Functional brain asymmetries have been described across different animal species within an evolutionary and developmental plasticity discourse.
Brain lateralization has been extensively researched in Homo sapiens, from language production to praxis and visuospatial processing studies. As a species, we are one that is mostly characterized by hemispheric differences impacting cortical and subcortical structures and functionally allocating specialized functions to the two sides of the brain.
Hemispheric specialization for complex/higher-order cognitive and affective abilities has been thoroughly described for almost two centuries starting from Broca’s area localization. More recently, despite a bulk of studies aiming to unravel the link between functional hemispheric asymmetries, genetics, and pathological conditions, the relationship between asymmetries and neurodevelopmental disorders, in particular, still lacks consistency, and further discussion is needed, especially with regard to analyzing environmental factors, being these social or physical (i.e., the impact of prenatal, perinatal and postnatal postures and social touch).
To provide a critical evaluation of the state of research in the field of brain lateralization as a developmental and evolutionary plasticity process that is impacted by both genetic and environmental factors, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience has organized a Research Topic aiming to promote discussion and encourage further investigation in this area.
This Research Topic solicits the submission of Opinion and Perspective articles discussing, speculating, and constructively investigating functional brain lateralization in development and from an evolutionary perspective, providing the grounds for cross-species analysis aiming to identify the genetic and epigenetic key players involved in functional brain organization in typical and atypical development.
We would like to tackle this fundamental topic by covering the following, but not limited to, subtopics:
· Environmental and genetic factors impacting functional brain lateralization in development (pre-, peri- and post-natal environmental conditions) and evolution
· Genetic factors underlying brain and behavioral lateralization
· Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms related to typical/atypical patterns of brain and behavioral lateralization
· Epigenetic mechanisms responsible for gene x environment interaction in brain structural asymmetries organization
· Physical and social environmental factors tied to epigenetics impact (e.g., asymmetrical experiences in multiple sensory modalities)
· Reports of behavioral asymmetries associated with atypical brain organization of motor, cognitive and socio-affective functions
· Evidence leading to a better understanding of the adaptive function of behavioral asymmetries in humans and other species (e.g., side biases observed in social behaviors such as cradling, kissing, embracing, and similar)
· Markers of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders (both in clinical settings and in preclinical models)
Please note that Abstract submission is strongly recommended
Functional brain asymmetries have been described across different animal species within an evolutionary and developmental plasticity discourse.
Brain lateralization has been extensively researched in Homo sapiens, from language production to praxis and visuospatial processing studies. As a species, we are one that is mostly characterized by hemispheric differences impacting cortical and subcortical structures and functionally allocating specialized functions to the two sides of the brain.
Hemispheric specialization for complex/higher-order cognitive and affective abilities has been thoroughly described for almost two centuries starting from Broca’s area localization. More recently, despite a bulk of studies aiming to unravel the link between functional hemispheric asymmetries, genetics, and pathological conditions, the relationship between asymmetries and neurodevelopmental disorders, in particular, still lacks consistency, and further discussion is needed, especially with regard to analyzing environmental factors, being these social or physical (i.e., the impact of prenatal, perinatal and postnatal postures and social touch).
To provide a critical evaluation of the state of research in the field of brain lateralization as a developmental and evolutionary plasticity process that is impacted by both genetic and environmental factors, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience has organized a Research Topic aiming to promote discussion and encourage further investigation in this area.
This Research Topic solicits the submission of Opinion and Perspective articles discussing, speculating, and constructively investigating functional brain lateralization in development and from an evolutionary perspective, providing the grounds for cross-species analysis aiming to identify the genetic and epigenetic key players involved in functional brain organization in typical and atypical development.
We would like to tackle this fundamental topic by covering the following, but not limited to, subtopics:
· Environmental and genetic factors impacting functional brain lateralization in development (pre-, peri- and post-natal environmental conditions) and evolution
· Genetic factors underlying brain and behavioral lateralization
· Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms related to typical/atypical patterns of brain and behavioral lateralization
· Epigenetic mechanisms responsible for gene x environment interaction in brain structural asymmetries organization
· Physical and social environmental factors tied to epigenetics impact (e.g., asymmetrical experiences in multiple sensory modalities)
· Reports of behavioral asymmetries associated with atypical brain organization of motor, cognitive and socio-affective functions
· Evidence leading to a better understanding of the adaptive function of behavioral asymmetries in humans and other species (e.g., side biases observed in social behaviors such as cradling, kissing, embracing, and similar)
· Markers of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders (both in clinical settings and in preclinical models)
Please note that Abstract submission is strongly recommended
