Neurocognitive development of decision-making

Neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies in adults have suggested that two
important components of decision-making, stimulus anticipation and feedback
processing associated with social and non-social processes, rely on separable
regions within the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Behavioral and psychophysiological
studies have shown that there are large developmental changes in these putative
functions. This study has the goal to understand functional brain maturation
that subserves developmental change in stimulus anticipation and outcome
processing in a social and non-social decision-making task.

The main objective is to examine the development of brain regions that are
known to be important for social and non-social decision-making in adults, and
to examine whether there are different developmental trajectories for these
brain regions that underlie changes in behaviour from late childhood into
adulthood.

This study uses an experimental design. Participants will perform a
computerized decision-making task under easy and difficult conditions, and we
will measure brain activation using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(fMRI) and autonomic responses while they are performing the task.

There are no known risks associated with participating in an fMRI study. This
is a noninvasive technique involving no catheterizations or introduction of
exogenous tracers. Numerous children and adults have undergone magnetic
resonance studies without apparent harmful consequences. Some people become
claustrophobic while inside the magnet and in these cases the study will be
terminated immediately at the subject's request. The only absolute
contraindications to MRI studies are the presence of intracranial or
intraocular metal, or a pacemaker. Relative contraindications include pregnancy
and claustrophobia. Subjects who may be pregnant, who may have metallic foreign
bodies in the eyes or head, or who have cardiac pacemakers will be excluded
because of potential contraindications of MRI in such subjects. Although there
is no direct benefit to the participants from this proposed research, there are
greater benefits to society from the potential knowledge gained from this
study. This knowledge about normal development is critical to aid in the
understanding of cases of abnormal development, as seen in children with
schizophrenia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive
Disorder,
Tourette*s syndrome, or traumatic brain injury.