Rakesh Divyangana, McLaughlin Katie A, Sheridan Margaret, Humphreys Kathryn L, Rosen Maya L
Neuroimaging Department, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge MA USA.
Dev Rev. 2024 Sep;73. doi: 10.1016/j.dr.2024.101135. Epub 2024 Jun 12.
Early environmental experiences influence children's cognitive and neural development. In particular, cognitive stimulation, defined as environmental inputs that engage the senses and provide learning opportunities for children, fosters acquisition of knowledge across various cognitive domains. Low levels of cognitive stimulation in early life may restrict learning opportunities, contributing to lasting consequences for neural development and later academic and occupational achievement. This review delves into the role of cognitive stimulation in neural development and related cognitive performance, available tools for measuring cognitive stimulation in various settings, and offers insights into future research directions. In addition, variability in cognitive stimulation, often linked to differences in socioeconomic status, may create disparities in children's access to enriching experiences that provide the foundation for learning. We therefore briefly review the role of socioeconomic status in cognitive stimulation and cognitive development. We also leverage evidence from intervention studies to illustrate the importance of cognitive stimulation for children's outcomes. Investigating the influence of cognitive stimulation on children's brain and behavior development is crucial for developing effective intervention strategies to foster the healthy development of all children and unlocking their full potential.
早期的环境经历会影响儿童的认知和神经发育。特别是，认知刺激被定义为能够激发感官并为儿童提供学习机会的环境输入，它有助于儿童在各个认知领域获取知识。生命早期认知刺激水平较低可能会限制学习机会，对神经发育以及日后的学业和职业成就产生持久影响。这篇综述深入探讨了认知刺激在神经发育和相关认知表现中的作用、在各种环境中测量认知刺激的可用工具，并对未来的研究方向提供了见解。此外，认知刺激的差异通常与社会经济地位的差异有关，这可能会导致儿童在获得丰富学习体验的机会上产生差距，而这些体验是学习的基础。因此，我们简要回顾了社会经济地位在认知刺激和认知发展中的作用。我们还利用干预研究的证据来说明认知刺激对儿童发展结果的重要性。研究认知刺激对儿童大脑和行为发展的影响对于制定有效的干预策略以促进所有儿童的健康发展并释放他们的全部潜力至关重要。
