Infant Neurocognitive Development Research Articles

Improving infant Neurocognitive Development and Growth Outcomes with micronutrients (INDiGO): A protocol for an efficacy trial in rural Gambia

Background Undernutrition during the early years of life has a harmful and irreversible impact on child growth and cognitive development. Many of the interventions tested to improve outcomes across infancy have had disappointing or inconsistent impact, a common feature being the absence of any attempt to provide nutritional supplements to infants during the first six months. With increasing evidence of micronutrient deficiencies in this age group, alongside strong evidence that growth and developmental deficits begin before six months, a renewed focus on the micronutrient status of infants is required. Methods This study is a five-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised efficacy trial of micronutrient supplementation to mothers (during pregnancy or pregnancy and lactation) and infants (Day 8 to six months of age) in rural Gambia, where rates of micronutrient deficiencies are high. 600 pregnant women (<20 weeks gestation) will be enrolled into one of five trial arms and followed to 12 months post-partum. The primary outcome will be infant brain development at six months, with micronutrient status, growth and neurocognitive development to 12 months as secondary outcomes. Discussion This novel research will identify the most efficacious way of improving micronutrient status in infancy, and assess impact on infant developmental outcomes, providing an evidence base for future effectiveness trials and policy recommendations. Trial registration ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN15063705, 09/07/2021); Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202201552774601, 21/01/2022).

Associations of air pollution exposures in preconception and pregnancy with birth outcomes and infant neurocognitive development: analysis of the Complex Lipids in Mothers and Babies (CLIMB) prospective cohort in Chongqing, China

ObjectivesTo investigate the associations of traffic-related air pollution exposures in early pregnancy with birth outcomes and infant neurocognitive development.DesignCohort study.SettingEligible women attended six visits in the maternity clinics of two...

Micronutrient Status and Its Effect on Infant Neurocognitive Development in Rural Cambodia

Micronutrient Status and Its Effect on Infant Neurocognitive Development in Rural Cambodia

Exploratory study evaluating the relationships between perinatal adversity, oxidative stress, and infant neurodevelopment across the first year of life.

Early childhood adversity increases risk for negative lifelong impacts on health and wellbeing. Identifying the risk factors and the associated biological adaptations early in life is critical to develop scalable early screening tools and interventions. Currently, there are limited, reliable early childhood adversity measures that can be deployed prospectively, at scale, to assess risk in pediatric settings. The goal of this two-site longitudinal study was to determine if the gold standard measure of oxidative stress, F2-Isoprostanes, is potentially a reliable measure of a physiological response to adversity of the infant and mother. The study evaluated the independent relationships between F2-Isoprostanes, perinatal adversity and infant neurocognitive development. The study included mother-infant dyads born >36 weeks' gestation. Maternal demographic information and mental health assessments were utilized to generate a perinatal cumulative risk score. Infants' development was assessed at 6 and 12 months and both mothers and infants were assayed for F2-isoprostane levels in blood and urine, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that cumulative risk scores correlated with higher maternal (p = 0.01) and infant (p = 0.05) F2-isoprostane levels at 6 months. Infant F2-isoprostane measures at 2 months were negatively associated with Mullen Scales of Early Learning Composite scores at 12 months (p = 0.04). Lastly, higher cumulative risk scores predicted higher average maternal F2-isoprostane levels across the 1-year study time period (p = 0.04). The relationship between perinatal cumulative risk scores and higher maternal and infant F2-isoprostanes at 6 months may reflect an oxidative stress status that informs a sensitive period in which a biomarker can be utilized prospectively to reveal the physiological impact of early adversity.

Effects of probiotics on neurocognitive outcomes in infants and young children: a meta-analysis.

Therapeutic efficacies of probiotics in improving neurocognitive functions in infants and young children remained unclear. This meta-analysis focused on different cognitive outcomes in this population. Major databases were searched electronically from inception to October 2023 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the therapeutic efficacy of probiotics in enhancing cognitive functions assessed by standardized tasks. The overall effect size was calculated as standardized mean difference (SMD) based on a random effects model. Nine RCTs with 3,026 participants were identified. Both our primary and secondary results demonstrated no significant difference in neurocognitive outcomes between infants/children treated with probiotics and those receiving placebos. However, our subgroup analysis of studies that offered a probiotics treatment course of over six months demonstrated a significantly better neurocognitive outcome than placebos (SMD = 0.21, p = 0.03, two studies with 451 participants), but this finding was based on only two RCTs. Despite lack of significant therapeutic effects of probiotics on neurocognitive outcomes, our finding of a positive impact of probiotics on neurocognitive development in those undergoing treatment for over six months may provide an important direction for further investigations into the enhancement of therapeutic effects of probiotics on neurocognitive development in infants and young children. PROSPERO CRD42023463412.

Associations of early pregnancy air pollution with adverse birth outcomes and infant neurocognitive development

Associations of early pregnancy air pollution with adverse birth outcomes and infant neurocognitive development

HUBUNGAN KADAR ZAT BESI SERUM DENGAN KONSENTRASI ZAT BESI ASI IBU MENYUSUI DI KABUPATEN SELUMA

<p><em>Background: Maternal iron status affects infant neurocognitive development. When the maternal iron intake and status are disturbed, it can lead to iron deficiency which can lead to anemia if not treated. Anemia in breastfeeding mothers has a negative impact on the quality and volume of breast milk, including the availability of iron in breast milk. This study aims to analyze the relationship between serum iron levels and breast milk iron concentration in breastfeeding mothers in Seluma Regency. Methods: This study was an analytic survey, cross-sectional design, conducted in Seluma Regency in 4 (four) public health center working areas, namely Rimbo Kedui Public Health Center, Talang Tinggi, Tais, and Masmambang. Respondents were 124 breastfeeding mothers of children aged 0-24 months who were taken by proportional consecutive sampling. Venous blood and breast milk samples were collected for iron level measurement. Iron measurement was done using the spectrophotometric method. Data on characteristics were obtained using a questionnaire. Furthermore, the data were analyzed univariately and bivariately. Results: The results of measuring iron levels showed that 38.7% of mothers had iron deficiency and 15.3% of mothers had low breast milk iron levels. The bivariate test results showed 25% of mothers who experienced iron deficiency had low breast milk iron levels. (p=0.034, OR= 3.28; CI= 1.190-9.071). Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between serum iron levels and breast milk iron levels in breastfeeding mothers. It is necessary to educate mothers regarding the prevention of iron deficiency during pregnancy and breastfeeding so that the quantity of breast milk iron can meet the needs of children during breastfeeding</em></p><p><strong><em>Keyword :</em></strong><em> Breast milk, Iron Deficiency, Breast milk Iron Level, Iron</em><em></em></p>

Towards imaging the infant brain at play

ABSTRACT Infants’ first-person experiences are crucial to early cognitive and neural development. To a vast extent, these early experiences involve play, which in infancy takes the form of object exploration. While at the behavioral level infant play has been studied both using specific tasks and in naturalistic scenarios, the neural correlates of object exploration have largely been studied in highly controlled task settings. These neuroimaging studies did not tap into the complexities of everyday play and what makes object exploration so important for development. Here, we review selected infant neuroimaging studies, spanning from typical, highly controlled screen-based studies on object perception to more naturalistic designs and argue for the importance of studying the neural correlates of key behaviors such as object exploration and language comprehension in naturalistic settings. We suggest that the advances in technology and analytic approaches allow measuring the infant brain at play with the use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Naturalistic fNIRS studies offer a new and exciting avenue to studying infant neurocognitive development in a way that will draw us away from our laboratory constructs and into an infant’s everyday experiences that support their development.

Importancia de la vitamina B12 y el folato en la salud perinatal.

Fetal development is characterized by great plasticity and the ability to respond to environmental factors, where DNA methylation is essential for proper embryonic development. One-carbon metabolism provides methyl groups for methylation and fetal DNA development and is highly dependent on maternal nutritional status. During pregnancy, the supply of methyl donors is critical and the demand for nutrients that support this process, such as folate and vitamin B12, is increased. Insufficiency or imbalance of these 2 micronutrients can alter epigenetic patterns, DNA synthesis and repair, and affect fetal growth and development, having negative long-term consequences on the offspring's health. Folate and vitamin B12 status have been associated with wide DNA methylation, as well as with specific genes related to neurological functions, embryonic development, energy metabolism, growth, and leptin. Furthermore, inadequate concentrations of both vitamins have been associated with an increased risk of perinatal outcomes such as neural tube defects, prematurity, low birth weight, pre-eclampsia, as well as maternal and infant obesity and insulin resistance, and decreased infant neurocognitive development. Supplementation, combined with a healthy diet, could be an essential strategy to prevent these results and improve maternal and fetal health.

Maternal perinatal depression and child neurocognitive development: A relationship still to be clarified.

Pregnancy frequently is associated with emotional conditions such as anxiety and depression. Perinatal depression has an incidence of around 12%. Only recently researcher put the attention on the effects of pre- and postpartum psychopathology on infant neurocognitive development. Neurobiology studies indicate that perinatal maternal depression can significantly affect the structure and function of children's prefrontal cortex and modulate the development of cognitive abilities from intrauterine life. On the topic, the scientific literature appears ambiguous, reporting mixed results. Some studies have found no significant differences in developmental outcomes between prenatal and postpartum exposure to maternal depression, others have suggested a greater burden of depression in pregnancy than in postpartum, and still others have emphasized the role of chronicity of symptoms rather than the period of onset. Few studies have examined the effects of different developmental trajectories of maternal depression on children's neurocognitive outcomes. The assessment of maternal health has for years been limited to postpartum depression often neglecting the timing of onset, the intensity of symptoms and their chronicity. These aspects have received less attention than they deserve, especially in relation to the effects on children's neurocognitive development. The aim of this Perspective was to highlight inconsistencies and gaps that need to be filled in the approach to the study of this problem. Given the wide heterogeneity of data in the current literature, further studies are needed to clarify these interactions. This Perspective provides an overview of current progress, future directions, and a presentation of the authors' views on the topic.

Impacts of Formula Supplemented with Milk Fat Globule Membrane on the Neurolipidome of Brain Regions of Piglets.

The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) appears to play an important role in infant neurocognitive development; however, its mechanism(s) of action remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of a dietary MFGM supplement on the lipid profiles of different neonatal brain regions. Ten-day-old male piglets (4–5 kg) were fed unsupplemented infant formula (control, n = 7) or an infant formula supplemented with low (4%) or high (8%) levels of MFGM (n = 8 each) daily for 21 days. Piglets were then euthanized, and brain tissues were sectioned. Untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry lipidomics was performed on the cerebellum, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and the rest of the brain. The analyses identified 271 and 171 lipids using positive and negative ionization modes, respectively, spanning 16 different lipid classes. MFGM consumption did not significantly alter the lipidome in most brain regions, regardless of dose, compared to the control infant formula. However, 16 triacylglyceride species were increased in the hippocampus (t-test, p-value < 0.05) of the high-supplemented piglets. Most lipids (262 (96.7%) and 160 (93.6%), respectively) differed significantly between different brain regions (ANOVA, false discovery rate corrected p-value < 0.05) independent of diet. Thus, this study highlighted that dietary MFGM altered lipid abundance in the hippocampus and detected large differences in lipid profiles between neonatal piglet brain regions.

Pregnancy and malaria: the perfect storm.

Malaria in pregnancy continues to exert a toll on pregnant women and their offspring. The burden of Plasmodium falciparum infection is especially large in Africa, and new data show lasting effects of maternal infection on the infant's neurocognitive development. Elsewhere, P. vivax infection causes relapsing infections that are challenging to prevent. Infection in first trimester of pregnancy is an area of increasing focus, and its adverse effects on pregnancy outcome are increasingly recognised. First-trimester infection is common and frequently acquired prior to conception. Although newer rapid diagnostic tests still have limited sensitivity, they may be useful in detection of early pregnancy malaria for treatment. Artemisinin-based combination therapies are efficacious in later pregnancy but have yet to be recommended in first trimester because of limited safety data. In Africa, intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) with monthly sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine improves pregnancy outcomes, but sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance is worsening. The alternative, IPTp with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine, has greater antimalarial efficacy, but does not appear to improve pregnancy outcomes, because sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine has poorly understood nonmalarial benefits on birthweight. Novel IPTp regimens must be combined with interventions to strengthen protection from malaria infection acquired before and in early pregnancy.

Breast-Milk Rubidium and Other Trace Elements are Associated with Neurocognitive Development in Infants at Age of 8 Months

BackgroundTrace elements may affect neurodevelopment. There is a lack of data on breast-milk rubidium (Rb) in relation to neurodevelopment in infants. The associations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and strontium (Sr) with neurodevelopment in infants remain uncertain. ObjectivesWe sought to evaluate the associations of breast-milk Rb (primary exposure), Cu, Zn, and Sr with neurodevelopment in infants at age 8 months. MethodsThe study cohort included 117 breastfed infants. Breast-milk samples were collected at 42 days and 8 months postpartum. Breast-milk Rb, Zn, Cu, and Sr were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Neurodevelopment was assessed at age 8 months. The primary outcomes were attention and working memory scores, as evaluated by the A-not-B task. Other outcomes included the Mental Development Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) as evaluated by the Bayley Scale of Infant Development III. Generalized linear models and restricted cubic spline regression were used to assess the associations between trace elements and neurodevelopment indices. Bonferroni correction was conducted on all data presented. ResultsA nonlinear association was observed between breast-milk Rb at 42 days and infant’s attention at age 8 months (nonlinearity P = 0.037). Positive associations were observed with infant MDI scores and breast-milk Rb at 42 days (β = 4.46; P = 0.06) and 8 months (β = 3.79; P = 0.009) postpartum. Breast-milk Zn at 42 days was positively associated with infant’s attention (β = 0.31; P = 0.039). Sr at 42 days was positively correlated with attention (β = 0.18; P = 0.043) and MDI scores (β = 2.18; P = 0.015) at 8 months. Inverted U-shape associations were observed for breast-milk Cu at 42 days with infant attention and PDI scores. All associations were not significant after correction for multiple tests. ConclusionsOur data suggest that Rb, Zn, Cu, and Sr in breast milk at certain concentrations are associated with neurodevelopment in breastfed infants. Further studies are warranted to validate the findings.

Associations of sleep duration with neurocognitive development in the first 2 years of life

The effect of sleep duration on neurocognitive development in infants and toddlers remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the relationship between sleep duration and neurocognitive development in infancy. Based on a prospective birth cohort, 2220 mother-infant pairs were enrolled in Wuhan, China, between January 2014 and October 2017. Sleep duration was evaluated at 1, 6, 12 and 24months via parent-report questionnaires. To assess the children's neurocognitive development at 2years old, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development of China Revision was used to assess the Mental Development Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Development Index (PDI). A group-based semiparametric mixture model was used to estimate the developmental trajectories of the total, nighttime and daytime sleep duration. The associations of sleep duration at each age and sleep duration trajectories with Mental Development Index scores and Psychomotor Development Index scores were analysed using generalized linear models. Daytime sleep duration (≥ 10.0hr) at 1 month was associated with lower Mental Development Index scores (β=-3.55, 95% confidence interval: -6.02, -1.08) and lower Psychomotor Development Index scores (β=-2.87, 95% confidence interval: -4.94, -0.81). Nighttime sleep duration (≤ 7.0hr) at 6months was associated with lower Mental Development Index scores (β=-7.02, 95% confidence interval: -11.02, -3.01). Daytime sleep duration (&gt; 4 hr) and nighttime sleep duration (&lt; 8hr) at 12months were associated with lower Mental Development Index scores (β=-9.17, 95% confidence interval: -15.35, -2.98) and lower Psychomotor Development Index scores (β=-8.14, 95% confidence interval: -13.56, -2.71), respectively. In further sleep duration trajectories analyses, lower Mental Development Index scores were significantly associated with the "decreased and then increased nighttime sleepers" trajectory (β=-4.39, 95% confidence interval: -8.02, -0.76), and "long and decreased daytime sleepers" trajectory (β=-2.44, 95% confidence interval: -4.58, -0.30). These results showed that short nighttime sleep duration and long daytime sleep duration in infancy were detrimental to children's neurocognitive development.

Prenatal mother-father cortisol linkage predicts infant executive functions at 24 months.

The present study investigated associations between prenatal mother-father cortisol linkage and infant executive functions. Data come from an international sample (N = 358) of predominantly white and middle- to upper-class first-time parents. During late pregnancy, parents collected diurnal salivary cortisol samples and reported on levels of psychological stress. At 24 months, children completed a battery of executive function tasks. Parent cortisol linkage was operationalized as the time-dependent, within-dyad association between maternal and paternal diurnal cortisol. Results indicated that prenatal linkage was positively related to infant executive functions, suggesting that stronger mother-father cortisol linkage was associated with higher executive function scores. Additionally, this relation was moderated by paternal average cortisol levels such that executive function scores were lower when fathers had higher average cortisol levels and linkage was weak. This association suggests that elevated paternal cortisol amplifies the negative relation between lower cortisol linkage and lower infant executive function scores. Importantly, these findings were observed while controlling for observational measures of caregiving and self-report measures of psychosocial functioning and infant social-emotional behavior. These results suggest that prenatal linkage of mother's and father's stress physiology plays a potentially important part in programming and regulating infant neurocognitive development.

Associations of early pregnancy BMI with adverse pregnancy outcomes and infant neurocognitive development

The prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst reproductive women has been increasing worldwide. Our aim was to compare pregnancy outcomes and infant neurocognitive development by different BMI classifications and investigate whether early pregnancy BMI was associated with risks of adverse outcomes in a Southwest Chinese population. We analysed data from 1273 women enrolled in the Complex Lipids in Mothers and Babies (CLIMB) randomized controlled trial in Chongqing, China. Maternal BMI was classified as underweight, normal weight and overweight/obese according to the Chinese, WHO Asian, and WHO European standards. For the adverse pregnancy outcomes, after adjustment for potential confounders, an underweight BMI was associated with increased risk of small for gestational age (SGA) babies, and an overweight/obese BMI was associated with increased risk of maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), caesarean section (C-section), macrosomia and large for gestational age (LGA) babies. For infant neurocognitive development, 1017 mothers and their children participated; no significant differences were seen in the Mental Development Index (MDI) or the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) between the three BMI groups. Our findings demonstrate that abnormal early pregnancy BMI were associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes in Chinese women, while early pregnancy BMI had no significant influence on the infant neurocognitive development at 12 months of age.

Maternal Prenatal Psychosocial Stress and Prepregnancy BMI Associations with Fetal Iron Status.

ABSTRACTBackgroundIron accrued in utero is critical for fetal and infant neurocognitive development. Psychosocial stress and obesity can each suppress fetal iron accrual. Their combined effects and differences by fetal sex are not known. In an observational pregnancy cohort study in Mexico City, we investigated associations of maternal prenatal life stressors, psychological dysfunction, and prepregnancy BMI with fetal iron status at delivery.ObjectivesWe hypothesized that greater maternal prenatal psychosocial stress and prepregnancy overweight and obesity are associated with lower cord blood ferritin and hemoglobin (Hb), with stronger associations in boys than girls.MethodsPsychosocial stress in multiple domains of life stress (negative life events, perceived stress, exposure to violence) and psychological dysfunction symptoms (depression, generalized anxiety, and pregnancy-specific anxiety) were assessed with validated questionnaires during pregnancy. Prepregnancy BMI was predicted with a validated equation and categorized as normal/overweight/obese. Cord blood ferritin and Hb associations with prenatal psychosocial stress and BMI were modeled in multivariable linear regressions adjusted for maternal age, socioeconomic status, child sex, and prenatal iron supplementation. Interactions with child sex and 3-way stress-overweight/obesity-sex interactions were tested with product terms and likelihood ratio tests.ResultsIn 493 dyads, median (IQR) cord blood ferritin and Hb concentrations were 185 µg/L (126–263 g/dL) and 16 g/dL (14.7–17.1 g/dL), respectively. Ferritin was lower in infants of mothers with higher prenatal perceived stress (−23%; 95% CI: −35%, −9%), violence exposure (−28%; 95% CI: −42%, −12%), anxiety symptoms (−16%; 95% CI: −27%, −4%), and obesity (−17%; 95% CI: −31%, 0.2%). Interaction models suggested sex differences and synergism between maternal stress and overweight/obesity. No associations were observed between stress or BMI and Hb.ConclusionsMultiple prenatal psychosocial stressors and excess prepregnancy BMI were each inversely associated with fetal iron status at birth. Pregnancies and infants at elevated risk of impaired fetal iron accrual may be identifiable according to observed synergism between maternal stress and obesity and differential associations with fetal iron status by infant sex.

Implementing neuroimaging and eye tracking methods to assess neurocognitive development of young infants in low- and middle-income countries.

Infants and children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are frequently exposed to a range of environmental risk factors which may negatively affect their neurocognitive development. The mechanisms by which factors such as undernutrition and poverty impact development and cognitive outcomes in early childhood are poorly understood. This lack of knowledge is due in part to a paucity of objective assessment tools which can be implemented across different cultural settings and in very young infants. Over the last decade, technological advances, particularly in neuroimaging, have opened new avenues for research into the developing human brain, allowing us to investigate novel biological associations. This paper presents functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), electroencephalography (EEG) and eye tracking (ET) as objective, cross-cultural methods for studying infant neurocognitive development in LMICs, and specifically their implementation in rural Gambia, West Africa. These measures are currently included, as part of a broader battery of assessments, in the Brain Imaging for Global Health (BRIGHT) project, which is developing brain function for age curves in Gambian and UK infants from birth to 24 months of age. The BRIGHT project combines fNIRS, EEG and ET with behavioural, growth, health and sociodemographic measures. The implementation of these measures in rural Gambia are discussed, including methodological and technical challenges that needed to be addressed to ensure successful data acquisition. The aim is to provide guidance to other groups seeking to implement similar methods in their research in other LMICs to better understand associations between environmental risk and early neurocognitive development.

Effects of Maternal Psychopathology and Education Level on Neurocognitive Development in Infants of Adolescent Mothers Living in Poverty in Brazil

BackgroundAdolescent motherhood remains common in developing countries and is associated with risk factors that adversely impact infant neurodevelopment, including poverty, low maternal education, and increased maternal psychopathology. Yet, no published work has assessed how these factors affect early brain development in developing countries. MethodsThis pilot study examined effects of maternal psychopathology and education on early neurocognitive development in a sample of adolescent mothers (N = 50, final n = 31) and their infants living in poverty in São Paulo, Brazil. Maternal symptoms of anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and education level were assessed during pregnancy. Infant neurocognitive development was assessed at 6 months of age, with oscillatory power and functional connectivity in the theta (4–6 Hz), alpha (6–9 Hz), and gamma (30–50 Hz) frequencies derived from resting-state electroencephalography; temperament (negative affect, attention, and regulation); and cognitive, language, and motor skills. Cluster-based permutation testing and graph-theoretical methods were used to identify alterations in oscillatory power and connectivity that were associated with maternal psychopathology and education. Correlations between power and connectivity alterations were examined in relation to infants’ overt cognitive behavioral abilities. ResultsIncreased maternal anxiety and lower maternal education were associated with weaker oscillatory connectivity in alpha-range networks. Infants with the weakest connectivity in the alpha network associated with maternal anxiety also showed the lowest cognitive ability. Greater maternal anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were associated with increased absolute and relative theta power. ConclusionsOur findings highlight the importance of addressing maternal psychopathology and improving education in poor adolescent mothers to prevent negative effects on infant neurodevelopment.

Implementing neuroimaging and eye tracking methods to assess neurocognitive development of young infants in low- and middle-income countries

Infants and children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are frequently exposed to a range of environmental risk factors which may negatively affect their neurocognitive development. The mechanisms by which factors such as undernutrition and poverty impact development and cognitive outcomes in early childhood are poorly understood. This lack of knowledge is due in part to a paucity of objective assessment tools which can be implemented across different cultural settings and in very young infants. Over the last decade, technological advances, particularly in neuroimaging, have opened new avenues for research into the developing human brain, allowing us to investigate novel biological associations. This paper presents functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), electroencephalography (EEG) and eye tracking (ET) as objective, cross-cultural methods for studying infant neurocognitive development in LMICs, and specifically their implementation in rural Gambia, West Africa. These measures are currently included, as part of a broader battery of assessments, in the Brain Imaging for Global Health (BRIGHT) project, which is developing brain function for age curves in Gambian and UK infants from birth to 24 months of age. The BRIGHT project combines fNIRS, EEG and ET with behavioural, growth, health and sociodemographic measures. The implementation of these measures in rural Gambia are discussed, including methodological and technical challenges that needed to be addressed to ensure successful data acquisition. The aim is to provide guidance to other groups seeking to implement similar methods in their research in other LMICs to better understand associations between environmental risk and early neurocognitive development.