Welcome to the Brain Development and Disorders Lab

Our lab is striving to understand how brain circuits are formed during development and how these circuits mediate behavior. Our studies focus on the development and function of interhemispheric connections of the mammalian brain, and we study animals and people with altered brain wiring.

The corpus callosum is the largest interhemispheric connection in the brain of placental mammals. It forms during prenatal life; in humans this occurs between 12-20 weeks gestation. To understand the development and function of the corpus callosum, we study corpus callosum dysgenesis (CCD), investigating the causes of these disorders, how the brain’s circuitry is altered in CCD, and how these changes might affect cognition. We are also studying the development of circuits in the brain of a marsupial fat-tailed dunnart.

If you are interested in our science and would like to join our team, please contact Dr. Richards.


Our Team

Lab Members

The Richards lab is led by Professor Linda Richards. We are composed of individuals with different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs.

Dunnart

Current Research

Our studies focus on the development and function of interhemispheric connections in animals and people with altered brain wiring.

Brain Wiring

Volunteer for Research

If you or someone you know has lived experience with Corpus Callosum Dysgenesis, there are opportunities to volunteer for our research.

Announcements

Recently Published

Recently Published

Recent work out of the Richards Lab identified a family with DCC mutations that exhibited a range of neuropsychological and and neuroanatomical outcomes, including mirror movements.
Newsletter Issue 3, Spring 2023

Newsletter Issue 3, Spring 2023

The latest edition of the lab newsletter is out! This issue includes photos from the recent NODCC regional meet-up in St. Louis, recent publications, and an introduction to lab member Dr. Ryan Dean.
April Regional Gathering

April Regional Gathering

Come join us at NODCC’s April Regional Gathering! Date: April 22, 2023 Time: 2-4 pm Venue: Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110 Any family, or individual, interested in attending can contact Lisa Mackenzie at: corpuscallosumresearch@wustl.edu

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