Sónia da Silva Sousa is a Clinical Psychologist and Researcher at the Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Minho. She is also an active collaborator with the Psychology Association at the University of Minho. She earned her PhD in Basic Psychology (FCT Doctoral Fellowship) from the University of Minho, where she investigated the neural mechanisms of self-regulation and inhibitory control in binge drinking. Dr. Sousa is particularly interested in understanding the cognitive and neural correlates of executive functions and self-regulatory processes, with a special emphasis on working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. Her work explores how brain development, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices influence these processes and how atypical development in these domains may contribute to unhealthy behaviors or disease. Grounded in the RDoC model, Dr. Sousa is dedicated to studying frontostriatal circuits and their disruption in risky behaviors, as well as their potential as targets for strengthening self-regulation. She is particularly interested in how the balance between reward processing and self-regulation evolves across developmental stages. By identifying critical periods when these circuits may become vulnerable or resilient, Dr. Sousa aims to contribute to more targeted and effective prevention strategies, not only for reducing risky behaviors but also for promoting long-term cognitive and emotional well-being. Dr. Sousa has technical expertise in multimodal neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessment.