Silvia Bunge

The Building Blocks of Cognition Laboratory is so named because...

1. The impressive array of human cognitive abilities arises from interactions among a set of core mental processes, just as a complex structure can be built from simple pieces. We design experiments to isolate some of these core processes. 

2. Cognition is ‘built’ as the brain matures. We are engaged in a large study tracking the neural changes that underlie the emergence of high-level cognition across ages 6-19. In addition to studying typically development, we conduct research involving several pediatric patient populations.

3. Experience influences how the brain is ‘built’, and how it functions throughout life. We are currently studying experience-dependent brain plasticity in young adults, examining whether and how changes in mental habits can alter brain function.We seek to extend this research to the study of brain plasticity in children.