Advances in the Neurodevelopment of Newborn Infants

Dear Colleagues,

Newborn babies have traditionally been perceived as helpless and unable to consider aspects of the world around them. Recent research has proven this view to be wrong, demonstrating that the development of the brain during the latter part of pregnancy is, in fact, extremely dramatic. In this period of time, the cerebral cortex becomes innervated, beginning with the subplate, and retinal waves then go on to prime the visual cortex. During the latter part of pregnancy, the sensory systems prepare to functionally evaluate incoming information, allowing for the motor system to prepare to act. As all of the senses, including vision, function at birth, sensorimotor capabilities such as reaching and looking become adjusted to the outside world. Moreover, newborns are sensitive to biological motion and are attracted by faces and other social stimuli. As such, it is from birth that infants explore objects and activity in their surroundings and reflect on them.

For this Special Issue, we seek articles related to the following topics:

• An overview of the important neural events during late fetal development and the neurodevelopment of newborns;
• Early perceptual capabilities, including those for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and proprioception;
• The neurodevelopmental problems that arise in connection with premature birth;
• Basic methods for evaluating brain functioning in the fetus and in newborn children.

Prof. Dr. Claes Von Hofsten
Dr. Kerstin Rosander
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• connectomics
• subplate functioning
• brain development
• neonatal perception
• sensorimotor functioning
• preterm infants
• MRI
• NIRS