Maria Francesca Ponteduro studied her BSc in Psychology of personality and interpersonal relationships and her MSc in Cognitive Neurosciences and Clinical Neuropsychology in Italy.

She started her Erasmus at IOPPN under the supervision of Professor Kempton where she learned the analysis of structural MRI images. She then became an honorary research assistant on the PRAM project looking at the postpartum psychosis and she conducted an analysis on Neurological Soft Signs in First Episode Psychosis patients. Following this, she gained a research assistant position in the same study, investigating the anatomy, function and connectivity of brain systems that may contribute towards the development of Postpartum Psychosis. 

Maria Francesca is currently working in the Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, managing three different pharmacologic MRI studies targeting the serotonin and GABA systems in Autism Spectrum Disorder, as part of EU AIMS-2-TRIAL. 

Research Interests

• Typical and atypical neurodevelopment
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Familial risks for development of ASD and ADHD

 

Research Groups

Shiftability study