Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...

Attachment

Attachment

Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that...

Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation

Functional Brain Systems: Reticular Formation

The reticular formation is a complex network of gray and white matter located within the brainstem extending from the medulla to the midbrain.
Within the reticular formation, there are several distinct nuclei that can be classified into three broad categories. The Raphe nuclei are located along the midline of the brainstem. They are primarily known for their role in synthesizing and releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood, appetite, sleep, and circadian rhythms. The...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Two roads to prosociality.

Nature human behaviour·2026

Same author

Variability in medial prefrontal cortex responses to smiles in human infants is linked to genetic variation in the oxytocin system.

Social neuroscience·2026

Same author

Rethinking Neanderthal-human divergence.

Trends in cognitive sciences·2026

Same author

The evolution and development of infant social relationship reasoning: a Tinbergenian analysis.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026

Same author

Predicting Positive Affect in Infancy.

Developmental science·2026

Same author

Bidirectional relations between the maternal and infant gut microbiome and behavior.

Pediatric research·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 1, 2025

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance

Published on: May 7, 2014

Variability in Infants' Functional Brain Network Connectivity Is Associated With Differences in Affect and Behavior.

Caroline M Kelsey^1,2, Katrina Farris^2,3, Tobias Grossmann^2,4

¹Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.

Frontiers in Psychiatry

|June 28, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Brain network connectivity in infants varies and links to temperament. Fronto-parietal network connectivity correlates with regulation, while default mode network connectivity relates to negative affect.

Keywords:

default mode network fronto parietal network functional connectivity functional near infrared spectroscopy infancy temperament

More Related Videos

A Within-subjects Experimental Protocol to Assess the Effects of Social Input on Infant EEG

A Within-subjects Experimental Protocol to Assess the Effects of Social Input on Infant EEG

Published on: May 3, 2017

Dynamic Inter-subject Functional Connectivity Reveals Moment-to-Moment Brain Network Configurations Driven by Continuous or Communication Paradigms

Dynamic Inter-subject Functional Connectivity Reveals Moment-to-Moment Brain Network Configurations Driven by Continuous or Communication Paradigms

Published on: March 21, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 1, 2025

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance

A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance

Published on: May 7, 2014

A Within-subjects Experimental Protocol to Assess the Effects of Social Input on Infant EEG

A Within-subjects Experimental Protocol to Assess the Effects of Social Input on Infant EEG

Published on: May 3, 2017

Dynamic Inter-subject Functional Connectivity Reveals Moment-to-Moment Brain Network Configurations Driven by Continuous or Communication Paradigms

Dynamic Inter-subject Functional Connectivity Reveals Moment-to-Moment Brain Network Configurations Driven by Continuous or Communication Paradigms

Published on: March 21, 2019

Area of Science:

Developmental Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Infant Behavior

Background:

Functional brain network connectivity variability is linked to adult traits.
Developmental origins of brain-behavior correlations are poorly understood.
Early life functional connectivity provides insight into neurodevelopmental trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine functional brain network connectivity in newborns and 1-month-olds.
To investigate the link between infant functional brain connectivity and behavioral temperament.
To explore the developmental origins of brain-behavior correlations.

Main Methods:

Utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in 75 typically developing infants (mean age 25 days).
Measured long-range functional connectivity in fronto-parietal, default mode, and homologous-interhemispheric networks.
Correlated connectivity patterns with behavioral temperament assessments.

Main Results:

Infant functional brain network connectivity exhibits significant individual variability.
Fronto-parietal network connectivity positively associated with regulation and orienting behaviors.
Default mode network connectivity negatively associated with regulation and orienting behaviors.
Homologous-interhemispheric network connectivity positively associated with negative affect.

Conclusions:

Variability in long-range functional connectivity is associated with early-emerging behavioral differences.
Specific networks (fronto-parietal, default mode, interhemispheric) relate to distinct temperamental traits.
Findings offer novel insights into the neural basis of infant behavior and neurodevelopmental trajectories.