The Learning Variability Network Exchange (LEVANTE) brings together researchers from around the world aiming to capture the richness and diversity of child development and learning.
Only by conducting open-access, cutting-edge research can we enhance our knowledge on learning and developmental variability.
Delve into the science of learning variability, explore cutting-edge research, and discover practical insights to enhance learning for all.
Home » Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, the Netherlands
The LEVANTE site led by Principal Investigator Professor Rogier Kievit at the Donders Institute/RadboudUMC, in collaboration with Co-PI Professor Carolina de Weerth, investigates how early life experiences shape children’s later cognitive performance. By incorporating the LEVANTE cognitive battery into two unique longitudinal cohorts—Skippy, an RCT exploring the effects of mother-infant skin-to-skin contact, and Smiley, an observational study with data on diet, stress, behavior, and the microbiome—their research aims to uncover how modifiable early-life factors impact cognitive performance and intra-individual variability over time. Using advanced quantitative tools, like Hidden Markov Models, the team will model cognitive fluctuations and development. Their findings will contribute to the LEVANTE network by offering empirical evidence and methodological expertise, helping to bridge scientific insight and real-world impact through collaboration and global dissemination.
Principal Investigator
Rogier Kievit is a Full Professor at the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, where he leads the Lifespan Cognitive Dynamics Lab. His research focuses on understanding how cognitive abilities change over time and differ between individuals. He uses longitudinal cohort studies to investigate how cognitive functions develop and interact with physical and mental health, social engagement, and environmental factors. A central interest of his work is examining intra-individual variability in cognitive performance using advanced quantitative tools, including trial-level modeling and hidden Markov models.
Co-Principal Investigator
Carolina de Weerth is a Full Professor at the Donders Institute/RadboudUMC in the Netherlands. She brings expertise in developmental cohort studies and the role of early life factors, such as pregnancy, nutrition, and microbiota, on long-term outcomes. Her research has focused on longitudinal studies from before birth through early childhood and is central to understanding how modifiable early experiences influence development.