Daily news highlights from the world of science bring attention to a big question: When do babies first become conscious? New research suggests that consciousness may appear earlier than once believed.
The Case of Jeffrey Lawson: A Wake-Up Call
In 1985, Jeffrey Lawson was born early and needed heart surgery. Shockingly, doctors performed the surgery without anesthesia. They believed that premature babies could not feel pain. Jeffrey died five weeks later, and his story became a major turning point in medical research.
Important Discoveries Since the 1980s
Scientists once believed that babies did not feel pain and that their reactions were only reflexes. But in recent years, research has shown that premature babies’ brains react to pain in the same way adults’ brains do.
- Brain scans show pain awareness: A team of scientists found that pain triggers increased oxygen flow in the parts of a baby’s brain connected to consciousness.
- Stronger reactions in the brain: These responses were similar to adult brain patterns, proving that babies feel pain and may be conscious much earlier than assumed.
Two Views on Consciousness in Babies
Researchers now debate when consciousness begins. There are two main ideas:
- Later Development Theory: This view says babies become conscious only when they can think about their own thoughts, like recognizing themselves in a mirror. This happens around 18 months.
- Early Awareness Theory: Other scientists believe in “primary consciousness,” which means awareness of touch, sound, and light. This could start just after birth, or even before.
New Evidence of Early Awareness
In 2023, scientists studied babies and found strong signs of consciousness:
- Newborns recognize faces and voices
- Babies show expressions of pain and comfort
- Even in the womb, babies react to sound patterns
These behaviors show memory and awareness, which are key parts of consciousness.
Looking Into the Brain for Answers
Scientists use tools like fMRI and EEG to watch how baby brains work:
- P300 brain waves: This signal, seen in adults when they are aware of something, also appears in babies as young as 5 months old.
- Brain networks: Newborns show activity in brain areas linked to planning and self-thinking, like in adults.
- Efficient brain connections: Even premature babies have basic versions of the brain’s “information highways.”
Signs of Learning in the Womb
Using special brain scans, scientists played sound patterns to babies still in the womb:
- Babies as young as 35 weeks responded when the pattern changed, showing memory and awareness.
- Similar studies found that unborn babies notice changes in sound quantity and rhythm.
These results show that babies begin forming simple awareness before birth.
Brain Connections and Consciousness
Scientists also know that the connection between the thalamus and the cerebral cortex is essential for consciousness to exist. This happens around the 24th week of pregnancy. After birth, babies respond to human voices and can imitate facial expressions, which are signs of growing consciousness.
Experts agree that consciousness does not start all at once. Like memory, movement, or vision, it develops step by step. Babies can start with very basic awareness and gradually develop full consciousness.
Daily news highlights like these help us understand children’s minds and the deep science of how human awareness begins.
The topic has become a breaking news area in neuroscience, psychology, and child development. Scientists continue to explore the mysteries of early consciousness and what it means for medical care, parenting, and self-understanding.
