# Codevelopment of Sensory and Motor Function in Infants at Risk for Cerebral Palsy

> **NIH NIH K01** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS) · 2024 · $210,600

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Infants born prematurely (gestational age <32 weeks) are at risk (AR) for cerebral palsy (CP). CP is the most
common pediatric movement disorder and is caused by damage to brain areas during development. Children
with CP have motor and sensory impairments that cause muscle weakness, poor coordination, and difficulty
grasping objects. These impairments prevent functional independence and reduce social participation. How
these impairments arise throughout the course of life is not well understood. This is due in part to a limited
understanding of how sensory and motor systems interact during development to organize brain circuits. The
gap in knowledge is particularly problematic because the timing of motor and sensory brain area establishment
(i.e. during the first year of life) coincides with a period in which the brain is highly plastic. Interventions for
infants with CP are emerging, but little is known about the neural systems that can be targeted to optimize
these novel interventions. We will longitudinally track infant movements and sensory function in relation to
brain development in typically developing infants and infants AR for CP. By characterizing the development of
sensorimotor function and brain activation patterns, we will identify key mechanisms of motor recovery.
Understanding mechanisms of motor and sensory development during this age could provide potential targets
for activity-dependent interventions at a time when the nervous systems is highly malleable. Thus, this project
will provide novel insights aligned with the NINDS mission of advancing fundamental knowledge about the
brain to improve treatments for neurological disease. My long-term goal is to develop a program of research
that uses mechanistic information to develop evidence-based therapies that improve function in infants with
CP. To accomplish this goal, I have developed a rigorous career development plan under the mentorship of an
interdisciplinary team of researchers with expertise in content areas directly related to my training goals. My
career development activities will focus on: 1) obtaining pragmatic professional development experiences to
accelerate my career path, 2) developing expertise in integrated measurements of sensorimotor behavior and
brain activity in infants, and 3) acquiring a strong foundation in clinical design and quantitative analyses for
longitudinal studies. This training will position me to establish an active and rigorous research program that will
advance knowledge and reduce the burden of pediatric brain disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10994041
- **Project number:** 4K01NS117659-04
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS)
- **Principal Investigator:** Claudio Luis Ferre
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $210,600
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2026-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10994041

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10994041, Codevelopment of Sensory and Motor Function in Infants at Risk for Cerebral Palsy (4K01NS117659-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10994041. Licensed CC0.

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