so for those of you who have children do you remember your baby’s first smile
you remember your baby’s first smile
you remember your baby’s first smile have you ever thought what they were
have you ever thought what they were
have you ever thought what they were thinking as they smiled at you for sure
thinking as they smiled at you for sure
thinking as they smiled at you for sure that we’re letting you know that they
that we’re letting you know that they
that we’re letting you know that they are happy but they were also reading
are happy but they were also reading
are happy but they were also reading your faces and responding to it facial
your faces and responding to it facial
your faces and responding to it facial expressions play a critical role in
expressions play a critical role in
expressions play a critical role in communicating our emotions to each other
communicating our emotions to each other
communicating our emotions to each other and they do so for babies too when
and they do so for babies too when
and they do so for babies too when you’re happy they read it in your face
you’re happy they read it in your face
you’re happy they read it in your face and they respond to it they smile back
and they respond to it they smile back
and they respond to it they smile back at you when you’re sad or angry or
at you when you’re sad or angry or
at you when you’re sad or angry or afraid they read that too they may frown
afraid they read that too they may frown
afraid they read that too they may frown they may start crying but they respond
they may start crying but they respond
they may start crying but they respond to that too so have you ever thought as
to that too so have you ever thought as
to that too so have you ever thought as they read that emotional state in your
they read that emotional state in your
they read that emotional state in your faces what is happening in their brain
faces what is happening in their brain
faces what is happening in their brain how does their brain allow them to do
how does their brain allow them to do
how does their brain allow them to do that how is their brain responding to
that how is their brain responding to
that how is their brain responding to your emotions so this is the very
your emotions so this is the very
your emotions so this is the very question that our research hope so
question that our research hope so
question that our research hope so answer faces are at the center of our
answer faces are at the center of our
answer faces are at the center of our social world and before language
social world and before language
social world and before language develops babies really depend on their
develops babies really depend on their
develops babies really depend on their ability to read faces this is their
ability to read faces this is their
ability to read faces this is their means of communicating however we know
means of communicating however we know
means of communicating however we know very little about what is happening in
very little about what is happening in
very little about what is happening in their brain and how their brain
their brain and how their brain
their brain and how their brain facilitates that function which is
facilitates that function which is
facilitates that function which is really critical to survival
really critical to survival
really critical to survival how do brain cells communicate with each
how do brain cells communicate with each
how do brain cells communicate with each other to talk to each other to allow
other to talk to each other to allow
other to talk to each other to allow this to happen so we know very little
this to happen so we know very little
this to happen so we know very little about the baby brain it’s mostly a
about the baby brain it’s mostly a
about the baby brain it’s mostly a mystery and we’re starting we’re now
mystery and we’re starting we’re now
mystery and we’re starting we’re now starting to understand a little bit
starting to understand a little bit
starting to understand a little bit about the communications between neurons
about the communications between neurons
about the communications between neurons that form early life and changing in
that form early life and changing in
that form early life and changing in life we know that we are born with a
life we know that we are born with a
life we know that we are born with a very large number of connections between
very large number of connections between
very large number of connections between brain areas and between neurons and we
brain areas and between neurons and we
brain areas and between neurons and we know that some of these connections are
know that some of these connections are
know that some of these connections are redundant some are weak and some are
redundant some are weak and some are
redundant some are weak and some are unspecialized and they change in a very
unspecialized and they change in a very
unspecialized and they change in a very profound way in the first few years of
profound way in the first few years of
profound way in the first few years of life however we know very little about
life however we know very little about
life however we know very little about how they change how do this change
how they change how do this change
how they change how do this change happen in the human infant brain why are
happen in the human infant brain why are
happen in the human infant brain why are we interested in that question we’re
we interested in that question we’re
we interested in that question we’re interested in that question because we
interested in that question because we
interested in that question because we would like to better understand of
would like to better understand of
would like to better understand of course brain development and we are
course brain development and we are
course brain development and we are interested in identifying a blueprint of
interested in identifying a blueprint of
interested in identifying a blueprint of what constitutes the healthy baby brains
what constitutes the healthy baby brains
what constitutes the healthy baby brains wiring in early life and how does that
wiring in early life and how does that
wiring in early life and how does that wiring how does that communication that
wiring how does that communication that
wiring how does that communication that talk between neurons changes in the
talk between neurons changes in the
talk between neurons changes in the first few years of life however were
first few years of life however were
first few years of life however were also interested to better understand
also interested to better understand
also interested to better understand your developmental disorders right now
your developmental disorders right now
your developmental disorders right now autism ADHD our developmental disorders
autism ADHD our developmental disorders
autism ADHD our developmental disorders that are very heterogeneous and in order
that are very heterogeneous and in order
that are very heterogeneous and in order to understand how they impact this
to understand how they impact this
to understand how they impact this wiring of the brain we need a solid blue
wiring of the brain we need a solid blue
wiring of the brain we need a solid blue print of the healthy baby brain only
print of the healthy baby brain only
print of the healthy baby brain only once we have that
once we have that
once we have that we will be able to understand these
we will be able to understand these
we will be able to understand these disorders better and to develop
disorders better and to develop
disorders better and to develop strategies for early intervention to be
strategies for early intervention to be
strategies for early intervention to be able to either prevent or at least stop
able to either prevent or at least stop
able to either prevent or at least stop the brain from ms wiring studying the
the brain from ms wiring studying the
the brain from ms wiring studying the infant brain is a very difficult task
infant brain is a very difficult task
infant brain is a very difficult task even the healthy baby brain the reason
even the healthy baby brain the reason
even the healthy baby brain the reason is that babies are exposed to a very
is that babies are exposed to a very
is that babies are exposed to a very unique experiences early in life both
unique experiences early in life both
unique experiences early in life both positive and negative and those
positive and negative and those
positive and negative and those experiences impact the way the brain
experiences impact the way the brain
experiences impact the way the brain wiring evolves in very put in very
wiring evolves in very put in very
wiring evolves in very put in very distinct ways so although there are
distinct ways so although there are
distinct ways so although there are every baby brain has common
every baby brain has common
every baby brain has common characteristics the neural organization
characteristics the neural organization
characteristics the neural organization of the of the brain is also very unique
of the of the brain is also very unique
of the of the brain is also very unique I like the term that really tansy used
I like the term that really tansy used
I like the term that really tansy used this morning so I’ll steal for it for F
this morning so I’ll steal for it for F
this morning so I’ll steal for it for F for a second he referred to it as the
for a second he referred to it as the
for a second he referred to it as the neural tapestry that makes us who they
neural tapestry that makes us who they
neural tapestry that makes us who they are who we are and that’s exactly what
are who we are and that’s exactly what
are who we are and that’s exactly what it is it’s a neural tapestry that is
it is it’s a neural tapestry that is
it is it’s a neural tapestry that is unique to us that takes it about two
unique to us that takes it about two
unique to us that takes it about two decades to develop entirely and remains
decades to develop entirely and remains
decades to develop entirely and remains unique both in adulthood and in infancy
unique both in adulthood and in infancy
unique both in adulthood and in infancy in addition in infancy the rate at which
in addition in infancy the rate at which
in addition in infancy the rate at which that circuitry those brain networks
that circuitry those brain networks
that circuitry those brain networks develop is also very unique that makes
develop is also very unique that makes
develop is also very unique that makes it difficult to identify a common
it difficult to identify a common
it difficult to identify a common blueprint of the healthy baby brain and
blueprint of the healthy baby brain and
blueprint of the healthy baby brain and to do soil we need to study a lot of
to do soil we need to study a lot of
to do soil we need to study a lot of babies so with colleagues at Boston
babies so with colleagues at Boston
babies so with colleagues at Boston Children’s Hospital we are in a unique
Children’s Hospital we are in a unique
Children’s Hospital we are in a unique position to do that this is a laboratory
position to do that this is a laboratory
position to do that this is a laboratory that studies that conducts large-scale
that studies that conducts large-scale
that studies that conducts large-scale experiments involving brains so by using
experiments involving brains so by using
experiments involving brains so by using a technology that has been around for a
a technology that has been around for a
a technology that has been around for a long time were able to feed a cup of
long time were able to feed a cup of
long time were able to feed a cup of electrons over their heads and record
electrons over their heads and record
electrons over their heads and record brain activity electrical activity of
brain activity electrical activity of
brain activity electrical activity of the brain from thousands of neurons that
the brain from thousands of neurons that
the brain from thousands of neurons that are simultaneously active and talk to
are simultaneously active and talk to
are simultaneously active and talk to each other as babies perform tasks or
each other as babies perform tasks or
each other as babies perform tasks or looking at the world how xperiment that
looking at the world how xperiment that
looking at the world how xperiment that are conducted involves them sitting in
are conducted involves them sitting in
are conducted involves them sitting in their caregivers lab and looking at
their caregivers lab and looking at
their caregivers lab and looking at faces human faces and animal faces each
faces human faces and animal faces each
faces human faces and animal faces each with a different expression some are
with a different expression some are
with a different expression some are happy some are angry others are fearful
happy some are angry others are fearful
happy some are angry others are fearful and we do that over and over and over
and we do that over and over and over
and we do that over and over and over again and at the same time record brain
again and at the same time record brain
again and at the same time record brain activity from a large number of
activity from a large number of
activity from a large number of electrons you can imagine that recording
electrons you can imagine that recording
electrons you can imagine that recording electrical activity from the babe from
electrical activity from the babe from
electrical activity from the babe from the baby brain from 400 babies from
the baby brain from 400 babies from
the baby brain from 400 babies from hundreds of electrodes results in a very
hundreds of electrodes results in a very
hundreds of electrodes results in a very very large amount of data it’s a norm is
very large amount of data it’s a norm is
very large amount of data it’s a norm is an enormous amount of data so
an enormous amount of data so
an enormous amount of data so identifying patterns that are specific
identifying patterns that are specific
identifying patterns that are specific to the neuro communication to the talk
to the neuro communication to the talk
to the neuro communication to the talk between neurons as they respond
between neurons as they respond
between neurons as they respond specifically to emotional faces is a
specifically to emotional faces is a
specifically to emotional faces is a difficult task so even in these very
difficult task so even in these very
difficult task so even in these very control experimental conditions in the
control experimental conditions in the
control experimental conditions in the baby brain is impacted in its getting
baby brain is impacted in its getting
baby brain is impacted in its getting activated not just by the faces their
activated not just by the faces their
activated not just by the faces their mother’s touch the fact that they may be
mother’s touch the fact that they may be
mother’s touch the fact that they may be hungry at poor in the room the presence
hungry at poor in the room the presence
hungry at poor in the room the presence of the experimenter a chair all these
of the experimenter a chair all these
of the experimenter a chair all these may be activating their brains so
may be activating their brains so
may be activating their brains so finding
finding
finding this these patterns of activity that are
this these patterns of activity that are
this these patterns of activity that are specific to emotional face processing is
specific to emotional face processing is
specific to emotional face processing is a very difficult task for me personally
a very difficult task for me personally
a very difficult task for me personally it was also a very interesting challenge
it was also a very interesting challenge
it was also a very interesting challenge I started my career in a completely
I started my career in a completely
I started my career in a completely different field I studied underwater
different field I studied underwater
different field I studied underwater acoustics at MIT and that’s a branch of
acoustics at MIT and that’s a branch of
acoustics at MIT and that’s a branch of science that is involves listening to
science that is involves listening to
science that is involves listening to our oceans and recording massive amounts
our oceans and recording massive amounts
our oceans and recording massive amounts of data from their sounds and they said
of data from their sounds and they said
of data from their sounds and they said these sounds come from the movement of
these sounds come from the movement of
these sounds come from the movement of waves from see life from icebergs and
waves from see life from icebergs and
waves from see life from icebergs and even submarines we then use this very
even submarines we then use this very
even submarines we then use this very novel big data analytics and
novel big data analytics and
novel big data analytics and computational tools in order to extract
computational tools in order to extract
computational tools in order to extract physically meaningful information from
physically meaningful information from
physically meaningful information from this from this data so I decided that we
this from this data so I decided that we
this from this data so I decided that we could use and we could translate these
could use and we could translate these
could use and we could translate these techniques into our study of the baby
techniques into our study of the baby
techniques into our study of the baby brain with a goal to extract from these
brain with a goal to extract from these
brain with a goal to extract from these data those patterns of electrical
data those patterns of electrical
data those patterns of electrical activity that are specific to the
activity that are specific to the
activity that are specific to the communication between brain regions as
communication between brain regions as
communication between brain regions as they talk to each other and process
they talk to each other and process
they talk to each other and process information related to faces so here is
information related to faces so here is
information related to faces so here is a diagram of brain connections that are
a diagram of brain connections that are
a diagram of brain connections that are being activated as an infinite five
being activated as an infinite five
being activated as an infinite five month old infant is looking at a fearful
month old infant is looking at a fearful
month old infant is looking at a fearful face on top you have the front of the
face on top you have the front of the
face on top you have the front of the brain that is involved in many different
brain that is involved in many different
brain that is involved in many different functions including attention at the
functions including attention at the
functions including attention at the bottom you have the back of the brain
bottom you have the back of the brain
bottom you have the back of the brain which includes area the process visual
which includes area the process visual
which includes area the process visual information and each line represents a
information and each line represents a
information and each line represents a connection between two points in space
connection between two points in space
connection between two points in space from which electrical activity was being
from which electrical activity was being
from which electrical activity was being recorded on the right hand side you have
recorded on the right hand side you have
recorded on the right hand side you have the same diagram but in addition there
the same diagram but in addition there
the same diagram but in addition there are also the more the strongest
are also the more the strongest
are also the more the strongest actions that are being activated in
actions that are being activated in
actions that are being activated in response to that particular phase are
response to that particular phase are
response to that particular phase are also shown as this baby’s age this
also shown as this baby’s age this
also shown as this baby’s age this connections change at seven months maybe
connections change at seven months maybe
connections change at seven months maybe a little bit but the changes are
a little bit but the changes are
a little bit but the changes are profound just by 12 months you can see
profound just by 12 months you can see
profound just by 12 months you can see without doing any statistics just
without doing any statistics just
without doing any statistics just visually but there is a much smaller
visually but there is a much smaller
visually but there is a much smaller number of connections that are being
number of connections that are being
number of connections that are being activated many of those connections that
activated many of those connections that
activated many of those connections that you saw before were probably redundant
you saw before were probably redundant
you saw before were probably redundant and have now been eliminated so life is
and have now been eliminated so life is
and have now been eliminated so life is shaping up the brain is training the
shaping up the brain is training the
shaping up the brain is training the brain to become faster and more
brain to become faster and more
brain to become faster and more efficient so these connections we were
efficient so these connections we were
efficient so these connections we were redundant or were weak or wealth
redundant or were weak or wealth
redundant or were weak or wealth unspecialized are now being trimmed and
unspecialized are now being trimmed and
unspecialized are now being trimmed and this is a very exciting result in the
this is a very exciting result in the
this is a very exciting result in the past we have been able to track brain
past we have been able to track brain
past we have been able to track brain maturation in animals this is a process
maturation in animals this is a process
maturation in animals this is a process that has been fairly well characterized
that has been fairly well characterized
that has been fairly well characterized but it has been very difficult to do so
but it has been very difficult to do so
but it has been very difficult to do so in humans and it particularly in the
in humans and it particularly in the
in humans and it particularly in the intact brain but using these novel tools
intact brain but using these novel tools
intact brain but using these novel tools is big analytic data analytic tools were
is big analytic data analytic tools were
is big analytic data analytic tools were now able to track these developmental
now able to track these developmental
now able to track these developmental changes in humans too and as a finding
changes in humans too and as a finding
changes in humans too and as a finding it’s very exciting to see how the brain
it’s very exciting to see how the brain
it’s very exciting to see how the brain even in a period of seven months is
even in a period of seven months is
even in a period of seven months is finding the most efficient routes the
finding the most efficient routes the
finding the most efficient routes the more the faster words let’s say to
more the faster words let’s say to
more the faster words let’s say to transmit information from one point to
transmit information from one point to
transmit information from one point to another between its regions so the
another between its regions so the
another between its regions so the second set of very exciting findings is
second set of very exciting findings is
second set of very exciting findings is what happened specifically to the brain
what happened specifically to the brain
what happened specifically to the brain as they look at different types of
as they look at different types of
as they look at different types of emotional faces
emotional faces
emotional faces so when you’re happy and you’re smiling
so when you’re happy and you’re smiling
so when you’re happy and you’re smiling at your 5 month old baby a set of
at your 5 month old baby a set of
at your 5 month old baby a set of connections become activated in response
connections become activated in response
connections become activated in response to that facial expression and this is
to that facial expression and this is
to that facial expression and this is one of the of several networks that
one of the of several networks that
one of the of several networks that become activated in response to faces in
become activated in response to faces in
become activated in response to faces in general an angry face has a little bit
general an angry face has a little bit
general an angry face has a little bit of a different response in the brain
of a different response in the brain
of a different response in the brain there are a bit more connections that we
there are a bit more connections that we
there are a bit more connections that we are being activated but look what is
are being activated but look what is
are being activated but look what is happening when babies are looking at a
happening when babies are looking at a
happening when babies are looking at a fearful face there are a lot more
fearful face there are a lot more
fearful face there are a lot more connections a lot more a lot more
connections a lot more a lot more
connections a lot more a lot more communication between large groups of
communication between large groups of
communication between large groups of neurons that are simultaneously active
neurons that are simultaneously active
neurons that are simultaneously active and although by 12 months you see that
and although by 12 months you see that
and although by 12 months you see that process of connection elimination and
process of connection elimination and
process of connection elimination and efficiency happening you can see that
efficiency happening you can see that
efficiency happening you can see that the fact that the fearful face activates
the fact that the fearful face activates
the fact that the fearful face activates a lot more fait a lot more connections
a lot more fait a lot more connections
a lot more fait a lot more connections is still there fewer connections in
is still there fewer connections in
is still there fewer connections in response to happy faces a lot more
response to happy faces a lot more
response to happy faces a lot more connections in response to fearful faces
connections in response to fearful faces
connections in response to fearful faces again this is a very very interesting
again this is a very very interesting
again this is a very very interesting finding this looking at what happens at
finding this looking at what happens at
finding this looking at what happens at five months is telling us that early in
five months is telling us that early in
five months is telling us that early in life there are networks that are
life there are networks that are
life there are networks that are specialized to be able to process
specialized to be able to process
specialized to be able to process information related reading emotional
information related reading emotional
information related reading emotional faces and these networks are
faces and these networks are
faces and these networks are sufficiently developed even at five
sufficiently developed even at five
sufficiently developed even at five months of life in addition fear
months of life in addition fear
months of life in addition fear activates a lot more connections
activates a lot more connections
activates a lot more connections potentially another network that is also
potentially another network that is also
potentially another network that is also in place early in life
in place early in life
in place early in life so although at five months our brains
so although at five months our brains
so although at five months our brains may not be wired to make complex
may not be wired to make complex
may not be wired to make complex decisions they are sufficiently well
decisions they are sufficiently well
decisions they are sufficiently well wired to be able to respond to fear and
wired to be able to respond to fear and
wired to be able to respond to fear and to be able to distinguish and process
to be able to distinguish and process
to be able to distinguish and process information related to facial
information related to facial
information related to facial expressions this is really profound
expressions this is really profound
expressions this is really profound because it means that we are already
because it means that we are already
because it means that we are already even whether it’s at five months or at
even whether it’s at five months or at
even whether it’s at five months or at birth probably earlier than five months
birth probably earlier than five months
birth probably earlier than five months but we can’t measure that so well we are
but we can’t measure that so well we are
but we can’t measure that so well we are our brains are already or although not
our brains are already or although not
our brains are already or although not yet developed they are already well
yet developed they are already well
yet developed they are already well wired to be able to perform functions
wired to be able to perform functions
wired to be able to perform functions that are critical to survival so why is
that are critical to survival so why is
that are critical to survival so why is that exciting of course it’s exciting
that exciting of course it’s exciting
that exciting of course it’s exciting because we’re now starting to understand
because we’re now starting to understand
because we’re now starting to understand what constitutes a blueprint of the
what constitutes a blueprint of the
what constitutes a blueprint of the healthy baby’s brain wiring early in
healthy baby’s brain wiring early in
healthy baby’s brain wiring early in life when we are starting to understand
life when we are starting to understand
life when we are starting to understand that the brain develops very rapidly
that the brain develops very rapidly
that the brain develops very rapidly connections are being eliminated and the
connections are being eliminated and the
connections are being eliminated and the brain is becoming increasingly efficient
brain is becoming increasingly efficient
brain is becoming increasingly efficient and fast however were also beginning to
and fast however were also beginning to
and fast however were also beginning to put together the blueprint so going back
put together the blueprint so going back
put together the blueprint so going back to the motivation of our work being able
to the motivation of our work being able
to the motivation of our work being able to have this blueprint is a critical
to have this blueprint is a critical
to have this blueprint is a critical component to being able to understand
component to being able to understand
component to being able to understand developmental disorders only with this
developmental disorders only with this
developmental disorders only with this blueprint were going to be able to
blueprint were going to be able to
blueprint were going to be able to understand the heterogeneity of these
understand the heterogeneity of these
understand the heterogeneity of these disorders the way they impact each brain
disorders the way they impact each brain
disorders the way they impact each brain affected by disorders in a very
affected by disorders in a very
affected by disorders in a very potentially in a very unique way and we
potentially in a very unique way and we
potentially in a very unique way and we have seen Otis moon is a good example of
have seen Otis moon is a good example of
have seen Otis moon is a good example of a very heterogeneous disorder so only
a very heterogeneous disorder so only
a very heterogeneous disorder so only with this blueprint we will be able to
with this blueprint we will be able to
with this blueprint we will be able to do so so in our quest
do so so in our quest
do so so in our quest to defeat these disorders we are now
to defeat these disorders we are now
to defeat these disorders we are now establishing the backbone of this
establishing the backbone of this
establishing the backbone of this research and to end the blueprint that
research and to end the blueprint that
research and to end the blueprint that will allow us to do that but finally
will allow us to do that but finally
will allow us to do that but finally this work emphasizes that the baby brain
this work emphasizes that the baby brain
this work emphasizes that the baby brain the way it’s being shaped in the first
the way it’s being shaped in the first
the way it’s being shaped in the first few years of life is impacted by their
few years of life is impacted by their
few years of life is impacted by their micro world but they whatever surrounds
micro world but they whatever surrounds
micro world but they whatever surrounds them and you are at the center of that
them and you are at the center of that
them and you are at the center of that world so keep smiling at them thank you
world so keep smiling at them thank you
world so keep smiling at them thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
”
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