The Role of Affectionate Caregiver Touch in Early Neurodevelopment and Parent–Infant Interactional Synchrony

Though rarely included in studies of parent–infant interactions, affectionate touch plays a unique and vital role infant development. Previous human rodent models have established that early consistent from caregiver confers wide-ranging holistic benefits for psychosocial neurophysiological We begin with an introduction to the pathways positive effects touch. Then, we provide brief review how tunes development somatosensory, autonomic (stress regulation), immune systems. Affective also foundational establishment social affiliative bonds behavior. These touch-related bonding are known be mediated primarily by oxytocin system, but activates mesocorticolimbic dopamine endogenous opioid systems which aid cognitive processes such as learning reward processing. conclude proposing essential pathway establishing maintaining parent-infant interactional synchrony at behavioral neural levels. The limitations current understanding point fruitful avenues future research.