Emotional functioning is fundamentally rooted in neurobiological processes. My lab investigates neural circuits and hormonal systems that undergo significant changes during adolescence, are sensitive to interpersonal contexts, and play crucial roles in psychopathology. At the neural level, we focus on two key brain regions: the reward network (including the striatum), which processes positive affect, and the amygdala, which is central to processing negative affect. We also examine the prefrontal cortex, a region critical for emotional regulation. Our hormonal investigations focus on two key hormones: cortisol, which regulates stress responses, and oxytocin, which is involved in the regulation of social processes.