Maternal Interaction Relates to Neural Processing of Self-Related Multisensory Information in 5-Month-Olds.

ABSTRACT: The ontogenetic origin of the self in infancy is a topic of ongoing debate. Although influential developmental and neurocognitive theories propose that caregiver-infant interactions play an important role in infants' self-development, little is known about the specific mechanisms involved. Some theories highlight the importance of caregiver sensitivity and touch, while others propose that caregiver contingency plays a central role. The study aimed to investigate infants' self-perception by measuring brain activation in the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), a region previously associated with self-related processing. A total of 118 mother-infant dyads participated in a free-play interaction, during which maternal sensitivity and touch were measured. Additionally, a face-to-face int

SUBMITTER: Kollakowski NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11917191 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature