Mapping the Human Brain from the Prenatal Period to Infancy Using 3D Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Human brain development is a complex and dynamic process that begins during the first weeks of pregnancy and lasts until early adulthood. This chapter focuses on the developmental window from prenatal period to infancy, probably the most dynamic period across the entire lifespan. The availability of non-invasive three-dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) methodologies has changed the paradigm and allows investigations of the living human brain structure - e.g. micro- and macrostructural features of cortical and subcortical regions and their connections, including cortical sulcation/gyrification, area, and thickness, as well as white matter microstructure and connectivity - beginning in utero. Because of its relative safety, MRI is well-adapted to study individuals at multiple time points and to longitudinally follow the changes in brain structure and function that underlie the early stages of cognitive development.