Understanding how senses and movement develop in babies at risk for cerebral palsy
Codevelopment of Sensory and Motor Function in Infants at Risk for Cerebral Palsy
This project looks at how senses and movement grow together in babies, especially those who might develop cerebral palsy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University (Charles River Campus) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11074585 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research aims to understand how sensory and motor skills develop in infants, particularly those born prematurely who are at risk for cerebral palsy. We will follow babies over time, observing their movements and sensory abilities while also looking at their brain development. This will help us learn how the brain organizes itself during this critical period, which is when the brain is highly adaptable. By understanding these connections, we hope to find new ways to help infants with cerebral palsy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this type of research would be infants born prematurely (gestational age less than 32 weeks) or typically developing infants.
Not a fit: Patients who are older children or adults with cerebral palsy, or those without a risk of the condition, would not directly benefit from this specific infant-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, more effective interventions for infants at risk for or diagnosed with cerebral palsy by targeting specific brain development mechanisms.
How similar studies have performed: While interventions for infants with cerebral palsy are emerging, this specific approach of longitudinally tracking sensorimotor and brain development to identify key mechanisms of motor recovery is a novel and less understood area.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University (Charles River Campus) — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferre, Claudio Luis — Boston University (Charles River Campus)
- Study coordinator: Ferre, Claudio Luis
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.