and in its new environment outside the womb after birth. The research of the Centre aims to lead to a better understanding of all aspects of behaviour during the fetal period. Particular emphasis is placed on describing behaviour of the fetus, exploring the the function(s) of fetal behaviour; examining the relationship between behavioural and neural development, and; developing behavioural techniques to improve antenatal diagnosis of handicap and design treatment.