Prof. Dr. Sara Cruz (University of Aveiro, Portugal) will give a lecture entitled “Neurodevelopment: Research Contributions on Typical and Atypical Development”.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Sara Cruz is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro. Her research lies in (neuro)developmental psychology, examining the interplay between brain function, cognition, and behaviour in both typical and atypical development, specifically autism and ADHD. Her current work investigates mechanisms such as executive functioning, emotional development, and camouflaging, integrating neurophysiological methods (EEG/ERPs and fNIRS) to capture the neural correlates underlying typical and atypical developmental trajectories. She collaborates on national and international projects and is committed to translating scientific knowledge into clinical contexts to promote early identification and support for neurodivergent individuals.
When/Where: 8th July 2026, 14h00, at Universidade de Aveiro (Room 5.3.27 DEP-UA) and online.
Abstract:
Neurodevelopment encompasses the emergence of cognitive, social, and adaptive processes from infancy through childhood. Early sensory processing and self-regulatory abilities, observable from the first month of life, lay the foundations for later language and social-cognitive outcomes. In atypical trajectories such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), alterations in sensory processing, executive function, and emotion regulation contribute to behavioural and adaptive difficulties. A transdiagnostic perspective is increasingly considered essential to understand the shared mechanisms across these conditions, with executive function and emotion regulation emerging as core dimensions linking sensory processing and behaviour. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of my research on typical neurodevelopment, focusing on early neural markers that predict later language and social-cognitive outcomes. I will then discuss findings from a transdiagnostic line of work in autism and ADHD, and outline future directions on cognitive control and camouflage processes.
Online access: Available Soon
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