Early Child Development: Extended Interactions Between Neural Networks, Body and Environment
This 5-module program (one per day) builds on the current best research and understanding of neurodevelopment in early childhood, viewing it as a process that emerges from the interaction between the brain, body, and environment. The course explores implications for atypical brain developmental trajectories, including the impact of early disease. It also covers clinical assessment methods, early intervention, and treatment strategies.
Understanding neurodevelopment in children during their first years requires examining the broader picture of how brain functions form and how experiences shape this process. The main aim of this course is to introduce students to the core concepts of early child neurodevelopment as a process that begins with acquiring basic functions and evolves into becoming a thinking human. The course covers the brain-body networks and their vulnerability to disease, as well as the impact of inadequate environmental influences during early development. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of early clinical assessment, follow-up, and intervention strategies for children at high risk of adverse outcomes. The course also briefly reviews current and future imaging techniques for assessing neurodevelopment, including early ultrasound and brain MRI.
The course will focus on the clinical aspects of child neurodevelopment and will not cover basic knowledge of brain development, such as pre-clinical models.The emphasis will be on translational research into clinical practice.
By the end of the course the student should be able to:
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of how early neurodevelopment in children unfolds over time – from basic motor functions to more complex executive functions– trough the dynamic interaction of brain-body networks and the influence of both internal factors (e.g., disease) and external stimuli (e.g., environmental conditions).
• Explain the concepts of early disease and the risk of long-term effect on neurodevelopment, and the benefit of plasticity of the young brain.
• Demonstrate reasoning skills in the clinical assessment of brain functions, and possibilities for detection of high-risk children.
• Describe how clinical follow-up programs, early interventions, and policies can support children’s development.
This doctoral-level course is intended for PhD students interested in early childhood brain development, focusing on brain maturation and function.