Florida International University · PsychologyGonzalez Lab
Raul Gonzalez · Miami, Florida
Research Focus
Dr. Raul Gonzalez's lab at Florida International University focuses on studying how various experiences and factors affect brain development during childhood and adolescence. As part of the ABCD Study, which is the largest of its kind in the U.S., the lab tracks the health and development of nearly 12,000 children from ages 9 to 10 over a decade. Through advanced brain imaging and careful assessments of mental and physical health, the team aims to understand the long-term impacts of behaviors like sports participation, substance use, and social media on brain development and overall well-being.
brain developmentsubstance useadolescencehealth assessmentsneuroimagingcognitive functionmental healthlongitudinal studiesenvironmental factorschild development
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how different youth experiences affect brain development.
AIM 02Examine the relationship between mental health and substance use in adolescents.
AIM 03Assess the role of environmental factors on cognitive and emotional development.
AIM 04Analyze the impact of physical activity and sleep patterns on brain maturation.
AIM 05Develop standards for healthy brain development based on research findings.
Skills the Lab Values
neuroimaging techniquescognitive assessmentsclinical interviewsdata analysisbioassay methodslongitudinal study designparticipant retention strategiesmobile health monitoringepidemiological researchneuropsychological testing
Output against the department
Publications194top 35% of dept.102nd of 296
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations12ktop 25% of dept.73rd of 296
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.