Understanding how infants' brains develop and function

Brain structure and function in infants

NIH-funded research Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-10980909

This study is looking at how babies' brains work while they're resting to better understand their development and readiness to learn, helping us learn more about how their brains grow and change during those important early years.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionChildren's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-10980909 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates the neural activity in infants, focusing on how their brains process information during the critical early years of development. By using advanced electrophysiology techniques, the study aims to measure resting-state brain activity in infants, which is essential for understanding their cognitive readiness and developmental milestones. The researchers are developing new methods to obtain accurate brain activity data while infants are at rest, which has been challenging in previous studies. The goal is to uncover how brain structure, function, and chemistry evolve in infants and how these changes relate to their behavior.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation are infants and toddlers under the age of 2 who are healthy and typically developing.

Not a fit: Patients with severe neurological disorders or those who are unable to participate in the required assessments may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better understanding and early identification of developmental disorders in infants.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding brain activity in older children and adults, but this approach in infants is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.