Scientists to Watch Neuroscience

To decode future anxiety and depression, begin with a child’s brain

Neuroscientist Cat Camacho roots her work in kids’ lived experiences

Play the video A portrait of M. Catalina “Cat” Camacho.

By McKenzie Prillaman

Neuroscientist M. Catalina “Cat” Camacho spends a lot of time playing with kids. They’re not her children, but participants in her research, which looks at how young brains learn to process emotions and how that development relates to mental health.

“Every kid is so different, and I love getting little insights into their worlds,” says Camacho, of Washington University School of Medicine in St.