Causation, trait correlation, and translation: Developmental brain imaging in research on neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood

An irresistible but elusive promise of the field of developmental neuroimaging is to advance mechanistic understanding of neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood, toward translation to higher-impact intervention. In this article we wish to address a diversity of perspectives on that promise, which...

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Main Authors: John N. Constantino, Anna M. Constantino-Pettit
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929325000088
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author John N. Constantino
Anna M. Constantino-Pettit
author_facet John N. Constantino
Anna M. Constantino-Pettit
author_sort John N. Constantino
collection DOAJ
description An irresistible but elusive promise of the field of developmental neuroimaging is to advance mechanistic understanding of neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood, toward translation to higher-impact intervention. In this article we wish to address a diversity of perspectives on that promise, which were expressed in a summarizing forum of the Fetal, Infant, and Toddler Neuroimaging Group (FIT’NG) conference in Santa Rosa, CA in September 2023. We organize our remarks according to three contemporary paradoxes: (1) the contrasting implications of neural correlates of development that reflect causes versus effects (or epiphenomena) of behavioral atypicality; (2) the interpretation of transient deviations in brain development that are associated with enduring developmental traits; and (3) the intensifying pursuit of discovery of neural correlates of behavior in an era of still-limited capacity to manipulate the course of early brain and behavioral development. In the article we leverage examples of recent advances in brain and behavioral science that help reconcile progress, skepticism, and hope as an emerging field matures and attracts new scientists into its ranks.
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spelling doaj-art-c81e77a61cdc40e6b7799c70b1441bf62025-02-05T04:31:37ZengElsevierDevelopmental Cognitive Neuroscience1878-92932025-04-0172101513Causation, trait correlation, and translation: Developmental brain imaging in research on neuropsychiatric conditions of childhoodJohn N. Constantino0Anna M. Constantino-Pettit1Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Pediatrics, and Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Center for Behavioral and Mental Health, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, USA; Correspondence to: 1575 Northeast Expressway NE, Room E290, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, USAAn irresistible but elusive promise of the field of developmental neuroimaging is to advance mechanistic understanding of neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood, toward translation to higher-impact intervention. In this article we wish to address a diversity of perspectives on that promise, which were expressed in a summarizing forum of the Fetal, Infant, and Toddler Neuroimaging Group (FIT’NG) conference in Santa Rosa, CA in September 2023. We organize our remarks according to three contemporary paradoxes: (1) the contrasting implications of neural correlates of development that reflect causes versus effects (or epiphenomena) of behavioral atypicality; (2) the interpretation of transient deviations in brain development that are associated with enduring developmental traits; and (3) the intensifying pursuit of discovery of neural correlates of behavior in an era of still-limited capacity to manipulate the course of early brain and behavioral development. In the article we leverage examples of recent advances in brain and behavioral science that help reconcile progress, skepticism, and hope as an emerging field matures and attracts new scientists into its ranks.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929325000088DevelopmentNeuroimagingBrainBehaviorEarly childhood
spellingShingle John N. Constantino
Anna M. Constantino-Pettit
Causation, trait correlation, and translation: Developmental brain imaging in research on neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
Development
Neuroimaging
Brain
Behavior
Early childhood
title Causation, trait correlation, and translation: Developmental brain imaging in research on neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood
title_full Causation, trait correlation, and translation: Developmental brain imaging in research on neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood
title_fullStr Causation, trait correlation, and translation: Developmental brain imaging in research on neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood
title_full_unstemmed Causation, trait correlation, and translation: Developmental brain imaging in research on neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood
title_short Causation, trait correlation, and translation: Developmental brain imaging in research on neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood
title_sort causation trait correlation and translation developmental brain imaging in research on neuropsychiatric conditions of childhood
topic Development
Neuroimaging
Brain
Behavior
Early childhood
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878929325000088
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