Dr. Lundwall’s research interests began with attention, particularly focused on genetic contributions to reflexive visual attention, one component of overall attention.

Attention deficits are a common element of disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorders, autism, and depression. They are also common following a head injury such as a concussion. While common, attention deficits can be problematic for doing well in school, maintaining employment, avoiding traffic dangers, and even maintaining positive social relationships.

Because deficits can be problematic, it is important to understand the components of attention and factors that influence attention. For example, you may recall experiences during which something in the periphery of your vision appeared suddenly or moved. Typically, such events will automatically (or reflexively) capture your attention. Because there are individual differences in this tendency to orient towards movement, Dr. Lundwall works to investigate sources of these differences.

One possible explanation for individual differences in shifts of attention is individual genetic differences. Studying genetic predictors of behaviors like reflexive shifts of attention is useful for a variety of reasons. For example, it might allow us to know earlier than we otherwise would which infants are at risk for developing attentional problems.

Dr. Lundwall’s interest in attention led to interests in child well-being after a concussion or autism diagnosis. After which, her interests broadened to other aspects of well-being in children with brain injuries or autism diagnosis.

Differences in an individual's environment are another important source of individual differences. These would include things like their nutrition, exercise, brain injury, and the presence of certain elements in their immediate environment.

To correlate genetic and environmental influences with attentional behaviors, different kinds of looking preferences, and cognitive tasks, we also collect information on various factors in the infant's or child's environment. Typically, we also track the children over time to see how they are doing on related attention tasks and in everyday activities that have an attentional component.

Dr. Lundwall’s research has expanded to include a broader range of cognitive development. Cognitive development includes attention, memory, problem-solving, decision making, and managing emotions and social interactions. She hopes that her studies may contribute to the development of interventions that may prevent or reduce attentional problems in individuals.

If your baby has previously participated in one of our studies, or if you are interested in participating in a study, please feel free to contact us at the email address on our home page, or click here.