New tools are helping neuroscientists investigate why early life is crucial for neural development. Starting from a tiny group of stem cells, the brain becomes a complex organ of some 100 billion neurons and trillions of connections in just nine months.
Preterm birth is a known risk factor for later cognitive and emotional problems. But scientists have found it difficult to determine whether it's due to preterm birth trauma, or pre-existing brain differences that begin in the womb.. New work is beginning to reveal what typical brain development looks like and hint at how atypical disorders such as autism and ADHD can arise.