Early sensory stimulation is critical for the development of sensory networks

Sensory stimulation during a critical period soon after birth is essential for establishing networks in the brain that “map” sensations and enable the development of normal behaviors, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

The paper, published in print July 11 and online June 19 in Neuron, is the first to observe the early functional development of specialized nerve cells, called interneurons, in mice during the first two weeks after birth. The findings suggest that there may be an early critical window for the development of interneurons in human babies for the establishment of healthy sensory responses in adulthood.

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