Claudia Buss

Feb 11, 2024 | biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com | Ann M. Alex |Mackenzie Green |Claudia Buss |Emil Cornea

Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to high cortisol production, which is associated with damage to certain brain regions. We investigate the role of basal cortisol in shaping brain development in infancy through 2 questions: Q1) Are basal cortisol levels in early infancy associated with brain development during the first year of life? Q2) Do neonatal hippocampal and amygdala volumes predict cortisol levels later in infancy?

Nov 23, 2023 | nature.com | Ann M. Alex |Claudia Buss |Yap-Seng Chong |Kirsten A Donald |Damien A. Fair |John Gilmore | +9 more

AbstractThe human brain grows quickly during infancy and early childhood, but factors influencing brain maturation in this period remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we harmonized data from eight diverse cohorts, creating one of the largest pediatric neuroimaging datasets to date focused on birth to 6 years of age.