Rare variants of the autism-associated ANK2 gene alter the architecture and organization of neurons, potentially contributing to autism and neurodevelopmental comorbidities.

Inadequate sleep can harm brain organization in early adolescence, researchers report. The disorganization can have an impact on cognitive processes, including attention, memory, emotional regulation, and controlling behaviors.

Stem cells collected from the placentas of women who gave birth to healthy babies could reduce neuroinflammation and reduce brain injury in growth-restricted babies.

Researchers describe how specific facial features distinguish a child’s face from an adult’s face. The findings may help new technologies to quickly determine if children are depicted in indecent images.

By two months, 50% of infants begin to appreciate humor, researchers report. 50% of infants being to produce humor at 11 months. Children under one appreciate auditory, physical, and visual humor, including tickling, funny voices, and funny faces. Two-…

Children diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum by the age of 2.5 were three times more likely to exhibit improvements in core social symptoms than those diagnosed later.

While adults build integrated memories based on existing inferences, children can separate memories they later compare to make inferences as they go.

The fusiform face area, an area of the visual cortex responsible for facial processing, develops much earlier than previously believed.

Study reveals children who were given nutritionally modified formula as infants performed no better on educational tests of math and English than those who received standard formula.

When a mother and her child are coordinated at the behavioral level during play, they work together and share positive affect. The child’s physiological activity follows physiological changes in the mother.

Researchers have identified a new, rare neurodevelopmental disorder associated with a homozygous mutation in the PRDM13 gene. Features of the disorder included intellectual disabilities, ataxia with cerebellar hypoplasia, and delayed puberty with hypog…

Children’s baby teeth may help identify risks for developing mental health disorders later in life, researchers report. The thickness of growth marks in primary teeth may be associated with risk factors for depression and other mental health disorders….

During development, different populations of neurons required for building connections between brain areas share similar genetic programs.

A common underlying defect in the formation of neural circuitry may contribute to the development of both autism and epilepsy, researchers report.

Female mice exposed to PBDEs, a type of flame-retardant found on everyday household items, pass on the chemicals to their developing offspring. In female offspring, this can cause alterations in social memories and behaviors which are reminiscent of hu…

A new study reveals how a receptor in the brain called MC3R detects nutritional states in the body and regulates both growth rate and the timing of puberty.

A new study reveals a link between sleep and reading ability in children. Children who experienced sleep problems had lower performance outcomes on tests of reading than their peers who slept well.

Extreme “weather shock” experiences that occur during the early stages of life have significant effects on the cognitive, behavioral, and often physical development of a child.

Early exposure to language, whether it’s vocalized or sign language, assists with normal brain development in children, researchers report.

Increased levels of dopamine release in the basolateral amygdala as a result of stressful situations during infancy could lead to lasting behavioral issues and social difficulties, a new study reports.