Developmental patterns of white matter functional networks in neonates.

Summary: Babies' brains are growing incredibly fast, even before they are born! When scientists study the brain, they usually look at the "gray matter," but this time they looked closely at the "white matter"—the brain's communication highways. By scanning the brains of nearly 900 babies (some born on time and some born early), researchers found 10 main white matter networks. They discovered that as babies get older, these brain highways connect better. However, babies born too early have weaker connections and different brain wave patterns compared to babies born on time. This helps doctors understand how to better care for premature babies to help their brains grow strong.