Brain development is far from completion at birth but continues to mature during childhood and adolescence. Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) that provide a safe, caring, and supportive environment promote lifelong physical and mental health. In contrast, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may lead to long-term negative consequences, including depression, heavy drinking, drug abuse, etc. Beyond typical PCEs and ACEs, less dramatic and relatively neutral experiences in childhood also significantly affect adult brain functions. Our lab is particularly interested in how an enriched housing environment and high-sugar diet affect learning and decision-making behaviors during adulthood. After establishing behavioral models in rodents, we investigate the underlying changes of neural substrates at three levels—brain structure, population neural activity, and across-brain region communication. We expect our new findings to shed light on how to promote early brain development, increase well-being through childhood and adulthood, and find interventions to alleviate negative effects caused by childhood experiences.
