The “Developmental Neuroscience” Section aims to publish articles identifying the mechanisms of neurodevelopmental processes, both normal and causing aberrant development leading to neurological disorders, from gestation through adolescence that set the foundation of the adult configuration. The scope of this Section includes a broad multidisciplinary approach to understanding clinical and basic aspects of neurodevelopment; as such, behavioral, cognitive, molecular, genetic, epigenetic, and imaging studies are particularly welcome.

As all of the articles published in our journal are of an open access format, readers have free and unlimited access to the full text. We welcome you to read our most highly cited papers published in 2021, listed below:

1. “Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak on Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Peers: An Online Survey”
by Annalisa Levante, Serena Petrocchi, Federica Bianco, Ilaria Castelli, Costanza Colombi, Roberto Keller, Antonio Narzisi, Gabriele Masi and Flavia Lecciso
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(6), 808; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11070900
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/6/808

2. “Effects of COVID-19 Lockdown on the Emotional and Behavioral Profiles of Preschool Italian Children with and without Familial Risk for Neurodevelopmental Disorders”
by Chiara Cantiani, Chiara Dondena, Elena Capelli, Elena M. Riboldi, Massimo Molteni and Valentina Riva
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(4), 477; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11040477
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/4/477

3. “A Neurodevelopment Approach for a Transitional Model of Early Onset Schizophrenia”
by Domenico De Berardis, Sergio De Filippis, Gabriele Masi, Stefano Vicari and Alessandro Zuddas
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(2), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11020275
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/2/275

4. “Unveiling the Mysteries of Dyslexia—Lessons Learned from the Prospective Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Dyslexia”
by Kaisa Lohvansuu, Minna Torppa, Timo Ahonen, Kenneth Eklund, Jarmo A. Hämäläinen, Paavo H. T. Leppänen and Heikki Lyytinen
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(4), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11040427
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/4/427

5. “Effects of Cognitive Training Programs on Executive Function in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review”
by Angela Pasqualotto, Noemi Mazzoni, Arianna Bentenuto, Anna Mulè, Francesco Benso and Paola Venuti
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(10), 1280; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11101280
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/10/1280

6. “Molecular Genetics of Microcephaly Primary Hereditary: An Overview”
by Nikistratos Siskos, Electra Stylianopoulou, Georgios Skavdis and Maria E. Grigoriou
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(5), 581; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050581
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/5/581

7. “Developmental Language Disorder and Autism: Commonalities and Differences on Language”
by Natasa Georgiou and George Spanoudis
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(5), 589; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050589
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/5/589

8. “A Systematic Review on the Impact of the Social Confinement on People with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic”
by Yurena Alonso-Esteban, María Fernanda López-Ramón, Verónica Moreno-Campos, Esperanza Navarro-Pardo and Francisco Alcantud-Marín
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(11), 1389; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11111389
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/11/1389

9. “Evolution of the Autism Literature and the Influence of Parents: A Scientific Mapping in Web of Science”
by Noemí Carmona-Serrano, Antonio-José Moreno-Guerrero, José-Antonio Marín-Marín and Jesús López-Belmonte
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11010074
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/1/74

10. “Exome Sequencing in 200 Intellectual Disability/Autistic Patients: New Candidates and Atypical Presentations”
by Floriana Valentino, Lucia Pia Bruno, Gabriella Doddato, Annarita Giliberti, Rossella Tita, Sara Resciniti, Chiara Fallerini, Mirella Bruttini, Caterina Lo Rizzo, Maria Antonietta Mencarelli et al.
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(7), 936; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11070936
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/7/936

11. “Outcome of Community-Based Early Intervention and Rehabilitation for Children with Cerebral Palsy in Rural Bangladesh: A Quasi-Experimental Study”
by Tasneem Karim, Mohammad Muhit, Israt Jahan, Claire Galea, Catherine Morgan, Hayley Smithers-Sheedy, Nadia Badawi and Gulam Khandaker
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(9), 1189; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11091189
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/9/1189

12. “Parental Stress and Disability in Offspring: A Snapshot during the COVID-19 Pandemic”
by Martina Siracusano, Assia Riccioni, Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti, Eugenia Segatori, Lucrezia Arturi, Michelangelo Vasta, Maria Cristina Porfirio, Monica Terribili, Cinzia Galasso and Luigi Mazzone
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(8), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11081040
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/8/1040

13. “Predictors of Rehabilitation Service Utilisation among Children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC): Findings from the Global LMIC CP Register”
by Mahmudul Hassan Al Imam, Israt Jahan, Mohammad Muhit, Denny Hardianto, Francis Laryea, Amir Banjara Chhetri, Hayley Smithers-Sheedy, Sarah McIntyre, Nadia Badawi and Gulam Khandaker
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(7), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11070848
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/7/848

14. “Age of Diagnosis, Fidelity and Acceptability of an Early Diagnosis Clinic for Cerebral Palsy: A Single Site Implementation Study”
by Anna te Velde, Esther Tantsis, Iona Novak, Nadia Badawi, Jane Berry, Prue Golland, Johanna Korkalainen, Robyn McMurdo, Ronda Shehata and Catherine Morgan
Brain Sci. 2022, 11(8), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11081074
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/8/1074

15. “A Multidisciplinary Telerehabilitation Approach for Supporting Social Interaction in Autism Spectrum Disorder Families: An Italian Digital Platform in Response to COVID-19”
by Ersilia Vallefuoco, Giulia Purpura, Giovanna Gison, Andrea Bonifacio, Luca Tagliabue, Fiorenza Broggi, Goffredo Scuccimarra, Alessandro Pepino and Renata Nacinovich
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(11), 1404; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11111404
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/11/1404

16. “Parenting Stress and Social Style in Mothers and Fathers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Cultural Investigation in Italy and Japan”
by Michele Giannotti, Sophia Marlene Bonatti, Sanae Tanaka, Haruyuki Kojima and Simona de Falco
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(11), 1419; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11111419
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/11/1419

17. “Dynamic Functional Network Connectivity Changes Associated with fMRI Neurofeedback of Right Premotor Cortex”
by Zhiying Long, Zhaoxi Guo, Zhitao Guo, Hang Zhang and Li Yao
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(5), 582; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050582
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/5/582

18. “Executive Function, Working Memory, and Verbal Fluency in Relation to Non-Verbal Intelligence in Greek-Speaking School-Age Children with Developmental Language Disorder”
by Asimina M. Ralli, Elisavet Chrysochoou, Petros Roussos, Kleopatra Diakogiorgi, Panagiota Dimitropoulou and Diamanto Filippatou
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(5), 604; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050604
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/5/604

19. “Savouring as an Intervention to Decrease Negative Affect in Anxious Mothers of Children with Autism and Neurotypical Children”
by Ariel S. Pereira, Atiqah Azhari, Chloe A. Hong, Gerin E. Gaskin, Jessica L. Borelli and Gianluca Esposito
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(5), 652; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050652
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/5/652

20. “Caregivers’ Burden of School-Aged Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Implications for Family-Centred Care”
by Giulia Purpura, Luca Tagliabue, Stefania Petri, Francesco Cerroni, Andrea Mazzarini and Renata Nacinovich
Brain Sci. 2021, 11(7), 875; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11070875
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/7/875