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Penn State will be closed for winter break from Dec. 24, 2024 through Jan. 1, 2025. Normal business hours will resume Jan. 2, 2025. 

Human Development and Family Studies
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Cognitive health refers to how well the brain supports numerous functions--such as memory, judgment, language, attention, and the ability learn. Our faculty and students study how our biology, lifestyle, and social conditions impact cognitive health in the context of human development. Specific topics include the impact of early life adversity on brain health, how self-regulation influences risky behaviors, the role that stress plays in cognitive aging and Alzheimer's disease, and interventions to promote cognitive health in youth and older adults.

HDFS faculty who study Cognitive Health include:

Diana Fishbein

Zachary Fisher

Jennie Noll

Martin J. Sliwinski