Motor Activity and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood: Clinical Implications
A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Neurology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: neurodevelopmental disorders; encephalopathies; epilepsies; neuromuscular diseases; sleep disorders; rare genetic syndromes; neuropsychological disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: neuropsychological rehabilitation; memory assessment; learning disabilities; neurodevelopmental disorders; developmental neuropsychology; functional somatic complaints in pediatric age; qualitative approach in children assessment; motor coordination and cognitive functions; executive functions; visuomotor coordination; cognitive development
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Early childhood represents a critical period in which rapid neurobiological maturation interacts dynamically with environmental experiences to shape cognitive, emotional, and motor development. Among the many dimensions of development, motor activity has emerged as a foundational element, not only for acquiring movement skills but also for its profound influence on cognitive processes such as attention, executive functioning, language, and social cognition.
This Special Issue brings together contributions from clinical research to deepen our understanding of how motor activity supports and interacts with cognitive development in early childhood.
Motor actions structure children’s interactions with the environment, allowing them to explore, manipulate, and learn from the world around them. At the neurobiological level, shared neural circuits, such as the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and prefrontal networks, support both motor coordination and higher cognitive functions.
The articles included in this Special Issue address key questions across a spectrum of methodologies and populations. Clinical studies focus on developmental trajectories in typically developing children and in populations at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, developmental coordination disorder, and preterm birth.
Together, these perspectives provide a comprehensive view of how motor activity can promote or hinder cognitive development, depending on individual factors and environmental contexts.
Several contributions highlight the importance of the early detection of motor and cognitive delays and the potential for targeted interventions to support neural plasticity during sensitive developmental windows. Other articles examine the socio-emotional implications of motor development, emphasizing how motor competence shapes children’s self-esteem, peer relationships, and engagement in learning activities.
In conclusion, this Special Issue will advance conceptual and empirical understanding of motor-cognitive interactions in early childhood. We hope it will foster new research directions, inspire innovative interventions, and contribute to improving outcomes for children across diverse developmental trajectories.
We express our gratitude to the authors for their valuable contributions and to the reviewers for their constructive feedback.
Prof. Dr. Michele Roccella
Prof. Dr. Daniela Smirni
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- motor activity
- cognitive development
- early childhood
- neurodevelopmental disorders
- autism spectrum disorder
- attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- developmental coordination disorder
- preterm birth
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