Our impact upon the world is largely defined by the decisions that we make, from how to respond to a social provocation to what larger goals will shape our lives. Although it is not a new observation that the ability to make good choices tends to improve as individuals grow into adulthood, little is known about the brain developmental processes underlying this. Immature decision-making, particularly during adolescence, results in risky behaviors that are among the main causes of illness and death in young people. Problems with decision-making are also a part of disorders such as Autism, Schizophrenia, and depression, which most often begin during childhood or adolescence. Hence studying the neurobiology of decision-making offers a unique window into a potentially vulnerable period of development.
The goal of our study is to determine whether changes in decision-making ability across childhood and adolescence, specifically during ambiguous conditions, are associated with maturational changes in these brain regions and networks.
