The development of the frontal lobes in infancy and childhood: Asymmetry and the nature of temperament and affect

The rapidity of growth of the entire brain, the frontal lobes and their connectivities, as well as lateralization evident in infancy that we know so little about can foretell somuch about the cognitive and social-emotional capacities of the infant and developingchild. This chapter outlines what happens to the frontal lobes at the outset of prenatal andpostnatal life, as well as during early childhood.Specifically, the authors examine how early frontal brain development and itsasymmetries and connectivities might affect temperament and social interaction, or viceversa.