Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2016 - (Page 38)

exploring career options Neuropsychologist Lisa Jacobson, Ph.D., ABPP-CN Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Kennedy Krieger Institute Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine As a board certified pediatric neuropsychologist, Lisa Jacobson researches connections between brain and behavior, helps children and their families deal with the effects of diseases and disorders of the brain, and trains future neuropsychologists-all while contributing to a growing database of information that can lend new insights into why children develop the way they do, and ultimately, how to help them. How did your interest in psychology develop? I always found the process of how people become who they are fascinating. What kinds of influences make one person develop in a certain way compared to somebody else? It was this concept of individual differences- even within families, among children who had many of the same experiences and yet have very different personalities, gifts, talents, or disabilities-that I found so intriguing. After earning a degree in psychology, I took a job as a school psychologist working with preschool students who were identified as at risk of failing in school. While some of these children blossomed with good support and were going to be fantastically successful, others clearly lacked self-regulation and inhibitory control-what we call executive function skills. Early self-regulatory skills are one of the biggest predictors of academic and social success in life. Children who lack these skills enter school not ready to learn-not with regard to math or reading skills, but in terms of self-control, social interaction skills, and their ability to manage conflict. I wanted to know how to investigate this and learn more about its impact on academics, and then, ultimately, how to provide support. That's where my interest in neuropsychology really started. What is neuropsychology? Neuropsychology is the study of brain-behavior relationships. It incorporates elements of cognitive 38 imagine Interview by Amy Entwisle neuroscience, cognitive psychology, neurology, behavioral neurology, and educational and developmental psychology. The unique thing about neuropsychology is that it allows you to investigate what's going on in the brain and connect that with behavior. Because I'm a pediatric neuropsychologist, I also study developmental processes in children who may be on track to develop typically, but their development is thrown awry by something. Or maybe they were never on track to develop typically because of a genetic disorder or some sort of prenatal injury. These children may have very specific needs relative to that. What does your work entail? At Kennedy Krieger, I run a clinic for children with cancer. A child may develop a brain tumor that has to be removed, and that can impact brain function. Maybe they need chemotherapy and radiation, both of which impact the developing brain. Childhood leukemia is typically diagnosed in the preschool years. Thankfully, it's about 95 percent curable today, so most of these children are going to live and lead very productive lives, but they're going to have therapy that affects the way their central nervous system develops. I help kids and families understand these effects and how to cope with them. I also teach. Those training to become neuropsychologists typically do a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology followed by a two-year post-doctoral fellowship. When the postdocs rotate through the oncology clinic, they work with me. Together, we see patients, administer testing, discuss what will help patients, and counsel families. I also lecture post-docs and interns and help train them in research. Then there's my own research. We know that the brains of boys and girls develop differently and that the brains of boys and girls with ADHD develop differently than those of boys and girls without ADHD. In addition, the differences we see in the brains May/June 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2016

Big Picture
In My Own Words Karl Deisseroth, Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry, Stanford University
Mind Brain Philosophy and neuroscience at CTY
A Meeting of the Minds at the National Brain Bee
Mind over Matter Overcoming communication barriers via technology
A Fish of a Different Color My neuroscience internship
Immersed in Brain Science Summer research at Rockefeller University
Brain Training Four graduate students share their research
Prime Time for Brain Science Exciting new findings, from brain maps to mindfulness
Making the Connection Teaching kids about mind, media, and health
Selected Opportunities and Resources
Pitch Perfect The lure of rugby
My Stress-Free Adventure Scuba, sailing, and discovery
Off the Shelf Review of Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Buried Giant
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options Interview with neuropsychologist

Lisa Jacobson

One Step Ahead Ten commandments for college success
Planning Ahead for College Can your dream school become a reality?
Students Review New York University
Creative Minds Imagine Fiction contest winners
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games
Mind + Brain Philosophy and neuroscience at CTY

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2016