This study aimed to assess the functional activation of preterm newborns' cerebral cortex during kangaroo mother care.

Possible effects of gestational age and previous kangaroo mother care experience were also considered.

Fifteen preterm newborns were recruited (gestational age: 24–32 weeks). Cortical activation was assessed in frontal, motor and primary somatosensory cortices after 15 and 30 min of kangaroo mother care by multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy (gestational age at assessment: 30–36 weeks). Both oxy- and deoxy-haemoglobin variations were analysed by t-test.

Possible effects of gestational age and previous kangaroo mother care experience on cortical activation were studied by regression analysis.