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Divyangana Rakesh

@divyangana.bsky.social
543 followers 214 following 21 posts

Lecturer and Researcher at King's College London interested in environmental influences on brain and behaviour development; garden variety socialist and photographer 📸 from 🇮🇳

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Reposted by Divyangana Rakesh
Timothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
"These findings suggest that accumulating daily steps represents an accessible target associated with positive mental health outcomes and brain development in adolescents." #Move! 💪 Physical Activity, Adolescent Brain Structure, and Academic Outcomes jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Physical Activity, Adolescent Brain Structure, and Academic Outcomes
This cohort study investigates associations between daily step count and future mental health and academic performance in adolescents.
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Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience @kingsioppn.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Can something as simple as increasing daily step count improve adolescent mental health 🧠 ? New research finds that 11-12 year olds who take more daily steps 👣 have fewer mental health problems one year later. www.kcl.ac.uk/news/higher-... @divyangana.bsky.social #MentalHealth #StepCount
kcl.ac.uk
Higher daily step counts linked to fewer mental health problems in early adolescence | King's College London
Every extra walk to school, kickabout in the park or trip to the shops could be doing more for teenage mental health than first thought, according to new research tracking thousands of adolescents in the US.
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haily merritt, phd @h-merritt.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
our review/perspective paper is now published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 😊 thanks again to my co-authors @divyangana.bsky.social & @richardfbetzel.bsky.social ! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
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ACAMH - Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health @acamh.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
This #FreeAccess JCPP editorial highlights evidence that proximal, neighbourhood & structural conditions each contribute to #neurodevelopment & that their effects are often interdependent. Full Editorial by @divyangana.bsky.social et al. acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1…
acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry | ACAMH Pediatric Journal | Wiley Online Library
Environmental influences on child brain development operate across multiple levels of context, including family, neighbourhood and broader structural environments. While developmental cognitive neuro...
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
New paper led by @phoebethomson.bsky.social showing that childhood cognitive ability predicts multimodal brain development during adolescence. Now out in DCN @fluxsociety.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @kingsioppn.bsky.social
sciencedirect.com
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OHBM Trainees @ohbmtrainees.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Thanks again to our wonderful speakers @vcalhoun.bsky.social , @divyangana.bsky.social and @alexfornito.bsky.social for presenting at our symposium “Optimizing you training: What’s Worth Your Time and What’s not?” If you missed the session, look forward to the recording being available online!
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Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience @kingsioppn.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Congratulations to Dr Divyangana Rakesh, Lecturer in Neuroscience and Psychology, who is one of 15 scholars from across the globe selected to join the CIFAR Global Scholars program! 🔗 Read more: www.kcl.ac.uk/news/dr-divy... @divyangana.bsky.social #ScienceatKings #NextGenResearchers
kcl.ac.uk
Dr Divyangana Rakesh joins CIFAR Global Scholars Program | King's College London
Dr Divyangana, Lecturer in Neuroscience and Psychology, is one of 15 scholars from across the globe selected to join the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Global Scholars program as part of their Next-Generation initiative.
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Alexis Brieant @abrieant.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
New publication in DCN, co-led with Natasha Chaku! 🧠Combining our expertise in brain and pubertal development, we sought to clarify how adversity shapes timing and pace of adolescent development across multiple levels of analysis: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Timing and tempo of puberty and neurodevelopment following adversity: A registered report
Stress exposure may influence the pace of pubertal and brain development; however, empirical findings are mixed, with evidence for both acceleration a…
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D.I. Tsomokos @di-tsomokos.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
www.biologicalpsychiatrycnni.org/article/S245... @divyangana.bsky.social @kingsioppn.bsky.social @ioe.bsky.social
biologicalpsychiatrycnni.org
Socioeconomic Disadvantage, Pubertal and Brain Development, and Internalizing Problems in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Investigation
Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with alterations in brain development and youth psychopathology risk. However, the mechanisms linking SES to neurodevelopment remain unclear. We tested whe...
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D.I. Tsomokos @di-tsomokos.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Findings from our paper in Biological Psychiatry: CNNI @biologicalpsych.bsky.social Lower SES predicted earlier pubertal timing and slower tempo. In girls, this also linked to differences in cortical thinning, partly mediating between disadvantage and brain development. Open access paper 👇
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Alexis Verger 🧬🧫🧪 @alexis-verger.cpesr.fr · 20/02/2026
starting March 1, 2026, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences are prohibited from using central government funds to pay Article Processing Charges for high-priced OA journals, specifically Nature Communications and Science Advances.
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Louise Arseneault @larseneault.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
The #AtlasLongitudinalDatasets is your one-stop shop for all things longitudinal! 🔎 Search, filter and explore your way through 2,600+ datasets from around the world! @kingsioppn.bsky.social @popres-uk.bsky.social @wellcometrust.bsky.social @mqmentalhealth.bsky.social
A laptop displaying the explore page of the Atlas of Longitudinal Datasets. 
Text that reads: Explore 2600+ datasets from across the World. On the atlas of Longitudinal Datasets. A longitudinal datasets discoverability platform funded by the Wellcome Trust. ” 
Logos: MQ, Wellcome, King’s College London and Atlas of Longitudinal Datasets.
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Excited to share this new paper from my lab led by Jiayi Zheng (Jenny) showing how higher sleep duration, lower screen time, and participation in extracurricular activities promotes cognitive development during adolescence. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Associations of Sleep, Screen Time, and Extracurricular Activities With Cognitive Development: A Longitudinal Study
Introduction Adolescence is a sensitive period typified by marked cognitive and neural development, during which modifiable lifestyle factors may be particularly relevant. However, longitudinal asso.....
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Reposted by Divyangana Rakesh
haily merritt, phd @h-merritt.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
new preprint out! in this review/perspective paper, we synthesize research across network neuroscience, social neuroscience, and neuroecology to characterize how brain network organization varies across interpersonal social experience. osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io
OSF
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 16/11/2025
Link to a recent paper I forgot to share on bluesky! We investigated links between SES, changes in within-network connectivity, and academic outcomes in the ABCD study. Out in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience @fluxsociety.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Associations among socioeconomic disadvantage, longitudinal changes in within-network connectivity, and academic outcomes in the ABCD study
Lower parental socioeconomic status (SES) is consistently linked to lower academic achievement among adolescents, with early disparities persisting in…
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Nature Portfolio @natureportfolio.nature.com · 03/10/2025
A study in Nature Mental Health uses data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development cohort study to evaluate the relationship between state-level income inequality, brain structure and function, and mental health in young people. go.nature.com/4872wyh 🧪
This is figure 3, which shows neural mediators of the link between income inequality and mental health problems 18 months later.
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
Read coverage on our article on macroeconomic income inequality, the brain, and mental health in @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/science/2025... www.nature.com/articles/s44...
theguardian.com
Study links greater inequality to structural changes in children’s brains
Researchers say findings show inequality creates toxic environment and reducing it is ‘a public health imperative’
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
New paper in Nature Mental Health where we show that macroeconomic income inequality is associated with brain structure and function over and above individual-level SES and other state-level factors. These alterations may serve as pathways to mental health problems. www.nature.com/articles/s44...
nature.com
Macroeconomic income inequality, brain structure and function, and mental health - Nature Mental Health
Rakesh et al. used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development cohort study to evaluate the relationship between state-level income inequality, brain structure and function, and mental health in young people.
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Daniel Aldrich @danielaldrich.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
New #article from Rakesh et al: Economic Inequality and Mental Health: Causality, Mechanisms, and Interventions TL;DR: Economic inequality worsens mental health by increasing interpersonal social comparison and undermining the social capital of communities www.annualreviews.org/docserver/fu...
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John Williams @johnhuww.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
“Our findings suggest that structural income inequality is associated with neurobiological differences, even after accounting for absolute income and poverty. These brain differences, in turn, help explain links to adverse mental health outcomes.” www.nature.com/articles/s44...
nature.com
Macroeconomic income inequality, brain structure and function, and mental health - Nature Mental Health
Rakesh et al. used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development cohort study to evaluate the relationship between state-level income inequality, brain structure and function, and mental health in young people.
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King's College London @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Living in an unequal society, regardless of individual wealth, can lead to structural changes in the brains of children. #ScienceatKings #PopulationHealth
theguardian.com
Study links greater inequality to structural changes in children’s brains
Researchers say findings show inequality creates toxic environment and reducing it is ‘a public health imperative’
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Ewan McGaughey @ewanmg.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Important work on inequality changing children’s brain structure from @divyangana.bsky.social and colleagues. Best ways to reduce inequality: 1. Fair pay agreements for every sector 2. Abolish two child benefit cap, for universal social security 3. Fair tax. www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
theguardian.com
Study links greater inequality to structural changes in children’s brains
Researchers say findings show inequality creates toxic environment and reducing it is ‘a public health imperative’
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Tobias Hauser @tobiasuhauser.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
📢 We are hiring! 📢 For our @wellcometrust.bsky.social grant on information gathering biases in #OCD and #Schizophrenia, we are looking for a Postdoc in Computational Modelling, supervised by Peter Dayan and myself. Interested? See all the details in the job advert here: devcompsy.org/wp-content/u...
media.tenor.com
a penguin is sticking his head out of a hole next to a job application
ALT: a penguin is sticking his head out of a hole next to a job application
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Fietser @americanfietser.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
We’ve paved over everything and then wonder why people are anxious, angry, and disconnected. Asphalt addiction is real and ample green space is the bare minimum for a healthy city.
biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com
Longitudinal associations between greenspace exposure, structural brain development, and mental health and academic performance during early adolescence
Greenspace exposure is associated with positive mental health and academic outcomes. This preregistered longitudinal study examines whether the influence of greenspace exposure on structural brain dev...
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Reposted by Divyangana Rakesh
Dr Katharina Brosch @kabro.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
🚨 New preprint alert! 🚨 We used machine learning to examine how early life adversity ⚠️ is associated with the adolescent brain 🧠 in the ABCD Study across 7 adversity dimensions and 3 timepoints. 👉https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.11.659188v1
biorxiv.org
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Elvisha Dhamala @elvisha.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Check out our team's latest work on how early life adversity maps onto brain structure in youth, led by @kabro.bsky.social! Details below ⬇️
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Prof Sarah-Jayne Blakemore @sjblakemore.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
PhD studentship available in developmental cognitive neuroscience, in Cambridge - please publicise. Open to women candidates, as the student will be based at Newnham College.
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Dr Giorgia Michelini @giorgiamichelini.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
*New preprint* on ND and co-occurring mental health problems from my lab, led by Chiara Caserini! Using longitudinal data from ABCD we asked: What drives poor mental health outcomes in children with high ND traits? Here's brief summary 🧠🌳🏡 www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1.... 1/n
medrxiv.org
Developmental pathways from childhood neurodevelopmental traits to early adolescent psychiatric dimensions: the role of environmental and lifestyle factors
Objectives: Transdiagnostic dimensional approaches have advanced our understanding of psychiatric comorbidity and developmental continuity, but have rarely been applied to investigate links between ne...
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
"Although growing up in poverty carries many risks, some children defy the odds & demonstrate positive cognitive outcomes." This blog explores how to foster #Resilience in disadvantaged contexts. Read the full blog here: www.acamh.org/blog/why-do-...
acamh.org
Why do some children from low-income families manage to thrive cognitively?
Why do some children from low-income families manage to thrive cognitively? Our study sheds light on this question by identifying key factors that promote cognitive resilience.
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Excited to share our new paper where we show on links between #greenspace exposure, brain development over time, and mental health and academic outcomes, now published in Biological Psychiatry. Led by Qingyang Li! @kingsioppn.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
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Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience @kingsioppn.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
Why are young girls, who begin puberty ahead of their same-age, same-sex peers, at an increased risk of depression and anxiety? Dr @divyangana.bsky.social outlines her research on this subject for the @bbrfoundation.bsky.social #AcademicSky #PsychSky bbrfoundation.org/content/chil...
bbrfoundation.org
Childhood Stress and Early Onset of Female Puberty May Raise Risk of Depression and Anxiety in Adolescence, Study Finds | Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
Being exposed to trauma during childhood has been associated with significantly increased risk for developing depression and anxiety later in life. Precisely how trauma translates into greater risk re...
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 18/04/2025
An article on our recent work led by @niamhmacsweeney.bsky.social bbrfoundation.org/content/chil...
bbrfoundation.org
Childhood Stress and Early Onset of Female Puberty May Raise Risk of Depression and Anxiety in Adolescence, Study Finds | Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
Being exposed to trauma during childhood has been associated with significantly increased risk for developing depression and anxiety later in life. Precisely how trauma translates into greater risk re...
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
Check out our 🚨 Annual Research Review 🚨 published in JCPP on the mediators and moderators of the link between SES and cognitive function, language ability, and academic achievement (a systematic review of 136 studies): acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
<em>Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry</em> | ACAMH Pediatric Journal | Wiley Online Library
Low socioeconomic status (SES) is negatively associated with children's cognitive and academic performance, leading to long-term educational and economic disparities. In particular, SES is a powerful....
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
🚨 HIRING 🚨 a Postdoctoral Associate in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience @kingsioppn.bsky.social My group's research aims to understand how social and physical environments impact brain and behaviour development. Application window closes in three days! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLX655/p...
jobs.ac.uk
Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at King's College London
Recruiting now: Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience on jobs.ac.uk. Click for details and explore more academic job opportunities on the top job board
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
🚨 HIRING 🚨 a Postdoctoal Associate in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience @kingsioppn.bsky.social. My group's research aims to understand how social and physical environments impact brain and behaviour development. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DLX655/p... Accepting applications until the 15th of March!
jobs.ac.uk
Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at King's College London
Discover an exciting academic career path as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at jobs.ac.uk. Don't miss out on this job opportunity - apply today!
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Niamh MacSweeney @niamhmacsweeney.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
🚨New paper out in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 🚨 In this pre-registered study, we examined the role of pubertal development in the association between trauma exposure and internalising symptoms in female youth using ABCD data: acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
<em>Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry</em> | ACAMH Pediatric Journal | Wiley Online Library
Background Exposure to trauma in childhood is associated with an increased risk for internalising symptoms. Alterations in pubertal development has been proposed as a potential mechanism underpinnin...
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
POSTDOC POSITION at @kingsioppn.bsky.social The postdoc will work on an @ukri.org funded project on disadvantage, the pace of neurodevelopment, and cognitive outcomes using openly available infant and adolescent data. See the job ad here: fluxsociety.org/postdoctoral... Please share and repost 🙏
fluxsociety.org
Postdoctoral Researcher in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience - Flux Society
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Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience @kingsioppn.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Congratulations to @divyangana.bsky.social, who has been named an @psychscience.bsky.social APS Rising Star, a designation presented to outstanding APS Members in the earlier stages of their research career whose innovative work has advanced the field! Dr Rakesh's research:
kcl.ac.uk
Divyangana Rakesh
Lecturer in Neuroscience and Psychology
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
POSTDOC POSITION at @kingsioppn.bsky.social The postdoc will work on an @ukri.org funded project on disadvantage, the pace of neurodevelopment, and cognitive outcomes using openly available infant and adolescent data. See the job ad here: fluxsociety.org/postdoctoral... Please share and repost 🙏
fluxsociety.org
Postdoctoral Researcher in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience - Flux Society
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
In our 🚨 NEW PAPER 🚨 "Beyond the income-achievement gap: The role of individual, family, and environmental factors in cognitive resilience among low-income youth", we used machine learning to characterise predictors of cognitive resilience. acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
JCPP Advances | ACAMH Child Development Journal | Wiley Online Library
Machine learning based prediction of cognitive resilience among low income youth.
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Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience @kingsioppn.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
How does low socioeconomic status (SES) impact brain development? Dr @divyangana.bsky.social has been awarded grants by the @bbrfoundation.bsky.social and @ukri.org/MRC to investigate the biological mechanisms behind the impact on cognition and #MentalHealth #MedSky www.kcl.ac.uk/news/dr-divy...
kcl.ac.uk
Dr Divyangana Rakesh receives MRC New Investigator Research Grant (NIRG) and the BBRF Young Investigator Grant
These awards support her research into how low socioeconomic status (SES) impacts brain development and mental health.
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Divyangana Rakesh @divyangana.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
New paper, and it only took two years 🫠! In this systematic review, we aimed to identify the mediators and moderators in the association of SES with EF, language ability, and academic achievement. Now published as an Annual Research Review in JCPP! acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Associations of socioeconomic status with cognitive function, language ability, and academic achievement in youth: a systematic review of mechanisms and protective factors
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Ashley Sanders @ashleyfsanders.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
📣 🧠 I’m recruiting 1-2 PhD students interested in disadvantage-related brain development & neuro-immune crosstalk to join my new lab at the University of Georgia. Application deadline is December 1st. Please feel free to contact me with any questions! #neuroskyence #psychscisky #academicsky
psychology.uga.edu
Ashley Sanders
Dr. Sanders will be accepting applications for a new graduate student for Fall 2025.
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Maya Rosen @mayalrosen.bsky.social · 17/11/2023
My first post here AND a new preprint! @divyangana.bsky.social and I review how cognitive stimulation shapes neurocognitive development, tools to measure cognitive stimulation (including how to choose the best one for your purposes) and our thoughts on the future of this work osf.io/preprints/ps...
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