Fundamentals of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

An exciting introduction to the scientific interface between biological studies of the brain and behavioural studies of human development. The authors trace the field from its roots in developmental psychology and neuroscience, and highlight some of the most persuasive research findings before anticipating future directions the field may take. They begin with a brief orientation of the brain, along with genetics and epigenetics, and then summarise brain development and plasticity. Later chapters detail the neurodevelopmental basis of a wide variety of human competencies, including perception, language comprehension, socioemotional development, memory systems, literacy and numeracy, and self-regulation. Suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in developmental cognition or neuroscience, this textbook covers the prenatal period through to infancy, childhood, and adolescence. It is pedagogically rich, featuring interviews with leading researchers, learning objectives, review questions, further-reading recommendations, and numerous colour figures. Instructor teaching is supported by lecture slides and a test bank.

• Provides an overview of the evolution of the field from developmental psychology and neuroscience, integrating this history with some of the newest and most persuasive research findings
• Early chapters provide foundational information about neural structure and function for those readers who haven't previously taken a course in neuroscience
• 'Scientist spotlight' interview boxes showcase the origin story of a leading figure in the field, whose research focus relates to the topics under discussion
• Synthesises new research on infant, child and adolescent development, combining cognitive and social aspects of brain function
• Captures the current state of the field and highlights questions that remain unanswered or are up for debate, inviting readers to undertake further research into these areas