Dr. Strathearn is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and a Developmental Pediatrician for the Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. His research and clinical work focus on the neurobiology of mother-infant attachment and neurodevelopmental disabilities such as autism. This includes a longitudinal study of women and their infants, examining maternal brain and hormone responses to infant facial expressions using functional MRI.
Dr. Strathearn’s work explores the development of attachment behavior and how drug abuse may hijack these relationships. He is also studying the long-term effects of child maltreatment on cognitive and emotional development, and early childhood factors that may help to protect against abuse or neglect. His research draws upon a birth cohort of over 8,000 mothers and children who have been followed over 15 years. As a local coinvestigator in the National Children’s Study, he is involved in a national study of 100,000 children, from birth to age 21.
Awards and Credentials
- Five-year research award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Ad hoc reviewer for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and scientific journals
- Research findings featured on Good Morning America, the New York Times, Science Times, USA Today, US News and World Report, and dozens of international newspapers and radio stations.
- Board Member, International Association for the Study of Attachment (IASA)
Related Links
- Dr. Strathearn’s Faculty Page
- Baylor College of Medicine News Feature, 2008
- Baylor College of Medicine News Feature, 2009
- Good Morning America story
Recommended Reading List
- “Childhood Neglect and Cognitive Development in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants: A Prospective Study.” Strathearn, L., et al. (2001). Pediatrics.
- “Exploring the Neurobiology of Attachment.” Strathearn, L. (2007). Developmental Science and Psychoanalysis: Integration and Innovation. Karnac Press.
- “What’s in a Smile? Maternal Brain Responses to Infant Facial Cues.” Strathearn, L., et al. (2008). Pediatrics.
