Exploring the neurobiological correlates of socio-emotional development in IUGR newborns. A starting project

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is defined as a poor growth of a fetus during pregnancy. It affects around 3 to 7% of births. In IUGR infants altered central nervous system (CNS) development has been described as well as cognitive impairments and attention problems. However, so far the socio-emotional development of IUGRs has not been investigated. Affective and Social Neuroscience are providing innovative methods for functional studies, enabling the observation of cortical activity and neural biomarkers of early emotional development. The praecox recognition of the caregiver’s face represents a fundamental base for the socio-emotional development. Indeed, newborns display a peculiar preference for the mother’s face within a few months after birth. The aim of the research is to study the neurobiological correlates involved in face-to-face mother-child interactions and the socio-emotional outcomes of IUGR infants. Methods: 20 IUGR mother-child dyads will be assessed at 6 and 10 months of child’s life on: i) infants’ prefrontal hemodynamic response to the mother’s face and ii) the quality of dyadic interaction; and at 12 and 18 months on: iii) development , and iv) emotional-behavioral problems. Results: will enhance the knowledge about the prefrontal activity of IUGR newborns during the caregiver’s recognition and its implication in the socio-emotional development across the first years of life. Moreover, this research will contribute to explore the developmental trajectories and pattern of dyadic interaction in IUGR infants.