• What is the BETA project?
  

  The BETA team is trying to find out what is behind adolescent development and what are the exact mechanism turning a child’s brain into an adult one. Due to the novel technique we have been using, this project is not only exciting, but it will provide answers to the many open questions related to this developmental period. Our technique involves an exact measurement of biological age that we can sufficiently pit against  chronological age. Biological age is measured by ultrasound scanning of the hand, which provides bone age estimations as well as an estimation of the expected height.

• Investigations
  

  Please find the description of the actual measurements and experiments under the Methods section

• Participating in the BETA project
  

  If you would like to participate / or would like your children to participate in the BETA project or you know someone who may be interested in this research, you can apply here.

• Frequently asked questions
  

  Adolescent participants of the BETA project and their parents ask many questions before coming to us and even after the tests. Here we have gathered these questions together with the answers to help our further participants.

• Relevance of the BETA project
  

  Each parent considers it important for children to become healthy, talented adults. To ensure this, we should know exactly the determinants of adolescent development. At the same time, today’s science knows as little about adolescents behavior as most parents … The BETA project investigates for the first time the effects of  faster and slower biological maturation.

The BETA team

• Ilona Kovács
  
  
  

  Head of the BETA lab, professor of psychology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, kovacs.ilona@btk.ppke.hu

  What is your role in the Beta project?
  Leader/Head of the BETA project

  Why do you think that adolescent research is exciting / important?
  The period between childhood and adulthood is not only a transitory period when the brain and behavioral patterns develop gradually, but perhaps the most exciting period of human life, the period of opportunities. At the brink of adulthood, the brain is particularly open to experiences and it is also very vulnerable. Our research group is aiming at a deep understanding of this extremely sensitive period of human life.

• Ferenc Gombos
  
  
  

  sleep researcher, scientific associate, Pázmány Péter Catholic University,fgombos@freemail.hu

  What is your role in the Beta project?
  Investigating Brain Activity in awake resting state and in sleep with the help of Electroencephalography (EEG)
  -Analysis, interpretation and publication of measured data
  -Spectrum analysis, source localization
  -Examination of links between individual brain areas, assessment of brain networks
  -To compare the results of the activity pattern and behavioral tests, find relationships
  -To look at the changees in activity pattern in relation to age or maturity

  Why do you think that adolescent research is exciting / important?
  Our teenargers are not aliens, not members of another species from another planet, they are simply in a critical phase of their development where the pieces of cognition are not yet aligned with each other in harmony.

• Patrícia Gerván
  
  
  

  Cognitive researcher, associate professor, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, gervan.patricia@btk.ppke.hu

  What is your role in the Beta project?
  My main research area in this project is cognitive flexibility: designing, coordinating and analyzing the results of cognitive flexibility paradigms.

• Adrián Pótári
  
  
  

  Sleep Researcher, Research Assistant, Pazmany Peter Catholic University, adriancro@gmail.com

  What is your role in the Beta project?
  Within the framework of the BETA project, I am looking at the relationship between sleeping brain activity and performance in tests

  Why do you think that adolescent research is exciting / important?
  The gray matter reaches its maximum thickness around puberty. In addition, the cortical network is reorganized as it reaches a relatively stable adult state. We will be able to capture these changes in our research and give a more detailed picture of the roles maturation and experience play.

• Katinka Utczás
  
  
  

  Anthropologist researcher, Research Assistant, University of Physical Education, utczas.katinka@tf.hu

  What is your role in the Beta project?
  In the BETA project, I define bone age to determine whether the bone structure of a child is shows deviations from the average growth pattern or follows the pattern characteristic of the age group. I can also determine the expected height of the child.

  Why do you think that adolescent research is exciting / important?
  We have several methods for determining physical development. In addition to determining the size and morphological age, bone age can be estimated. Within the framework of the BETA project, I have the opportunity to get to know one of the most exciting stages of child development. I find it important for children in this very sensitive period to have a better understanding of the relationship between the various complicated biological processes so that we can understand them better.

• Gyöngyi Oláh
  
  
  

  Research participant coordinator, Assistant Research Fellow Pazmany Peter Catholic University, olah.gyongyi@btk.ppke.hu

  What is your role in the Beta project?
  – online and offline promotion, visibility in press
  – recruitment of participants
  – coordination and supervision of the research assistants,
  – documentation, data analysis, evaluation
  – feedback to participants and institutions
  – organising promotional events

• Zsófia Tróznai
  
  
  

  Assistant Research Fellow, University of Physical Education troznai.zsofia@tf.hu

  What is your role in the Beta project?
  In the BETA project, I define bone age to determine whether the bone structure of a child is shows deviations from the average growth pattern or follows the pattern characteristic of the age group.