Early Cortical Specialization For Face-To-Face Communication In Human Infants

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 27 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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This study examined the brain bases of social cognitive abilities in human babies. Specifically, we used two different imaging methods to see whether the brain regions implicated in adults' perception of facial communication signals are functionally active early in development.

In 4-month-old babies we demonstrate very early specialization, and indeed, an adult-like pattern of activation of the brain regions that process face-to-face social interaction.

This stands in contrast to the much more prolonged time course of development observed for some other brain regions, and supports the hypothesis that infants are born with brains biased to interact with other humans.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences