Using advanced brain imaging techniques and computational models, we investigate brain-environment interactions to explore how the brain balances stability and plasticity throughout the lifespan. Given the extended period of human neurodevelopment and our reliance on social relationships for nurture and learning, we recognize the crucial role social factors play in shaping brain structure and cognitive function. To address these questions, we draw on a diverse range of data, including MRI-based neuroanatomy, histological data, genomics, geocoded data, task-based assessments, and self-reports. This broad approach clarifies the complex interplay between neurobiology and its social context. We value open and transparent science, making all our code available on GitHub and publishing our papers with open access. Our lab fosters a culture of inquiry, collaboration, and mutual respect, where we learn and grow together. Below, we outline our key research areas and goals:
To understand how brain structure both constrains and enables function, we investigate its neurobiological, genetic, and evolutionary basis. Our previous research has shown that brain structure is genetically organized along large-scale axes (Valk et al., 2020, Science Advances) and elucidated the layer-specific organization of the human brain (Saberi et al., 2023, PLOS Biology). In addition, we have identified heritable intrinsic microstructural and functional asymmetries in brain regions involved in language and attention (Wan et al., 2022, eLife; Wan et al., 2024).
Our second area of research focuses on how biological factors - including genetics, hormones, and immune responses - influence brain structure and function across the lifespan. Stress hormones such as cortisol can influence brain function, and genetic predispositions shape neural development in interaction with the social environment. For example, our recent studies have demonstrated sex differences in brain structure and function, highlighting the importance of considering sex-specific factors in brain research (Küchenhoff et al., 2024, Nature Communications; Serio et al., 2024, Nature Communications).
While genetic factors shape brain structure, environmental influences play a critical role in shaping brain function throughout the lifespan. We believe that the social environment is particularly influential because of the extended maturation of the cerebral cortex and the effects of sociocultural learning. In previous work, I demonstrated that changes in social-environmental demands, such as through mental training, can alter cortical structure and function while improving social cognitive abilities (Valk, 2017, Science Advances; Valk, 2023, eLife). More recently, we showed that microstructural reconfiguration in the brain is associated with resilient adaptation during adolescence, suggesting a complex interplay between neurobiological factors, internal functional models, and adaptation to adverse experiences (Hettwer et al., 2024, Nature Communications). Importantly, the brain is not a passive recipient of the social environment, but actively produces social cognition to navigate interactions with others. In recent findings, we identified the cerebellar crus I/II as playing a central role in the development of social cognitive functions in early childhood (Manoli et al., bioRxiv).
We are integrating our models of brain organization with maps of disorder impact to further understand how brain structure and function may provide biological axes in which mental disorders and conditions are embedded. Such insights provide insights into the nosology of mental health and disease.
We have developed CUBNM, led by Amin. cuBNM toolbox uses GPUs to efficiently run simulations of brain network models consisting of nodes (neural mass models) which are connected through a connectome, and fit them to empirical neuroimaging data through integrated optimization algorithms. Together with the mica-lab we have developed brainspace, a statistical and decoding toolbox in matlab and python. By co-developing various toolboxes we hope to contribute to robust and integrative neuroscience.