Brain scans of three-month-old infants may offer insights into how their emotional responses and self-soothing abilities will evolve over the next six months, potentially aiding in the early identification of children at risk for behavioural and emotional challenges, researchers have found.
A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh discovered distinct links between white matter structure in the brain and emotional development. The study involved 95 infant-caregiver pairs.
White matter, often referred to as the brain’s “information highway,” enables rapid communication between different brain regions. The study found that infants with more diffused neuron endings in the forceps minor—a white matter tract connecting the brain’s hemispheres—were more likely to experience increased negative emotions between three and nine months of age.
In contrast, infants with a more complex structure in the left cingulum bundle—a white matter pathway connecting areas involved in executive control—tended to exhibit more positive emotions and better self-soothing abilities.
Published in Genomic Psychiatry, the study suggests that early brain structure plays a critical role in shaping emotional development. Certain neural patterns may predispose infants to greater emotional reactivity, the researchers said.
“Understanding these early neural markers could transform how we approach infant mental health, allowing for targeted interventions during critical developmental windows,” said lead researcher Mary L. Phillips, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.
Previous research has shown that a greater tendency toward negative emotions in infancy is linked to higher risks of anxiety and behavioral disorders later in life. Similarly, lower levels of positive emotion have been associated with depression and social difficulties.
The findings have important implications for pediatric care and early childhood development. By identifying objective brain-based markers of emotional development, clinicians may be able to screen infants for risk factors before behavioral issues emerge, enabling earlier and more effective interventions.
The study employed an advanced MRI technique called Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI), which offers a more detailed look at developing brain tissue than traditional imaging methods.
“In three-month infants, higher neurite dispersion and lower longitudinal fibre alignment in the forceps minor were associated with a larger increase in negative emotions from three to nine months of age,” the authors reported.
They added, “Higher neurite density and dispersion, as well as lower white matter longitudinal alignment in the left cingulum bundle, were associated with a larger increase in positive emotions.”