Keyword: FinnBrain

Scientists in the FinnBrain research project of the University of Turku discovered that the gut microbes of a 2.5-month-old infant are associated with the temperament traits manifested at six months of age. Temperament describes individual differences in expressing and regulating emotions in infants, and the study provides new information on the association between behaviour and microbes. A corresponding study has never been conducted on infants so young or in the same scale.

With the help of a multidisciplinary register and questionnaire study, Finnish researchers showed that both the educational level and its occupational orientation predict the mother’s smoking during early pregnancy.

Infant brain development is still poorly understood. Thus, research on the topic is vital as developing brains are sensitive to early environmental factors. Recognising this, the FinnBrain imaging study conducted in Turku explores brain structure in newborns.