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Tan E, Troller-Renfree SV, Morales S, Buzzell GA, McSweeney M, Antúnez M, Fox NA. Theta activity and cognitive functioning: Integrating evidence from resting-state and task-related developmental electroencephalography (EEG) research. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 67:101404. [PMID: 38852382 PMCID: PMC11214181 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The theta band is one of the most prominent frequency bands in the electroencephalography (EEG) power spectrum and presents an interesting paradox: while elevated theta power during resting state is linked to lower cognitive abilities in children and adolescents, increased theta power during cognitive tasks is associated with higher cognitive performance. Why does theta power, measured during resting state versus cognitive tasks, show differential correlations with cognitive functioning? This review provides an integrated account of the functional correlates of theta across different contexts. We first present evidence that higher theta power during resting state is correlated with lower executive functioning, attentional abilities, language skills, and IQ. Next, we review research showing that theta power increases during memory, attention, and cognitive control, and that higher theta power during these processes is correlated with better performance. Finally, we discuss potential explanations for the differential correlations between resting/task-related theta and cognitive functioning, and offer suggestions for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enda Tan
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA.
| | | | - Santiago Morales
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, CA 90007, USA
| | - George A Buzzell
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, FL 33199, USA
| | - Marco McSweeney
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Martín Antúnez
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
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Elansary M, Wei WS, Pierce LJ, McCoy DC, Nelson CA. Association of Neighborhood Opportunity with Infant Brain Activity and Cognitive Development. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2024; 45:e217-e224. [PMID: 38347666 DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000001249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with lower neurocognitive scores and differences in brain structure among school-age children. Associations between positive neighborhood characteristics, infant brain activity, and cognitive development are underexplored. We examined direct and indirect associations between neighborhood opportunity, brain activity, and cognitive development. METHODS This longitudinal cohort study included infants from 2 primary care clinics in Boston and Los Angeles. Using a sample of 65 infants, we estimated path models to examine associations between neighborhood opportunity (measured by the Child Opportunity Index), infant electroencephalography (EEG) at 6 months, and infant cognitive development (measured using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning) at 12 months. A mediation model tested whether EEG power explained associations between neighborhood opportunity and infant cognition. RESULTS Neighborhood opportunity positively predicted infant absolute EEG power across multiple frequency bands: low ( b = 0.12, 95% CI 0.01-0.24, p = 0.04, = 0.21); high ( b = 0.11, 95% CI 0.01-0.21, p = 0.03, = 0.23); ( b = 0.10, 95% CI 0.00-0.19, p = 0.04, = 0.20); and ( b = 0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.22, p = 0.02, = 0.24). The results remained statistically significant after applying a Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate of 0.10 to adjust for multiple comparisons. No significant associations emerged between neighborhood opportunity, relative EEG power, and infant cognition. Mediation was not significant. CONCLUSION Neighborhood opportunity is positively associated with some forms of infant brain activity, suggesting that positive neighborhood characteristics may play a salient role in early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Elansary
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Wendy S Wei
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA
| | - Lara J Pierce
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; and
| | - Dana C McCoy
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; and
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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3
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Schneider JM, Behboudi MH, Maguire MJ. The Necessity of Taking Culture and Context into Account When Studying the Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Brain Development. Brain Sci 2024; 14:392. [PMID: 38672041 PMCID: PMC11048655 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Decades of research has revealed a relationship between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and brain development at the structural and functional levels. Of particular note is the distinction between income and maternal education, two highly correlated factors which seem to influence brain development through distinct pathways. Specifically, while a families' income-to-needs ratio is linked with physiological stress and household chaos, caregiver education influences the day-to-day language environment a child is exposed to. Variability in either one of these environmental experiences is related to subsequent brain development. While this work has the potential to inform public policies in a way that benefits children, it can also oversimplify complex factors, unjustly blame low-SES parents, and perpetuate a harmful deficit perspective. To counteract these shortcomings, researchers must consider sociodemographic differences in the broader cultural context that underlie SES-based differences in brain development. This review aims to address these issues by (a) identifying how sociodemographic mechanisms associated with SES influence the day-to-day experiences of children, in turn, impacting brain development, while (b) considering the broader cultural contexts that may differentially impact this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M. Schneider
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Louisiana State University, 72 Hatcher Hall, Field House Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA;
| | - Mohammad Hossein Behboudi
- Callier Center for Communication Disorders, The University of Texas at Dallas, 1966 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75235, USA;
| | - Mandy J. Maguire
- Callier Center for Communication Disorders, The University of Texas at Dallas, 1966 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75235, USA;
- Center for Children and Families, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Road, Dallas, TX 75080, USA
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4
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Arnett AB, Guiney H, Bakir-Demir T, Trudgen A, Schierding W, Reid V, O'Sullivan J, Gluckman P, Reese E, Poulton R. Resting EEG correlates of neurodevelopment in a socioeconomically and linguistically diverse sample of toddlers: Wave 1 of the Kia Tīmata Pai best start New Zealand study. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 65:101336. [PMID: 38157733 PMCID: PMC10790011 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Development of communication and self-regulation skills is fundamental to psychosocial maturation in childhood. The Kia Tīmata Pai Best Start (KTP) longitudinal study aims to promote these skills through interventions delivered at early childcare centers across New Zealand. In addition to evaluating effects of the interventions on behavioral and cognitive outcomes, the study utilizes electroencephalography (EEG) to characterize cortical development in a subsample of participating children. Here, we present results of the baseline resting EEG assessment with 193 children aged 15 to 33 months. We identified EEG correlates of individual differences in demographics, communication abilities, and temperament. We obtained communication and behavior ratings from multiple informants, and we applied contemporary analytic methods to the EEG data. Periodic spectral power adjusted for aperiodic activity was most closely associated with demographic, language, and behavioral measures. As in previous studies, gamma power was positively associated with verbal language. Alpha power was positively associated with effortful control. Nonverbal and verbal language measures showed distinct associations with EEG indices, as did the three temperament domains. Our results identified a number of candidate EEG measurements for use as longitudinal markers of optimal cortical development and response to interventions in the KTP cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne B Arnett
- Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Hayley Guiney
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | - Anita Trudgen
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - William Schierding
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Vincent Reid
- School of Psychology, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | | | - Peter Gluckman
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Elaine Reese
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Richie Poulton
- Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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5
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Xu J, Wainio-Theberge S, Wolff A, Qin P, Zhang Y, She X, Wang Y, Wolman A, Smith D, Ignaszewski J, Choueiry J, Knott V, Scalabrini A, Northoff G. Culture shapes spontaneous brain dynamics - Shared versus idiosyncratic neural features among Chinese versus Canadian subjects. Soc Neurosci 2023; 18:312-330. [PMID: 37909114 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2023.2278199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Environmental factors, such as culture, are known to shape individual variation in brain activity including spontaneous activity, but less is known about their population-level effects. Eastern and Western cultures differ strongly in their cultural norms about relationships between individuals. For example, the collectivism, interdependence and tightness of Eastern cultures relative to the individualism, independence and looseness of Western cultures, promote interpersonal connectedness and coordination. Do such cultural contexts therefore influence the group-level variability of their cultural members' spontaneous brain activity? Using novel methods adapted from studies of inter-subject neural synchrony, we compare the group-level variability of resting state EEG dynamics in Chinese and Canadian samples. We observe that Chinese subjects show significantly higher inter-subject correlation and lower inter-subject distance in their EEG power spectra than Canadian subjects, as well as lower variability in theta power and alpha peak frequency. We demonstrate, for the first time, different relationships among subjects' resting state brain dynamics in Chinese and Canadian samples. These results point to more idiosyncratic neural dynamics among Canadian participants, compared with more shared neural features in Chinese participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Xu
- Department of Philosophy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Soren Wainio-Theberge
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Annemarie Wolff
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pengmin Qin
- Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yihui Zhang
- Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xuan She
- Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingying Wang
- Institute of Psychological Sciences, College of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Angelika Wolman
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Smith
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julia Ignaszewski
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joelle Choueiry
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Verner Knott
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Scalabrini
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Georg Northoff
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Behboudi MH, Castro S, Chalamalasetty P, Maguire MJ. Development of Gamma Oscillation during Sentence Processing in Early Adolescence: Insights into the Maturation of Semantic Processing. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1639. [PMID: 38137087 PMCID: PMC10741943 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13121639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Children's ability to retrieve word meanings and incorporate them into sentences, along with the neural structures that support these skills, continues to evolve throughout adolescence. Theta (4-8 Hz) activity that corresponds to word retrieval in children decreases in power and becomes more localized with age. This bottom-up word retrieval is often paired with changes in gamma (31-70 Hz), which are thought to reflect semantic unification in adults. Here, we studied gamma engagement during sentence processing using EEG time-frequency in children (ages 8-15) to unravel the developmental trajectory of the gamma network during sentence processing. Children heavily rely on semantic integration for sentence comprehension, but as they mature, semantic and syntactic processing units become distinct and localized. We observed a similar developmental shift in gamma oscillation around age 11, with younger groups (8-9 and 10-11) exhibiting broadly distributed gamma activity with higher amplitudes, while older groups (12-13 and 14-15) exhibited smaller and more localized gamma activity, especially over the left central and posterior regions. We interpret these findings as support for the argument that younger children rely more heavily on semantic processes for sentence comprehension than older children. And like adults, semantic processing in children is associated with gamma activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hossein Behboudi
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA; (M.H.B.)
- Callier Center for Communication Disorders, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
| | - Stephanie Castro
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78705, USA
| | - Prasanth Chalamalasetty
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA; (M.H.B.)
| | - Mandy J. Maguire
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA; (M.H.B.)
- Callier Center for Communication Disorders, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75235, USA
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Ding K, Wang H, Li C, Li H. Decreased frontal lobe complexity in left-behind children during joint attention: a fNIRS study with multivariable and multiscale sample entropy analysis. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:10949-10958. [PMID: 37727984 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Human brain development is shaped by experiences, especially during preschool, the critical period for cognitive and socioemotional development. This study employed the functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy technique to explore the neural differences between left-behind children (LBC) and non-left-behind children (NLBC) on joint attention. Through collecting brain image data of 50 children (26 boys, aged 65.08 ± 6.28 months) and conducting multivariable and multiscale sample entropy (MMSE) analysis, the present study found that: (i) LBC showed lower brain complexity than NLBC in right prefrontal cortex; (ii) all participants demonstrated higher brain complexity in responding to joint attention conditions, compared to initiating joint attention ones; (iii) their brain complexity during joint attention was negatively associated with their emotional abilities. The findings advance our understanding of early brain development in LBC by providing evidence for the neural process characteristics of joint attention. Implications for early intervention to promote their brain development are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keya Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chuanjiang Li
- College of Child Development and Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui Li
- Faculty of Education and Human Development, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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8
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Tan E, Tang A, Debnath R, Humphreys KL, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA, Fox NA. Resting brain activity in early childhood predicts IQ at 18 years. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101287. [PMID: 37531865 PMCID: PMC10407667 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Resting brain activity has been widely used as an index of brain development in neuroscience and clinical research. However, it remains unclear whether early differences in resting brain activity have meaningful implications for predicting long-term cognitive outcomes. Using data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project (Zeanah et al., 2003), we examined the impact of institutional rearing and the consequences of early foster care intervention on 18-year IQ. We found that higher resting theta electroencephalogram (EEG) power, reflecting atypical neurodevelopment, across three assessments from 22 to 42 months predicted lower full-scale IQ at 18 years, providing the first evidence that brain activity in early childhood predicts cognitive outcomes into adulthood. In addition, both institutional rearing and later (vs. earlier) foster care intervention predicted higher resting theta power in early childhood, which in turn predicted lower IQ at 18 years. These findings demonstrate that experientially-induced changes in brain activity early in life have profound impact on long-term cognitive development, highlighting the importance of early intervention for promoting healthy development among children living in disadvantaged environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enda Tan
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park 20740, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park 20740, USA.
| | - Alva Tang
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson 75080, USA.
| | - Ranjan Debnath
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg 39118, Germany.
| | - Kathryn L Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville 37203, USA.
| | - Charles H Zeanah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans 70118, USA.
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital of Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge 02138, USA.
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park 20740, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park 20740, USA.
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Xu F, Xu Y, Wang Y, Niu K, Li Y, Wang P, Li Y, Sun J, Chen Q, Wang X. Language-related brain areas in childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes studied with MEG. Clin Neurophysiol 2023; 152:11-21. [PMID: 37257319 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2023.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Children with self-limited epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (SeLECTS) typically indicate cognitive impairment with widespread speech impairment. We explored how epilepsy affects language-related brain areas and areas in their vicinity. METHODS Twenty-two children with SeLECTS and declined verbal comprehension (DVC), 21 with SeLECTS and normal verbal comprehension (NVC), and 23 healthy controls (HCs) underwent high-sampling magnetoencephalography recordings. According to a previous study, 24 language-related regions of interest were selected bilaterally, and the relative spectral power was estimated using a minimum norm estimate. RESULTS The highest mean power spectral density was observed in the delta band for the DVC group, in the theta band for the NVC group, and in the alpha band for HCs within language-specific brain regions. The distinctions between the DVC and NVC groups in the delta and theta frequency bands were primarily concentrated in the right linguistic brain area. CONCLUSIONS Children with SeLECTS may have developmental problems in language-related brain areas, with different developmental levels observed in the DVC, NVC, and HC groups. The DVC group could have inferior speech comprehension due to a more significant number of seizures and more left-sided spike locations. SIGNIFICANCE Children having SeLECTS showed impaired brain maturation, leading to associated language impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengyuan Xu
- Country Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Xu
- Country Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingfan Wang
- Country Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Kai Niu
- Country Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yihan Li
- Country Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pengfei Wang
- Country Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanzhang Li
- Country Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jintao Sun
- Country Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qiqi Chen
- Country MEG Center, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoshan Wang
- Country Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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10
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Larson LM, Feuerriegel D, Hasan MI, Braat S, Jin J, Tipu SMU, Shiraji S, Tofail F, Biggs BA, Hamadani J, Johnson K, Pasricha SR, Bode S. Supplementation With Iron Syrup or Iron-Containing Multiple Micronutrient Powders Alters Resting Brain Activity in Bangladeshi Children. J Nutr 2023; 153:352-363. [PMID: 36913472 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anemia and iron deficiency have been associated with poor child cognitive development. A key rationale for the prevention of anemia using supplementation with iron has been the benefits to neurodevelopment. However, little causal evidence exists for these gains. OBJECTIVES We aimed to examine effects of supplementation with iron or multiple micronutrient powders (MNPs) on brain activity measures using resting electroencephalography (EEG). METHODS Children included in this neurocognitive substudy were randomly selected from the Benefits and Risks of Iron Supplementation in Children study, a double-blind, double-dummy, individually randomized, parallel-group trial in Bangladesh, in which children, starting at 8 mo of age, received 3 mo of daily iron syrup, MNPs, or placebo. Resting brain activity was recorded using EEG immediately after intervention (month 3) and after a further 9-month follow-up (month 12). We derived EEG band power measures for delta, theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands. Linear regression models were used to compare the effect of each intervention with that of placebo on the outcomes. RESULTS Data from 412 children at month 3 and 374 at month 12 were analyzed. At baseline, 43.9% were anemic and 26.7% were iron deficient. Immediately after intervention, iron syrup, but not MNPs, increased the mu alpha-band power, a measure that is associated with maturity and the production of motor actions (iron vs. placebo: mean difference = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.50 μV2; P = 0.003; false discovery rate adjusted P = 0.015). Despite effects on hemoglobin and iron status, effects were not observed on the posterior alpha, beta, delta, and theta bands, nor were effects sustained at the 9-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The effect size for immediate effects on the mu alpha-band power is comparable in magnitude with psychosocial stimulation interventions and poverty reduction strategies. However, overall, we did not find evidence for long-lasting changes in resting EEG power spectra from iron interventions in young Bangladeshi children. This trial was registered at www.anzctr.org.au as ACTRN12617000660381.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila M Larson
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA; Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Daniel Feuerriegel
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mohammed Imrul Hasan
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sabine Braat
- Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jerry Jin
- Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sm Mulk Uddin Tipu
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shamima Shiraji
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fahmida Tofail
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Beverley-Ann Biggs
- Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jena Hamadani
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Katherine Johnson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sant-Rayn Pasricha
- Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Diagnostic Haematology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Diagnostic Haematology and Clinical Haematology, The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stefan Bode
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Ferrari-Díaz M, Bravo-Chávez RI, Silva-Pereyra J, Fernández T, García-Peña C, Rodríguez-Camacho M. Verbal intelligence and leisure activities are associated with cognitive performance and resting-state electroencephalogram. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:921518. [PMID: 36268192 PMCID: PMC9577299 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.921518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive reserve (CR) is the adaptability of cognitive processes that helps to explain differences in the susceptibility of cognitive or daily functions to resist the onslaught of brain-related injury or the normal aging process. The underlying brain mechanisms of CR studied through electroencephalogram (EEG) are scarcely reported. To our knowledge, few studies have considered a combination of exclusively dynamic proxy measures of CR. We evaluated the association of CR with cognition and resting-state EEG in older adults using three of the most frequently used dynamic proxy measures of CR: verbal intelligence, leisure activities, and physical activities. Multiple linear regression analyses with the CR proxies as independent variables and cognitive performance and the absolute power (AP) on six resting-state EEG components (beta, alpha1, alpha2, gamma, theta, and delta) as outcomes were performed. Eighty-eight healthy older adults aged 60–77 (58 female) were selected from previous study data. Verbal intelligence was a significant positive predictor of perceptual organization, working memory, processing speed, executive functions, and central delta power. Leisure activities were a significant positive predictor of posterior alpha2 power. The dynamic proxy variables of CR are differently associated with cognitive performance and resting-state EEG. Implementing leisure activities and tasks to increase vocabulary may promote better cognitive performance through compensation or neural efficiency mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Ferrari-Díaz
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Iván Bravo-Chávez
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
| | - Juan Silva-Pereyra
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Juan Silva-Pereyra,
| | - Thalía Fernández
- Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Carmen García-Peña
- Departamento de Investigación, Instituto Nacional de Geriatría, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Mario Rodríguez-Camacho
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
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12
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Lum JAG, Clark GM, Bigelow FJ, Enticott PG. Resting state electroencephalography (EEG) correlates with children's language skills: Evidence from sentence repetition. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2022; 230:105137. [PMID: 35576738 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2022.105137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous neural oscillatory activity reflects the brain's functional architecture and has previously been shown to correlate with perceptual, motor and executive skills. The current study used resting state electroencephalography to examine the relationship between spontaneous neural oscillatory activity and children's language skills. Participants in the study were 52 English-speaking children aged around 10-years. Language was assessed using a sentence repetition task. The main analysis revealed resting state theta power negatively correlated with this task. No significant correlations were found in the other studied frequency bands (delta, alpha, beta, gamma). As part of typical brain development, spontaneous theta power declines across childhood and adolescence. The negative correlation observed in this study may therefore be indicating children's language skills are related to the maturation of theta oscillations. More generally, the study provides further evidence that oscillatory activity in the developing brain, even at rest, is reliably associated with children's language skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarrad A G Lum
- School of Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
| | - Gillian M Clark
- School of Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Felicity J Bigelow
- School of Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Peter G Enticott
- School of Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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13
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Brito NH, Werchan D, Brandes-Aitken A, Yoshikawa H, Greaves A, Zhang M. Paid maternal leave is associated with infant brain function at 3 months of age. Child Dev 2022; 93:1030-1043. [PMID: 35373346 PMCID: PMC9892990 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The first months of life are critical for establishing neural connections relevant for social and cognitive development. Yet, the United States lacks a national policy of paid family leave during this important period of brain development. This study examined associations between paid leave and infant electroencephalography (EEG) at 3 months in a sociodemographically diverse sample of families from New York City (N = 80; 53 males; 48% Latine; data collection occurred 05/2018-12/2019). Variable-centered regression results indicate that paid leave status was related to differences in EEG power (ps < .02, R2 s > .12). Convergent results from person-centered latent profile analyses demonstrate that mothers with paid leave were 7.39 times as likely to have infants with EEG profiles characterized by increased higher-Hz power (95% CI, 1.9-36.9), potentially reflecting more mature patterns of brain activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie H. Brito
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Denise Werchan
- Department of Population Health, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Hirokazu Yoshikawa
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ashley Greaves
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Maggie Zhang
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
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14
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Feldstein Ewing SW, Karalunas SL, Kenyon EA, Yang M, Hudson KA, Filbey FM. Intersection between social inequality and emotion regulation on emerging adult cannabis use. DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE REPORTS 2022; 3:100050. [PMID: 35694031 PMCID: PMC9187048 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Emerging adulthood (EA; ages 18-25) is characterized by socioemotional and neurodevelopmental challenges. Cannabis is a widely used substance among EAs, and hazardous use may increase risk for sustained use patterns and related health consequences. Research shows differential increases in hazardous use by objective as well as subjective measures of social inequality, with more concerning trajectories for youth with greater experiences of social inequality. Learning how to flexibly monitor and modify emotions in proactive ways (i.e., emotion regulation) is a central developmental task navigated during the EA window. Challenges to and with emotion regulation processes can contribute to the emergence of mental health symptoms during EA, including hazardous cannabis use. In this perspective, we highlight emotion dysregulation and social inequality as two critical factors that interact to either buffer against or exacerbate cannabis use during the EA period, noting critical gaps in the literature that merit additional research. We recommend novel methods and longitudinal designs to help clarify how dynamic cognition-emotion interplay predicts trajectories of negative emotional experiences and cannabis use in EA.
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15
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The impact of a poverty reduction intervention on infant brain activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2115649119. [PMID: 35074878 PMCID: PMC8812534 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115649119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study demonstrates the causal impact of a poverty reduction intervention on early childhood brain activity. Data from the Baby’s First Years study, a randomized control trial, show that a predictable, monthly unconditional cash transfer given to low-income families may have a causal impact on infant brain activity. In the context of greater economic resources, children’s experiences changed, and their brain activity adapted to those experiences. The resultant brain activity patterns have been shown to be associated with the development of subsequent cognitive skills. Early childhood poverty is a risk factor for lower school achievement, reduced earnings, and poorer health, and has been associated with differences in brain structure and function. Whether poverty causes differences in neurodevelopment, or is merely associated with factors that cause such differences, remains unclear. Here, we report estimates of the causal impact of a poverty reduction intervention on brain activity in the first year of life. We draw data from a subsample of the Baby’s First Years study, which recruited 1,000 diverse low-income mother–infant dyads. Shortly after giving birth, mothers were randomized to receive either a large or nominal monthly unconditional cash gift. Infant brain activity was assessed at approximately 1 y of age in the child’s home, using resting electroencephalography (EEG; n = 435). We hypothesized that infants in the high-cash gift group would have greater EEG power in the mid- to high-frequency bands and reduced power in a low-frequency band compared with infants in the low-cash gift group. Indeed, infants in the high-cash gift group showed more power in high-frequency bands. Effect sizes were similar in magnitude to many scalable education interventions, although the significance of estimates varied with the analytic specification. In sum, using a rigorous randomized design, we provide evidence that giving monthly unconditional cash transfers to mothers experiencing poverty in the first year of their children’s lives may change infant brain activity. Such changes reflect neuroplasticity and environmental adaptation and display a pattern that has been associated with the development of subsequent cognitive skills.
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16
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Ding K, Li C, Li Y, Wang H, Yu D. The Effect of Socioeconomic Disparities on Prefrontal Activation in Initiating Joint Attention: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Evidence From Two Socioeconomic Status Groups. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:741872. [PMID: 34955785 PMCID: PMC8702952 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.741872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Low socioeconomic status (SES) may generally have a long-lasting negative effect on cognitive development, and show deficits in the development of executive functions. However, it is unclear whether there is an SES-dependent disparity in the functional brain development of the prefrontal cortex. By collecting task-related functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data and behavioral data (e.g., intelligence, language, home reading environment (HRE), family income, and parental education level), the current study aimed to detect whether the SES of preschool children (N = 86) is associated with prefrontal activation during the joint attention task. Results verified that low-SES children show lower right prefrontal activation during joint attention than Relatively High-SES children. In addition, our findings confirmed the mediating effect of HRE on the association between SES and brain activation during joint attention, as well as that between SES and language ability. These results suggest that SES contributes to functional development of the prefrontal regions, and the improvement of HRE could be a potential strategy to intervene SES-related disparities on child development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keya Ding
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chuanjiang Li
- Hangzhou College of Early Childhood Teacher's Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanwei Li
- College of Preschool Education, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongchuan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Department of Child Development and Behavior, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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17
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Perone S, Anderson AJ, Zelazo PD. The influence of parental guidance on video game performance, exploration, and cortical activity in 5-year-old children. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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18
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Meng X, Sun C, Du B, Liu L, Zhang Y, Dong Q, Georgiou GK, Nan Y. The development of brain rhythms at rest and its impact on vocabulary acquisition. Dev Sci 2021; 25:e13157. [PMID: 34258830 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A long-standing question in developmental science is how the neurodevelopment of the brain influences cognitive functions. Here, we examined the developmental change of resting EEG power and its links to vocabulary acquisition in school-age children. We further explored what mechanisms may mediate the relation between brain rhythm maturation and vocabulary knowledge. Eyes-opened resting-state EEG data were recorded from 53 typically-developing Chinese children every 2 years between the ages of 7 and 11. Our results showed first that delta, theta, and gamma power decreased over time, whereas alpha and beta power increased over time. Second, after controlling for general cognitive abilities, age, home literacy environment, and phonological skills, theta decreases explained 6.9% and 14.4% of unique variance in expressive vocabulary at ages 9 and 11, respectively. We also found that beta increase from age 7 to 9 significantly predicted receptive vocabulary at age 11. Finally, theta decrease predicted expressive vocabulary through the effects of phoneme deletion at age 9 and tone discrimination at age 11. These results substantiate the important role of brain oscillations at rest, especially theta rhythm, in language development. The developmental change of brain rhythms could serve as sensitive biomarkers for vocabulary development in school-age children, which would be of great value in identifying children at risk of language impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyun Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Boqi Du
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - George K Georgiou
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yun Nan
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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19
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Childhood disadvantage, neurocognitive development and neuropsychiatric disorders: Evidence of mechanisms. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2021; 34:306-323. [PMID: 33587493 PMCID: PMC9458466 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0000000000000701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Children living in socioeconomically disadvantaged households have excess risks of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric problems. The purpose of this review is to synthesize evidence for mechanisms that may contribute to these excess risks. RECENT FINDINGS The majority of the 60 studies included in our review focused on children's neurocognitive development and behavioural problems. About half conducted mediation analyses of factors in the family and neighbourhood environments, including access to resources (e.g. cognitive inputs within the home environment) and exposure to stressors (e.g. negative parenting practices), as well as neurobiological embedding of childhood disadvantage. In addition, many studies conducted moderation analyses of factors that were hypothesized to interact with (i.e. exacerbate or mitigate) the harmful effects of childhood disadvantage. SUMMARY Many of the factors that contribute to the excess risk of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric problems among children in disadvantaged households are potentially modifiable (e.g. cognitively stimulating materials, parental language input, cultural resources, parental stress and psychopathology, negative parenting, neighbourhood violence). If their causality is ultimately established, they could be targets for the prevention and reduction of disparities. The continued search for mechanisms should not detract from work to reduce and hopefully eliminate children's exposure to disadvantage.
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20
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EEG signatures of cognitive and social development of preschool children-a systematic review. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247223. [PMID: 33606804 PMCID: PMC7895403 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Early identification of preschool children who are at risk of faltering in their development is essential to ensuring that all children attain their full potential. Electroencephalography (EEG) has been used to measure neural correlates of cognitive and social development in children for decades. Effective portable and low-cost EEG devices increase the potential of its use to assess neurodevelopment in children at scale and particularly in low-resource settings. We conducted a systematic review aimed to synthesise EEG measures of cognitive and social development in 2-5-year old children. Our secondary aim was to identify how these measures differ across a) the course of development within this age range, b) gender and c) socioeconomic status (SES). Methods and findings A systematic literature search identified 51 studies for inclusion in this review. Data relevant to the primary and secondary aims was extracted from these studies and an assessment for risk of bias was done, which highlighted the need for harmonisation of EEG data collection and analysis methods across research groups and more detailed reporting of participant characteristics. Studies reported on the domains of executive function (n = 22 papers), selective auditory attention (n = 9), learning and memory (n = 5), processing of faces (n = 7) and emotional stimuli (n = 8). For papers investigating executive function and selective auditory attention, the most commonly reported measures were alpha power and the amplitude and latency of positive (P1, P2, P3) and negative (N1, N2) deflections of event related potential (ERPs) components. The N170 and P1 ERP components were the most commonly reported neural responses to face and emotional faces stimuli. A mid-latency negative component and positive slow wave were used to index learning and memory, and late positive potential in response to emotional non-face stimuli. While almost half the studies described changes in EEG measures across age, only eight studies disaggregated results based on gender, and six included children from low income households to assess the impact of SES on neurodevelopment. No studies were conducted in low- and middle-income countries. Conclusion This review has identified power across the EEG spectrum and ERP components to be the measures most commonly reported in studies in which preschool children engage in tasks indexing cognitive and social development. It has also highlighted the need for additional research into their changes across age and based on gender and SES.
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21
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Begus K, Bonawitz E. The rhythm of learning: Theta oscillations as an index of active learning in infancy. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100810. [PMID: 33040970 PMCID: PMC7371744 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Active learning is a critical component of human development, however, the mechanisms supporting it are not fully understood. Given that early learning experiences may affect both infants' immediate learning success, as well as their motivation to learn, it is particularly important to investigate the mechanisms of active learning in this period, when the foundations of learning habits and curiosity are built. Traditional behavioural approaches of studying infant learning face challenges that emerging tools from neuroscience may help relieve. We introduce one such tool, EEG theta oscillations, and propose this neural marker has great potential for offering novel insights into active learning. Theta activity, recorded prior to or during learning, has been shown to be predictive of learning success. We argue that this involvement in memory formation, combined with theta activity's tight association with reward processing, makes theta oscillations a uniquely suited tool for the investigation of motivational mechanisms underlying active learning. We outline research questions as well as methodological approaches pertinent to infant learning and suggest how and why theta oscillations may offer complementary insights. As such, we aim to bridge the gap between cognitive and neural approaches, and advance our knowledge of active learning in development more broadly.
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22
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Brito NH, Troller-Renfree SV, Leon-Santos A, Isler JR, Fifer WP, Noble KG. Associations among the home language environment and neural activity during infancy. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 43:100780. [PMID: 32510343 PMCID: PMC7200831 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Characteristics of the home language environment, independent of socioeconomic background, may account for disparities in early language abilities. Past studies have reported links between the quantity of language input within the home and differences in brain function during early childhood. The current study examined associations between home language input and EEG brain activity in a socioeconomically diverse sample of 6- to 12-month-old infants (N = 94). Replicating past studies, a positive correlation was found between measures of socioeconomic status and language input. Examining links between language input and brain activity, analyses yielded a negative association, with children who heard more adult words in the home demonstrating reduced EEG beta power (13-19 Hz) in the parietal region. Exploratory analyses revealed a significant interaction between language input and the amount of chaos and disorganization in the home. Specifically, among children living in high-chaos households, children who heard more adult words tended to have reduced EEG activity. Among children living in low-chaos homes, there was no link between adult word count and children's EEG activity. These findings demonstrate the importance of the early home environment context in shaping neurocognitive trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie H Brito
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, United States.
| | - Sonya V Troller-Renfree
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Ana Leon-Santos
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Joseph R Isler
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, United States
| | - William P Fifer
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, United States; Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, United States
| | - Kimberly G Noble
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, United States
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23
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Troller‐Renfree SV, Brito NH, Desai PM, Leon‐Santos AG, Wiltshire CA, Motton SN, Meyer JS, Isler J, Fifer WP, Noble KG. Infants of mothers with higher physiological stress show alterations in brain function. Dev Sci 2020; 23:e12976. [DOI: 10.1111/desc.12976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Joseph Isler
- Columbia University Medical Center New York NY USA
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