Protracted development of motor cortex constrains rich interpretations of infant cognition

Mark S. Blumberg; Karen E. Adolph

doi:10.1016/j.tics.2022.12.014

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Protracted development of motor cortex constrains rich interpretations of infant cognition

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Protracted development of motor cortex constrains rich interpretations of infant cognition

Mark S. Blumberg and Karen E. Adolph

Trends in cognitive sciences, Vol.27(3), pp.233-245

03/2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.12.014

PMCID: PMC9957955

PMID: 36681607

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https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9957955/pdf/nihms-1863624.pdfView

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Abstract

Cognition in preverbal human infants must be inferred from overt motor behaviors such as gaze shifts, head turns, or reaching for objects. However, infant mammals – including human infants – show protracted postnatal development of cortical motor outflow. Cortical control of eye, face, head, and limb movements is absent at birth and slowly emerges over the first postnatal year and beyond. Accordingly, the neonatal cortex in humans cannot generate the motor behaviors routinely used to support inferences about infants’ cognitive abilities, and thus claims of developmental continuity between infant and adult cognition are suspect. Recognition of the protracted development of motor cortex should temper rich interpretations of infant cognition and motivate more serious consideration of the role of subcortical mechanisms in early cognitive development.

Details

Title: Subtitle: Protracted development of motor cortex constrains rich interpretations of infant cognition
Creators: Mark S. Blumberg - University of Iowa
Karen E. Adolph - New York University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Trends in cognitive sciences, Vol.27(3), pp.233-245
DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.12.014
PMID: 36681607
PMCID: PMC9957955
NLM abbreviation: Trends Cogn Sci
ISSN: 1364-6613
eISSN: 1879-307X
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100000185, name: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, award: N66001-19-2-4035; DOI: 10.13039/100009633, name: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, award: R01 HD33486, R37 HD081168
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 01/2023
Date published: 03/2023
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology
Record Identifier: 9984360857102771

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