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Lopera-Perez DC, Obradović J, Yousafzai AK, Keehn B, Siyal S, Nelson CA, Tarullo AR. Early Family Experiences and Neural Activity in Rural Pakistani Children: The Differential Role of Gender. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22534. [PMID: 39128886 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22534] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Adversity within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) poses severe threats to neurocognitive development, which can be partially mitigated by high-quality early family experiences. Specifically, maternal scaffolding and home stimulation can buffer cognitive development in LMIC, possibly by protecting underlying neural functioning. However, the association between family experiences and neural activity remains largely unexplored in LMIC contexts. This study explored the relation of early family experiences to later cognitive skills and absolute gamma power (21-45 Hz), a neural marker linked to higher-order cognitive skills. Drawing data from the PEDS trial, a longitudinal study in rural Pakistan, we examined maternal scaffolding at 24 months and home stimulation quality at 18 months as predictors of verbal IQ, executive functions, and absolute gamma at 48 months for 105 mother-child dyads (52 girls). Maternal scaffolding interacted with gender to predict absolute gamma power, such that higher maternal scaffolding was related to higher gamma more strongly for girls. Maternal scaffolding also interacted with absolute gamma to predict executive functions, such that higher gamma was related to better executive functions only when maternal scaffolding was average to high. Individual differences in early family experiences may partially buffer the neural underpinnings of cognitive skills from adversity in LMIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana C Lopera-Perez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jelena Obradović
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Aisha K Yousafzai
- Department of Global Health and Population, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brandon Keehn
- Departments of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Saima Siyal
- Development and Research for children in early and adolescent years of life (DREAM organization), Naushahro Feroze, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Departments of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amanda R Tarullo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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2
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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] [Grants] [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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3
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Wienke AS, Mathes B. Socioeconomic Inequalities Affect Brain Responses of Infants Growing Up in Germany. Brain Sci 2024; 14:560. [PMID: 38928558 PMCID: PMC11201481 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060560] [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: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Developmental changes in functional neural networks are sensitive to environmental influences. This EEG study investigated how infant brain responses relate to the social context that their families live in. Event-related potentials of 255 healthy, awake infants between six and fourteen months were measured during a passive auditory oddball paradigm. Infants were presented with 200 standard tones and 48 randomly distributed deviants. All infants are part of a longitudinal study focusing on families with socioeconomic and/or cultural challenges (Bremen Initiative to Foster Early Childhood Development; BRISE; Germany). As part of their familial socioeconomic status (SES), parental level of education and infant's migration background were assessed with questionnaires. For 30.6% of the infants both parents had a low level of education (≤10 years of schooling) and for 43.1% of the infants at least one parent was born abroad. The N2-P3a complex is associated with unintentional directing of attention to deviant stimuli and was analysed in frontocentral brain regions. Age was utilised as a control variable. Our results show that tone deviations in infants trigger an immature N2-P3a complex. Contrary to studies with older children or adults, the N2 amplitude was more positive for deviants than for standards. This may be related to an immature superposition of the N2 with the P3a. For infants whose parents had no high-school degree and were born abroad, this tendency was increased, indicating that facing multiple challenges as a young family impacts on the infant's early neural development. As such, attending to unexpected stimulus changes may be important for early learning processes. Variations of the infant N2-P3a complex may, thus, relate to early changes in attentional capacity and learning experiences due to familial challenges. This points towards the importance of early prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Birgit Mathes
- Bremer Initiative to Foster Early Childhood Development (BRISE), Faculty for Human and Health Sciences, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany;
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4
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Mukerji CE, Wilson JS, Wilkinson CL, Krol MA, Nelson CA, Tager-Flusberg H. Resting Frontal Gamma Power is Associated with Both Expressive Language and Non-verbal Cognitive Abilities in Young Autistic Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06308-3. [PMID: 38607475 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06308-3] [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] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Previous research links resting frontal gamma power to key developmental outcomes in young neurotypical (NT) children and infants at risk for language impairment. However, it remains unclear whether gamma power is specifically associated with language or with more general cognitive abilities among young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study evaluates differences in resting frontal gamma power between young autistic and NT children and tests whether gamma power is uniquely associated with individual differences in expressive language, receptive language and non-verbal cognitive abilities in autistic and NT children. Participants included 48 autistic children and 58 age- and sex-matched NT children (ages 22-60 months). Baseline electroencephalography (EEG) recordings were acquired from each participant. Children also completed the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). We found that frontal gamma power at rest did not differ between autistic and NT children. Among autistic children, reduced frontal gamma power was significantly associated with both higher expressive language skills and higher non-verbal cognitive skills, controlling for age and sex. The interaction between frontal gamma power and diagnostic status no longer explained unique variance in expressive language skills after controlling for variance associated with non-verbal cognitive skills across autistic and NT children. Together, these findings suggest that reduced gamma power is associated with both better expressive language and non-verbal cognitive skills among young autistic children. Moreover, associations between high frequency neural activity and cognition are not specific to verbal abilities but reflect neural mechanisms associated with general higher-order cognitive abilities in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cora E Mukerji
- Department of Psychology, Bryn Mawr College, 101 N Merion Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA, 19010, USA
| | - John S Wilson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Carol L Wilkinson
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School & Harvard Graduate School of Education, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Manon A Krol
- Donders Institute, Radboudumc, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School & Harvard Graduate School of Education, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Helen Tager-Flusberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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5
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Nelson CA, Sullivan E, Engelstad AM. Annual Research Review: Early intervention viewed through the lens of developmental neuroscience. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024; 65:435-455. [PMID: 37438865 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The overarching goal of this paper is to examine the efficacy of early intervention when viewed through the lens of developmental neuroscience. We begin by briefly summarizing neural development from conception through the first few postnatal years. We emphasize the role of experience during the postnatal period, and consistent with decades of research on critical periods, we argue that experience can represent both a period of opportunity and a period of vulnerability. Because plasticity is at the heart of early intervention, we next turn our attention to the efficacy of early intervention drawing from two distinct literatures: early intervention services for children growing up in disadvantaged environments, and children at elevated likelihood of developing a neurodevelopmental delay or disorder. In the case of the former, we single out interventions that target caregiving and in the case of the latter, we highlight recent work on autism. A consistent theme throughout our review is a discussion of how early intervention is embedded in the developing brain. We conclude our article by discussing the implications our review has for policy, and we then offer recommendations for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A Nelson
- Department of Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Eileen Sullivan
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anne-Michelle Engelstad
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA
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6
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Lee KC(G, Gao J, Leung HK, Wu BWY, Roberts A, Thach TQ, Sik HH. Modulating Consciousness through Awareness Training Program and Its Impacts on Psychological Stress and Age-Related Gamma Waves. Brain Sci 2024; 14:91. [PMID: 38248306 PMCID: PMC10813729 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010091] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging often leads to awareness decline and psychological stress. Meditation, a method of modulating consciousness, may help individuals improve overall awareness and increase emotional resilience toward stress. This study explored the potential influence of the Awareness Training Program (ATP), a form of consciousness modulation, on age-related brain wave changes and psychological stress in middle-aged adults. Eighty-five participants with mild stress were recruited and randomly assigned to ATP (45.00 ± 8.00 yr) or control (46.67 ± 7.80 yr) groups, matched by age and gender. Ten-minute resting-state EEG data, obtained while the participants' eyes were closed, were collected using a 128-channel EEG system (EGI). A strong positive Pearson correlation was found between fast-wave (beta wave, 12-25 Hz; gamma wave, 25-40 Hz) EEG and age. However, after the 7-week ATP intervention, this correlation became insignificant in the ATP group. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in stress levels, as measured by the Chinese version of the 10 item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), in the ATP group. These results suggest that ATP may help modulate age-related effects on fast brain waves, as evidenced by the reduced correlation magnitude between age and gamma waves, and lower psychological stress. This suggests that ATP, as a form of consciousness modulation, may improve stress resilience and modulate age-related gamma wave changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kin Cheung (George) Lee
- Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (J.G.); (H.K.L.); (B.W.Y.W.); (H.H.S.)
| | - Junling Gao
- Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (J.G.); (H.K.L.); (B.W.Y.W.); (H.H.S.)
| | - Hang Kin Leung
- Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (J.G.); (H.K.L.); (B.W.Y.W.); (H.H.S.)
| | - Bonnie Wai Yan Wu
- Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (J.G.); (H.K.L.); (B.W.Y.W.); (H.H.S.)
| | - Adam Roberts
- Singapore-ETH Centre, ETH Zurich, Singapore 138602, Singapore;
| | - Thuan-Quoc Thach
- Department of Psychiatry, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Hin Hung Sik
- Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (J.G.); (H.K.L.); (B.W.Y.W.); (H.H.S.)
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7
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Galindo-Aldana G, Torres-González C. Neuropsychology and Electroencephalography in Rural Children at Neurodevelopmental Risk: A Scoping Review. Pediatr Rep 2023; 15:722-740. [PMID: 38133433 PMCID: PMC10747224 DOI: 10.3390/pediatric15040065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Children from rural areas face numerous possibilities of neurodevelopmental conditions that may compromise their well-being and optimal development. Neuropsychology and electroencephalography (EEG) have shown strong agreement in detecting correlations between these two variables and suggest an association with specific environmental and social risk factors. The present scoping review aims to describe studies reporting associations between EEG features and cognitive impairment in children from rural or vulnerable environments and describe the main risk factors influencing EEG abnormalities in these children. The method for this purpose was based on a string-based review from PubMed, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted from the outcomes that complied with the selected criteria. In total, 2280 records were identified; however, only 26 were eligible: 15 for qualitative and 11 for quantitative analysis. The findings highlight the significant literature on EEG and its relationship with cognitive impairment from studies in children with epilepsy and malnutrition. In general, there is evidence for the advantages of implementing EEG diagnosis and research techniques in children living under risk conditions. Specific associations between particular EEG features and cognitive impairment are described in the reviewed literature in children. Further research is needed to better describe and integrate the state of the art regarding EEG feature extraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilberto Galindo-Aldana
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Cognition, Mental Health, Profession, and Society Research Group, Autonomous University of Baja California, Hwy. 3, Col. Gutierrez, Mexicali 21725, Mexico;
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8
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Brandes-Aitken A, Metser M, Braren SH, Vogel SC, Brito NH. Neurophysiology of sustained attention in early infancy: Investigating longitudinal relations with recognition memory outcomes. Infant Behav Dev 2023; 70:101807. [PMID: 36634407 PMCID: PMC9901300 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101807] [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: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The ability to sustain attention is a critical cognitive domain that emerges in infancy and is predictive of a multitude of cognitive processes. Here, we used a heart rate (HR) defined measure of sustained attention to assess corresponding changes in frontal electroencephalography (EEG) power at 3 months of age. Second, we examined how the neural underpinnings of HR-defined sustained attention were associated with sustained attention engagement. Third, we evaluated if neural or behavioral sustained attention measures at 3-months predicted subsequent recognition memory scores at 9 months of age. Seventy-five infants were included at 3 months of age and provided usable attention and EEG data and 25 infants returned to the lab at 9 months and provided usable recognition memory data. The current study focuses on oscillatory power in the theta (4-6 Hz) frequency band during phases of HR-defined sustained attention and inattention phases. Results revealed that theta power was significantly higher during phases of sustained attention. Second, higher theta power during sustained attention was positively associated with proportion of time in sustained attention. Third, longitudinal analyses indicated a significant positive association between theta power during sustained attention on 9-month visual paired comparison scores such that higher theta power predicted higher visual paired comparison scores at 9-months. These results highlight the interrelation of the attention and arousal systems which have longitudinal implications for subsequent recognition memory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Brandes-Aitken
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Maya Metser
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen H. Braren
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah C. Vogel
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalie H. Brito
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA,Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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9
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Obradović J, Finch JE, Connolly C, Siyal S, Yousafzai AK. The unique relevance of executive functions and self-regulation behaviors for understanding early childhood experiences and preschoolers' outcomes in rural Pakistan. Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13271. [PMID: 35561073 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Performance-based measures of children's executive functions (EFs) do not capture children's application of these skills during everyday emotionally-laden and socially-mediated interactions. The current study demonstrates the value of using assessor report of self-regulation behaviors (inhibitory control and positive affect/engagement) in addition to EF tasks when studying early childhood experiences and development in a rural lower-middle-income country setting. In a sample of 1302 disadvantaged 4-year-olds living in rural Pakistan, we found that directly assessed EFs were significantly related to assessor observations of children's inhibitory control and positive affect/engagement during a structured assessment protocol. However, EFs and two types of self-regulation behaviors demonstrated unique associations with children's (1) contextual experiences, as indexed by family socio-economic resources, participation in parenting interventions, and children's physical growth; and (2) age-salient developmental outcomes, as indexed by direct assessment of pre-academic skills and maternal report of prosocial behaviors and behavior problems. First, family wealth uniquely predicted only observed positive affect/engagement, whereas maternal education uniquely predicted only EFs. Second, children's antecedent linear growth was a significant predictor of both EFs and positive affect/engagement, but exposure to an enhanced nutrition intervention during the first 2 years of life and preschoolers' hair cortisol concentration were associated only with observed self-regulation behaviors. Finally, both EFs and observed positive affect/engagement uniquely predicted children's pre-academic skills. In contrast, only assessors' ratings of positive affect/engagement uniquely predicted maternal report of prosocial behaviors and only assessors' ratings of inhibitory control uniquely predicted maternal report of behavioral problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Obradović
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jenna E Finch
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Catie Connolly
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Saima Siyal
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.,DREAM Community Development and Research Organization, Naushahero Feroze, Pakistan
| | - Aisha K Yousafzai
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Toor HK, Hanif R. Executive Function Touch battery: Translation and preliminary measure validation for Pakistani preschoolers. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274431. [PMID: 36107940 PMCID: PMC9477268 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Keeping in mind the importance of measuring early executive function (EF) skills in low and middle-income countries, the present study examined the feasibility and preliminary psychometric properties of a performance-based computerized EF measure; EF Touch, to be used with Pakistani preschoolers. Review of the content and Urdu translation of verbal instruction EF Touch battery was carried out by subject matter experts before data collection from the 120 preschoolers aged between 3.1 to 5.9 years. The feasibility report indicated that between 79.2% -100% of the preschoolers completed each executive function task. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed the unidimensionality of the EF battery. Item response theory models were used for the initial assessment of tasks and item parameters. Results demonstrated that each task worked invariantly across subgroups of preschoolers residing in low and middle-income households. Moreover, preschoolers showed differences on each task, and task scores reflect their latent EF skills in the low to moderate range. The battery was demonstrated as a feasible and reliable measure for use with low and middle-income countries specifically in Pakistan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafsa Khalil Toor
- Department of Psychology, Foundation University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Rubina Hanif
- National Institute of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
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11
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Sullivan EF, Xie W, Conte S, Richards JE, Shama T, Haque R, Petri WA, Nelson CA. Neural correlates of inhibitory control and associations with cognitive outcomes in Bangladeshi children exposed to early adversities. Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13245. [PMID: 35192240 PMCID: PMC9393202 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
There is strong support for the view that children growing up in low-income homes typically evince poorer performance on tests of inhibitory control compared to those growing up in higher income homes. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the work documenting this association has been conducted in high-income countries. It is not yet known whether the mechanisms found to mediate this association would generalize to children in low- and middle-income countries, where the risks of exposure to extreme poverty and a wide range of both biological and psychosocial hazards may be greater. We examined relations among early adversity, neural correlates of inhibitory control, and cognitive outcomes in 154 5-year-old children living in Dhaka, Bangladesh, an area with a high prevalence of poverty. Participants completed a go/no-go task assessing inhibitory control and their behavioral and event-related potential responses were assessed. Cortical source analysis was performed. We collected measures of poverty, malnutrition, maternal mental health, psychosocial adversity, and cognitive skills. Supporting studies in high-income countries, children in this sample exhibited a longer N2 latency and higher P3 amplitude to the no-go versus go condition. Unexpectedly, children had a more pronounced N2 amplitude during go trials than no-go trials. The N2 latency was related to their behavioral accuracy on the go/no-go task. The P3 mean amplitude, behavioral accuracy, and reaction time during the task were all associated with intelligence-quotient (IQ) scores. Children who experienced higher levels of psychosocial adversity had lower accuracy on the task and lower IQ scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen F Sullivan
- Labs of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, USA.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, USA
| | - Wanze Xie
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Stefania Conte
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA
| | - John E Richards
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA
| | | | | | - William A Petri
- Infectious Diseases & International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Labs of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, USA.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
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12
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Power Spectrum and Connectivity Analysis in EEG Recording during Attention and Creativity Performance in Children. NEUROSCI 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/neurosci3020025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The present research aims at examining the power spectrum and exploring functional brain connectivity/disconnectivity during concentration performance, as measured by the d2 test of attention and creativity as measured by the CREA test in typically developing children. To this end, we examined brain connectivity by using phase synchrony (i.e., phase locking index (PLI) over the EEG signals acquired by the Emotiv EPOC neuroheadset in 15 children aged 9- to 12-years. Besides, as a complement, a power spectrum analysis of the acquired signals was performed. Our results indicated that, during d2 Test performance there was an increase in global gamma phase synchronization and there was a global alpha and theta band desynchronization. Conversely, during CREA task, power spectrum analysis showed a significant increase in the delta, beta, theta, and gamma bands. Connectivity analysis revealed marked synchronization in theta, alpha, and gamma. These findings are consistent with other neuroscience research indicating that multiple brain mechanisms are indeed involved in creativity. In addition, these results have important implications for the assessment of attention functions and creativity in clinical and research settings, as well as for neurofeedback interventions in children with typical and atypical development.
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13
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Romeo RR, Choi B, Gabard-Durnam LJ, Wilkinson CL, Levin AR, Rowe ML, Tager-Flusberg H, Nelson CA. Parental Language Input Predicts Neuroscillatory Patterns Associated with Language Development in Toddlers at Risk of Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 52:2717-2731. [PMID: 34185234 PMCID: PMC9594983 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05024-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In this study we investigated the impact of parental language input on language development and associated neuroscillatory patterns in toddlers at risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Forty-six mother-toddler dyads at either high (n = 22) or low (n = 24) familial risk of ASD completed a longitudinal, prospective study including free-play, resting electroencephalography, and standardized language assessments. Input quantity/quality at 18 months positively predicted expressive language at 24 months, and relationships were stronger for high-risk toddlers. Moderated mediations revealed that input-language relationships were explained by 24-month frontal and temporal gamma power (30-50 Hz) for high-risk toddlers who would later develop ASD. Results suggest that high-risk toddlers may be cognitively and neurally more sensitive to their language environments, which has implications for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R Romeo
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. .,Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
| | - Boin Choi
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Laurel J Gabard-Durnam
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.,Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Carol L Wilkinson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - April R Levin
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Meredith L Rowe
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Helen Tager-Flusberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn Street, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.,Harvard Graduate School of Education, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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14
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Bick J, Lipschutz R, Tabachnick A, Biekman B, Katz D, Simons R, Dozier M. Timing of adoption is associated with electrophysiological brain activity and externalizing problems among children adopted internationally. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22249. [PMID: 35452537 PMCID: PMC9038029 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated middle childhood resting electroencephalography (EEG) and behavioral adjustment in 35 internationally adopted children removed from early caregiving adversity between 6 and 29 months of age. Older age of adoption was associated with more immature or atypical profiles of middle childhood cortical function, based on higher relative theta power (4-6 Hz), lower relative alpha power (7-12 Hz), lower peak alpha frequency, and lower absolute beta (13-20 Hz) and gamma (21-50 Hz) power. More immature or atypical EEG spectral power indirectly linked older age of adoption with increased risk for externalizing problems in middle childhood. The findings add to existing evidence linking duration of early adverse exposures with lasting effects on brain function and behavioral regulation even years after living in a stable adoptive family setting. Findings underscore the need to minimize and prevent children's exposures to early caregiving adversity, especially in the first years of life. They call for innovative interventions to support neurotypical development in internationally adopted children at elevated risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Bick
- Department of Psychology University of Houston Houston Texas USA
| | | | - Alexandra Tabachnick
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences University of Delaware Newark Delaware USA
| | - Brian Biekman
- Department of Psychology University of Houston Houston Texas USA
| | - Danielle Katz
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences University of Delaware Newark Delaware USA
| | - Robert Simons
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences University of Delaware Newark Delaware USA
| | - Mary Dozier
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences University of Delaware Newark Delaware USA
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15
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Norton ES, Manning BL, Harriott EM, Nikolaeva JI, Nyabingi OS, Fredian KM, Page JM, McWeeny S, Krogh-Jespersen S, MacNeill LA, Roberts MY, Wakschlag LS. Social EEG: A novel neurodevelopmental approach to studying brain-behavior links and brain-to-brain synchrony during naturalistic toddler-parent interactions. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22240. [PMID: 35312062 PMCID: PMC9867891 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Despite increasing emphasis on emergent brain-behavior patterns supporting language, cognitive, and socioemotional development in toddlerhood, methodologic challenges impede their characterization. Toddlers are notoriously difficult to engage in brain research, leaving a developmental window in which neural processes are understudied. Further, electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potential paradigms at this age typically employ structured, experimental tasks that rarely reflect formative naturalistic interactions with caregivers. Here, we introduce and provide proof of concept for a new "Social EEG" paradigm, in which parent-toddler dyads interact naturally during EEG recording. Parents and toddlers sit at a table together and engage in different activities, such as book sharing or watching a movie. EEG is time locked to the video recording of their interaction. Offline, behavioral data are microcoded with mutually exclusive engagement state codes. From 216 sessions to date with 2- and 3-year-old toddlers and their parents, 72% of dyads successfully completed the full Social EEG paradigm, suggesting that it is possible to collect dual EEG from parents and toddlers during naturalistic interactions. In addition to providing naturalistic information about child neural development within the caregiving context, this paradigm holds promise for examination of emerging constructs such as brain-to-brain synchrony in parents and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth S. Norton
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Department of Medical Social Sciences and Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Brittany L. Manning
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Emily M. Harriott
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Julia I. Nikolaeva
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Olufemi S. Nyabingi
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Kaitlyn M. Fredian
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Jessica M. Page
- Department of Medical Social Sciences and Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sean McWeeny
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Sheila Krogh-Jespersen
- Department of Medical Social Sciences and Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Leigha A. MacNeill
- Department of Medical Social Sciences and Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Megan Y. Roberts
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Department of Medical Social Sciences and Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lauren S. Wakschlag
- Department of Medical Social Sciences and Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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16
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Pereira Soares SM, Kubota M, Rossi E, Rothman J. Determinants of bilingualism predict dynamic changes in resting state EEG oscillations. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2021; 223:105030. [PMID: 34634607 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study uses resting state EEG data from 103 bilinguals to understand how determinants of bilingualism may reshape the mind/brain. Participants completed the LSBQ, which quantifies language use and crucially the division of labor of dual-language use in diverse activities and settings over the lifespan. We hypothesized correlations between the degree of active bilingualism with power of neural oscillations in specific frequency bands. Moreover, we anticipated levels of mean coherence (connectivity between brain regions) to vary by degree of bilingual language experience. Results demonstrated effects of Age of L2/2L1 onset on high beta and gamma powers. Higher usage of the non-societal language at home and society modulated indices of functional connectivity in theta, alpha and gamma frequencies. Results add to the emerging literature on the neuromodulatory effects of bilingualism for rs-EEG, and are in line with claims that bilingualism effects are modulated by degree of engagement with dual-language experiential factors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maki Kubota
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
| | | | - Jason Rothman
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway; Centro de Ciencia Cognitiva, Universidad Antonio De Nebrija, Spain.
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17
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Ott LR, Penhale SH, Taylor BK, Lew BJ, Wang YP, Calhoun VD, Stephen JM, Wilson TW. Spontaneous cortical MEG activity undergoes unique age- and sex-related changes during the transition to adolescence. Neuroimage 2021; 244:118552. [PMID: 34517128 PMCID: PMC8685767 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While numerous studies have examined the developmental trajectory of task-based neural oscillations during childhood and adolescence, far less is known about the evolution of spontaneous cortical activity during this time period. Likewise, many studies have shown robust sex differences in task-based oscillations during this developmental period, but whether such sex differences extend to spontaneous activity is not understood. METHODS Herein, we examined spontaneous cortical activity in 111 typically-developing youth (ages 9-15 years; 55 male). Participants completed a resting state magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recording and a structural MRI. MEG data were source imaged and the power within five canonical frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma) was computed. The resulting power spectral density maps were analyzed via vertex-wise ANCOVAs to identify spatially-specific effects of age, sex, and their interaction. RESULTS We found robust increases in power with age in all frequencies except delta, which decreased over time, with findings largely confined to frontal cortices. Sex effects were distributed across frontal and temporal regions; females tended to have greater delta and beta power, whereas males had greater alpha. Importantly, there was a significant age-by-sex interaction in theta power, such that males exhibited decreasing power with age while females showed increasing power with age in the bilateral superior temporal cortices. DISCUSSION These data suggest that the strength of spontaneous activity undergoes robust change during the transition from childhood to adolescence (i.e., puberty onset), with intriguing sex differences in some cortical areas. Future developmental studies should probe task-related oscillations and spontaneous activity in parallel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren R Ott
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Samantha H Penhale
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Brittany K Taylor
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA
| | - Brandon J Lew
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Yu-Ping Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Boys Town, NE, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
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18
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Context matters: Cortical rhythms in infants across baseline and play. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 66:101665. [PMID: 34823054 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
This study uses electroencephalography (EEG) to examine infants' cortical activity during baseline while they watched a dynamic audiovisual display and while engaged in play with an object and parent. Fifty-five 6- to 12-month-old infants participated in both baseline and play with their mother. We hypothesized that the baseline task recruits relatively more exogenous attention due to the dynamic audiovisual task, while the play task recruits relatively more endogenous attention when exploring the toy. We expected higher frontal theta and alpha power during play, reflecting higher endogenous control of attention compared to the baseline task. We expected the faster rhythms, beta and gamma, to have higher power during baseline at frontal locations, reflecting the salient attention-grabbing (exogenous) attributes of the baseline task in comparison to play. We also examined changes in parietal power between contexts. Our results were consistent with the expectations. Theta (3-6 Hz) and alpha (6-9 Hz) power were higher at frontal sites (Fp1/Fp2) during play relative to baseline. Beta (9-30 Hz) and gamma (30-50 Hz) power were higher at frontal (Fp1/Fp2) and frontal medial sites (F3/F4) during baseline relative to play. Alpha power was higher during baseline at frontal medial sites (F3/F4) relative to play. Beta and gamma power was higher during play at parietal sites (P3/P4). The results are discussed in terms of the potential role of different cortical rhythms over the scalp as they respond to relative endogenous and exogenous attentional demands.
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19
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Shen FX, Wolf SM, Bhavnani S, Deoni S, Elison JT, Fair D, Garwood M, Gee MS, Geethanath S, Kay K, Lim KO, Lockwood Estrin G, Luciana M, Peloquin D, Rommelfanger K, Schiess N, Siddiqui K, Torres E, Vaughan JT. Emerging ethical issues raised by highly portable MRI research in remote and resource-limited international settings. Neuroimage 2021; 238:118210. [PMID: 34062266 PMCID: PMC8382487 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Smaller, more affordable, and more portable MRI brain scanners offer exciting opportunities to address unmet research needs and long-standing health inequities in remote and resource-limited international settings. Field-based neuroimaging research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can improve local capacity to conduct both structural and functional neuroscience studies, expand knowledge of brain injury and neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, and ultimately improve the timeliness and quality of clinical diagnosis and treatment around the globe. Facilitating MRI research in remote settings can also diversify reference databases in neuroscience, improve understanding of brain development and degeneration across the lifespan in diverse populations, and help to create reliable measurements of infant and child development. These deeper understandings can lead to new strategies for collaborating with communities to mitigate and hopefully overcome challenges that negatively impact brain development and quality of life. Despite the potential importance of research using highly portable MRI in remote and resource-limited settings, there is little analysis of the attendant ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI). To begin addressing this gap, this paper presents findings from the first phase of an envisioned multi-staged and iterative approach for creating ethical and legal guidance in a complex global landscape. Section 1 provides a brief introduction to the emerging technology for field-based MRI research. Section 2 presents our methodology for generating plausible use cases for MRI research in remote and resource-limited settings and identifying associated ELSI issues. Section 3 analyzes core ELSI issues in designing and conducting field-based MRI research in remote, resource-limited settings and offers recommendations. We argue that a guiding principle for field-based MRI research in these contexts should be including local communities and research participants throughout the research process in order to create sustained local value. Section 4 presents a recommended path for the next phase of work that could further adapt these use cases, address ethical and legal issues, and co-develop guidance in partnership with local communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis X Shen
- Professor of Law and Faculty Member, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota; Instructor in Psychology, Harvard Medical School; Executive Director, MGH Center for Law, Brain & Behavior USA.
| | - Susan M Wolf
- McKnight Presidential Professor of Law, Medicine & Public Policy; Faegre Baker Daniels Professor of Law; Professor of Medicine; Chair, Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences, University of Minnesota USA
| | - Supriya Bhavnani
- Co-Principal Investigator, Child Development Group, Sangath, New Delhi, India
| | - Sean Deoni
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Research), Associate Professor of Diagnostic Imaging (Research), Brown University; Senior Program Officer, Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Discovery & Tools, Discovery & Translational Sciences, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation USA
| | - Jed T Elison
- Associate Professor, Institute of Child Development, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota USA
| | - Damien Fair
- Redleaf Endowed Director, Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain; Professor, Institute of Child Development, College of Education and Human Development; Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota USA
| | - Michael Garwood
- Malcolm B. Hanson Professor of Radiology, Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota USA
| | - Michael S Gee
- Vice-Chair of Clinical Operations, Chief of Pediatric Radiology, Pediatric Imaging Research Center Director, Massachusetts General Hospital; Co-Director, Mass General Imaging Global Health Educational Programs USA
| | - Sairam Geethanath
- Associate Research Scientist, Columbia Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Columbia University USA
| | - Kendrick Kay
- Assistant Professor, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota USA
| | - Kelvin O Lim
- Professor, Vice-Chair of Research, Drs. T. J. and Ella M. Arneson Land-Grant Chair in Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota USA
| | - Georgia Lockwood Estrin
- Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London UK
| | - Monica Luciana
- Professor, Department of Psychology; Adjunct Faculty Member, Institute of Child Development; Core Faculty Member, Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota USA
| | | | - Karen Rommelfanger
- Director, Neuroethics Program, Center for Ethics; Associate Professor, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University USA
| | - Nicoline Schiess
- Technical Officer, Brain Health Unit, World Health Organization Switzerland
| | - Khan Siddiqui
- Chief Medical Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, Hyperfine USA
| | - Efraín Torres
- PhD Candidate in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, NSF GRFP Fellow, University of Minnesota; Garwood Lab member USA
| | - J Thomas Vaughan
- Professor in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Radiology, Director of the Columbia Magnetic Resonance Research Center; Principal and Investigator and MR Platform Director of the Zuckerman Institute, Columbia University; Director of the High Field Imaging Lab, Nathan Kline Institute USA
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20
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Pierce LJ, Reilly E, Nelson CA. Associations Between Maternal Stress, Early Language Behaviors, and Infant Electroencephalography During the First Year of Life. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2021; 48:737-764. [PMID: 32900397 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000920000501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Associations have been observed between socioeconomic status (SES) and language outcomes from early childhood, but individual variability is high. Exposure to high levels of stress, often associated with low-SES status, might influence how parents and infants interact within the early language environment. Differences in these early language behaviors, and in early neurodevelopment, might underlie SES-based differences in language that emerge later on. Analysis of natural language samples from a predominantly low-/mid-income sample of mother-infant dyads, obtained using the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system, found that maternal reports of exposure to stressful life events, and perceived stress, were negatively correlated with child vocalizations and conversational turns when infants were 6 and 12 months of age. Greater numbers of vocalizations and conversational turns were also associated with lower relative theta power and higher relative gamma power in 6- and 12-month baseline EEG - a pattern that might support subsequent language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara J Pierce
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emily Reilly
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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21
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Jensen SKG, Xie W, Kumar S, Haque R, Petri WA, Nelson CA. Associations of socioeconomic and other environmental factors with early brain development in Bangladeshi infants and children. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 50:100981. [PMID: 34198217 PMCID: PMC8254021 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Research from high-income countries shows that experiences impact neural development. We examine EEG in relation to wealth and psychosocial factors in 6 and 36-month-olds from Bangladesh. Wealth and maternal stress is associated with EEG oscillations in 36-month-olds. Neither wealth nor maternal stress is associated with EEG oscillations in 6-month-olds. Environmental influences on EEG may emerge between 6 and 36 months of age.
Studies of infants growing up in high-income countries reveal developmental changes in electroencephalography (EEG) power whereby socioeconomic factors - specifically, low SES and low income - are associated with lower EEG power in infants aged newborn to nine months. In the current paper we explore relationships of spectral EEG power across three regions (frontal, central, and parietal) and four frequency bands (theta, alpha, beta, and gamma) with socioeconomic and psychosocial factors in a cohort of n = 160 6-month-old infants and n = 187 36-month-old children living in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Household wealth is assessed as a multi-dimensional composite score encompassing income, assets, and housing materials. Psychosocial factors include maternal perceived stress and family caregiving activities. Among the 6-month-old infants we do not observe any association of household wealth or psychosocial factors with EEG power. Among the 36-month-old children, we find that household wealth is negatively associated absolute power in the beta and gamma bands across frontal, central, and parietal electrodes. We also find that higher reports of maternal perceived stress are associated with more absolute theta power in frontal and central regions in the 36-month-old children. The finding of a negative relationship of household wealth with beta and gamma power in 36-month-old children differs from findings previously observed in infants in high-income countries. Overall, findings suggest that children’s environment continues to influence the development of EEG oscillations and provide support for the utility of EEG to quantify developmental effects of early life experiences on neural functional outcomes in low income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K G Jensen
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Boston College School of Social Work, Boston College, MA, USA
| | - Wanze Xie
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Swapna Kumar
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - William A Petri
- University of Virginia, Infectious Diseases & International Health, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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22
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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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23
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Rasheed MA, Chand P, Ahmed S, Sharif H, Hoodbhoy Z, Siddiqui A, Hasan BS. Use of artificial intelligence on Electroencephalogram (EEG) waveforms to predict failure in early school grades in children from a rural cohort in Pakistan. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246236. [PMID: 33556088 PMCID: PMC7869999 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Universal primary education is critical for individual academic growth and overall adult productivity of nations. Estimates indicate that 25% of 59 million primary age out of school children drop out and early grade failure is one of the factors. An objective and feasible screening measure to identify at-risk children in the early grades can help to design appropriate interventions. The objective of this study was to use a Machine Learning algorithm to evaluate the power of Electroencephalogram (EEG) data collected at age 4 in predicting academic achievement at age 8 among rural children in Pakistan. Demographic and EEG data from 96 children of a cohort along with their academic achievement in grade 1–2 measured using an academic achievement test of Math and language at the age of 7–8 years was used to develop the machine learning algorithm. K- Nearest Neighbor (KNN) classifier was used on different model combinations of EEG, sociodemographic and home environment variables. KNN model was evaluated using 5 Stratified Folds based on the sensitivity and specificity. In the current dataset, 55% and 74% failed in the mathematics and language test respectively. On testing data across each fold, the mean sensitivity and specificity was calculated. Sensitivity was similar when EEG variables were combined with sociodemographic, and home environment (Math = 58.7%, Language = 66.3%) variables but specificity improved (Math = 43.4% to 50.6% and Language = 32% to 60%). The model requires further validation for EEG to be used as a screening measure with adequate sensitivity and specificity to identify children in their preschool age who may be at high risk of failure in early grades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muneera A. Rasheed
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- * E-mail:
| | - Prem Chand
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Saad Ahmed
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Ephlux Pvt. Limited, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Hamza Sharif
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Ephlux Pvt. Limited, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zahra Hoodbhoy
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ayat Siddiqui
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Babar S. Hasan
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
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Uechi L, Jalali M, Wilbur JD, French JL, Jumbe NL, Meaney MJ, Gluckman PD, Karnani N, Sakhanenko NA, Galas DJ. Complex genetic dependencies among growth and neurological phenotypes in healthy children: Towards deciphering developmental mechanisms. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242684. [PMID: 33270668 PMCID: PMC7714163 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic mechanisms of childhood development in its many facets remain largely undeciphered. In the population of healthy infants studied in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) program, we have identified a range of dependencies among the observed phenotypes of fetal and early childhood growth, neurological development, and a number of genetic variants. We have quantified these dependencies using our information theory-based methods. The genetic variants show dependencies with single phenotypes as well as pleiotropic effects on more than one phenotype and thereby point to a large number of brain-specific and brain-expressed gene candidates. These dependencies provide a basis for connecting a range of variants with a spectrum of phenotypes (pleiotropy) as well as with each other. A broad survey of known regulatory expression characteristics, and other function-related information from the literature for these sets of candidate genes allowed us to assemble an integrated body of evidence, including a partial regulatory network, that points towards the biological basis of these general dependencies. Notable among the implicated loci are RAB11FIP4 (next to NF1), MTMR7 and PLD5, all highly expressed in the brain; DNMT1 (DNA methyl transferase), highly expressed in the placenta; and PPP1R12B and DMD (dystrophin), known to be important growth and development genes. While we cannot specify and decipher the mechanisms responsible for the phenotypes in this study, a number of connections for further investigation of fetal and early childhood growth and neurological development are indicated. These results and this approach open the door to new explorations of early human development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Uechi
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Mahjoubeh Jalali
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jayson D. Wilbur
- Metrum Research Group, Tariffville, CT, United States of America
| | | | - N. L. Jumbe
- Pharmactuarials LLC, Mountain View, CA, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Meaney
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Peter D. Gluckman
- Centre for Human Evolution, Adaptation and Disease, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Neerja Karnani
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Brenner Centre for Molecular Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nikita A. Sakhanenko
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DJG); (NAS)
| | - David J. Galas
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DJG); (NAS)
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Armstrong-Carter E, Finch JE, Siyal S, Yousafzai AK, Obradović J. Biological sensitivity to context in Pakistani preschoolers: Hair cortisol and family wealth are interactively associated with girls' cognitive skills. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:1046-1061. [PMID: 32458442 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Many young children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face heightened risk for experiencing environmental adversity, which is linked with poorer developmental outcomes. Children's stress physiology can shed light on why children are differentially susceptible to adversity. However, no known studies have examined whether links between adversity and children's development are moderated by children's stress physiology in LMICs. The present study revealed significant interactive effects of hair cortisol concentrations, an index of chronic physiological stress regulation, and family wealth on preschoolers' cognitive skills in rural Pakistan. In a sample of 535 4-year-old children (n = 342 girls), we found significant associations between family wealth and direct assessments of verbal intelligence, pre-academic skills, and executive functions only in girls with lower hair cortisol concentrations. Specifically, girls with lower cortisol concentrations displayed greater cognitive skills if they came from relatively wealthier families, but lower cognitive skills if they came from very poor families. There were no significant associations among boys. Results provide evidence of biological sensitivity to context among young girls in a LMIC, perhaps reflecting, in part, sex differences in daily experiences of environmental adversity.
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Wilkinson CL, Gabard-Durnam LJ, Kapur K, Tager-Flusberg H, Levin AR, Nelson CA. Use of longitudinal EEG measures in estimating language development in infants with and without familial risk for autism spectrum disorder. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2020; 1:33-53. [PMID: 32656537 PMCID: PMC7351149 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Language development in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) varies greatly among affected individuals and is a strong predictor of later outcomes. Younger siblings of children with ASD have increased risk of ASD, but also language delay. Identifying neural markers of language outcomes in infant siblings could facilitate earlier intervention and improved outcomes. This study aimed to determine whether EEG measures from the first 2-years of life can explain heterogeneity in language development in children at low- and high-risk for ASD, and to determine whether associations between EEG measures and language development are different depending on ASD risk status or later ASD diagnosis. In this prospective longitudinal study EEG measures collected between 3-24 months were used in a multivariate linear regression model to estimate participants' 24-month language development. Individual baseline longitudinal EEG measures included (1) the slope of EEG power across 3-12 months or 3-24 months of life for 6 canonical frequency bands, (2) estimated EEG power at age 6-months for the same frequency bands, and (3) terms representing the interaction between ASD risk status and EEG power measures. Modeled 24-month language scores using EEG data from either the first 2-years (Pearson R = 0.70, 95% CI 0.595-0.783, P=1x10-18) or the first year of life (Pearson R=0.66, 95% CI 0.540-0.761, P=2.5x10-14) were highly correlated with observed scores. All models included significant interaction effects of risk on EEG measures, suggesting that EEG-language associations are different depending on risk status, and that different brain mechanisms effect language development in low-versus high-risk infants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kush Kapur
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | | | - April R. Levin
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Charles A. Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
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Obradović J, Willoughby MT. Studying Executive Function Skills in Young Children in Low‐ and Middle‐Income Countries: Progress and Directions. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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28
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Perone S, Gartstein MA. Relations between dynamics of parent-infant interactions and baseline EEG functional connectivity. Infant Behav Dev 2019; 57:101344. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Oscillatory gamma activity mediates the pathway from socioeconomic status to language acquisition in infancy. Infant Behav Dev 2019; 57:101384. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Schmidt LA, Poole KL. Frontal brain maturation and the stability of children's shyness. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 62:446-453. [PMID: 31512756 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that relative to nonshy children, shy children exhibit a lower overall frontal EEG alpha/delta ratio (ADR) during middle childhood, possibly reflecting relatively less frontal brain maturation at this age. We examined this same ADR measure in relation to the stability of observed shyness and parent-reported child social anxiety measured across two laboratory visits separated by approximately 1 year during late childhood in 51 children (33% female, age range 10-16 years). We found that the overall frontal ADR score was significantly lower among children with high, stable observed shyness and parent-reported child social anxiety compared to children in the low, stable class. Findings provide convergent evidence suggesting that the stability of shyness in late childhood may be linked to relatively less overall frontal brain maturation at this age. We speculate on the adaptive function of delaying frontal brain maturation in the origins and maintenance of children's shyness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis A Schmidt
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kristie L Poole
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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31
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Wilkinson CL, Levin AR, Gabard-Durnam LJ, Tager-Flusberg H, Nelson CA. Reduced frontal gamma power at 24 months is associated with better expressive language in toddlers at risk for autism. Autism Res 2019; 12:1211-1224. [PMID: 31119899 PMCID: PMC7771228 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Frontal gamma power has been associated with early language development in typically developing toddlers, and gamma band abnormalities have been observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as high-risk infant siblings (those having an older sibling with ASD), as early as 6 months of age. The current study investigated differences in baseline frontal gamma power and its association with language development in toddlers at high versus low familial risk for autism. Electroencephalography recordings as well as cognitive and behavioral assessments were acquired at 24 months as part of prospective, longitudinal study of infant siblings of children with and without autism. Diagnosis of autism was determined at 24-36 months, and data were analyzed across three outcome groups-low-risk without ASD (n = 43), high-risk without ASD (n = 42), and high-risk with ASD (n = 16). High-risk toddlers without ASD had reduced baseline frontal gamma power (30-50 Hz) compared to low-risk toddlers. Among high-risk toddlers increased frontal gamma was only marginally associated with ASD diagnosis (P = 0.06), but significantly associated with reduced expressive language ability (P = 0.007). No association between gamma power and language was present in the low-risk group. These findings suggest that differences in gamma oscillations in high-risk toddlers may represent compensatory mechanisms associated with improved developmental outcomes. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1211-1224. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: This study looked at differences in neural activity in the gamma range and its association with language in toddlers with and without increased risk for ASD. At 2 years of age, gamma power was lower in high-risk toddlers without ASD compared to a low-risk comparison group. Among high-risk toddlers both with and without later ASD, reduced gamma power was also associated with better language outcomes, suggesting that gamma power may be a marker of language development in high-risk children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol L Wilkinson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - April R Levin
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Helen Tager-Flusberg
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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32
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Shephard E, Fatori D, Mauro LR, de Medeiros Filho MV, Hoexter MQ, Chiesa AM, Fracolli LA, Brentani H, Ferraro AA, Nelson CA, Miguel EC, Polanczyk GV. Effects of Maternal Psychopathology and Education Level on Neurocognitive Development in Infants of Adolescent Mothers Living in Poverty in Brazil. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:925-934. [PMID: 31345780 PMCID: PMC6863387 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescent motherhood remains common in developing countries and is associated with risk factors that adversely impact infant neurodevelopment, including poverty, low maternal education, and increased maternal psychopathology. Yet, no published work has assessed how these factors affect early brain development in developing countries. METHODS This pilot study examined effects of maternal psychopathology and education on early neurocognitive development in a sample of adolescent mothers (N = 50, final n = 31) and their infants living in poverty in São Paulo, Brazil. Maternal symptoms of anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and education level were assessed during pregnancy. Infant neurocognitive development was assessed at 6 months of age, with oscillatory power and functional connectivity in the theta (4-6 Hz), alpha (6-9 Hz), and gamma (30-50 Hz) frequencies derived from resting-state electroencephalography; temperament (negative affect, attention, and regulation); and cognitive, language, and motor skills. Cluster-based permutation testing and graph-theoretical methods were used to identify alterations in oscillatory power and connectivity that were associated with maternal psychopathology and education. Correlations between power and connectivity alterations were examined in relation to infants' overt cognitive behavioral abilities. RESULTS Increased maternal anxiety and lower maternal education were associated with weaker oscillatory connectivity in alpha-range networks. Infants with the weakest connectivity in the alpha network associated with maternal anxiety also showed the lowest cognitive ability. Greater maternal anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were associated with increased absolute and relative theta power. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the importance of addressing maternal psychopathology and improving education in poor adolescent mothers to prevent negative effects on infant neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Shephard
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Daniel Fatori
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Larissa Rezende Mauro
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Marcelo Q Hoexter
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anna M Chiesa
- School of Nursing, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Helena Brentani
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexandre A Ferraro
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Euripedes C Miguel
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme V Polanczyk
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Perone S, Gartstein MA. Mapping cortical rhythms to infant behavioral tendencies via baseline EEG and parent‐report. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 61:815-823. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sammy Perone
- Department of Human Development Washington State University Pullman Washington
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34
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Obradović J, Finch JE, Portilla XA, Rasheed MA, Tirado-Strayer N, Yousafzai AK. Early executive functioning in a global context: Developmental continuity and family protective factors. Dev Sci 2019; 22:e12795. [DOI: 10.1111/desc.12795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Obradović
- Graduate School of Education; Stanford University; Stanford California
| | - Jenna E. Finch
- Department of Psychology; University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Lincoln Nebraska
| | | | - Muneera A. Rasheed
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health; Aga Khan University; Karachi Pakistan
| | | | - Aisha K. Yousafzai
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Harvard University; Boston Massachusetts
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35
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Anderson AJ, Perone S. Developmental change in the resting state electroencephalogram: Insights into cognition and the brain. Brain Cogn 2018; 126:40-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Haft SL, Hoeft F. Poverty's Impact on Children's Executive Functions: Global Considerations. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2018; 2017:69-79. [PMID: 29243384 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Poverty detrimentally affects child executive function (EF), a subset of cognitive abilities implicated in reading and other achievement outcomes. Consequently, research has focused on understanding explanatory and mediating mechanisms in this association. This research, however, has mainly involved populations from Western, high-income countries. Children from low- and middle-income countries comprise a significant proportion of the world's population and are at additional risk for poor EF as a result of a more disadvantaged context. The present review examines global work on poverty and EF to highlight important cross-national similarities and differences. Findings suggest a global association between poverty and EF and point to cognitive stimulation and environmental enrichment as common mediating variables that may also be moderators and targets for intervention. However, findings also underscore the need to consider the sociocultural context of countries when examining impacts of parenting, schooling, and other metrics. Research and intervention implications are discussed.
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Willoughby MT, Piper B, Kwayumba D, McCune M. Measuring executive function skills in young children in Kenya. Child Neuropsychol 2018; 25:425-444. [DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2018.1486395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael T. Willoughby
- Education & Workforce Development, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Benjamin Piper
- International Education, RTI International, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Megan McCune
- International Education, RTI International, Washington, DC, USA
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Etchell A, Adhikari A, Weinberg LS, Choo AL, Garnett EO, Chow HM, Chang SE. A systematic literature review of sex differences in childhood language and brain development. Neuropsychologia 2018; 114:19-31. [PMID: 29654881 PMCID: PMC5988993 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The extent of sex differences in childhood language development is unclear. We conducted a systematic literature review synthesizing results from studies examining sex differences in brain structure and function relevant to language development during childhood. We searched PubMed and Scopus databases, and this returned a total of 46 published studies meeting criteria for inclusion that directly examined sex differences in brain development relevant to language function in children. The results indicate that: (a) sex differences in brain structure or function do not necessarily lead to differences in language task performance; (b) evidence for sex differences in brain and language development are limited; (c) when present, sex differences often interact with a variety of factors such as age and task. Overall, the magnitude of sexual dimorphism of brain developmental trajectories associated with language is not as significant as previously thought. Sex differences were found, however, in studies employing tighter age ranges. This suggests that sex differences may be more prominent during certain developmental stages but are negligible in other stages, likely due to different rates of maturation between the sexes. More research is needed to improve our understanding of how sex differences may arise due to the influence of sex hormones and developmental stages, and how these differences may lead to differences in various language task performance. These studies are expected to provide normative information that may be used in studies examining neurodevelopmental disorders that frequently affect more males than females, and also often affect language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Etchell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Aditi Adhikari
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Lauren S Weinberg
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ai Leen Choo
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Georgia State University, USA
| | - Emily O Garnett
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ho Ming Chow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Katzin Diagnostic & Research PET/MR Center, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA
| | - Soo-Eun Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Landi N, Cutting LE. Global Approaches to Early Learning Research and Practice: Integrative Commentary. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2017; 2017:105-114. [PMID: 29243386 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
This commentary presents highlights from the seven articles in this volume, along with a synthesis of take-home points that can be used to inform policy and practice. Across each article there is a story of both successes and the challenges of ongoing work that seeks to enhance children's development in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. Although the topics covered in this volume range from development of early self-regulation and executive function to the use of technology to aid literacy acquisition in remote areas, each points to the need for systems-level coordination and sustained commitment to reach children at risk.
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St. John AM, Kao K, Liederman J, Grieve PG, Tarullo AR. Maternal cortisol slope at 6 months predicts infant cortisol slope and EEG power at 12 months. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:787-801. [PMID: 28686284 PMCID: PMC6076989 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Physiological stress systems and the brain rapidly develop through infancy. While the roles of caregiving and environmental factors have been studied, implications of maternal physiological stress are unclear. We assessed maternal and infant diurnal cortisol when infants were 6 and 12 months. We measured 12-month infant electroencephalography (EEG) 6-9 Hz power during a social interaction. Steeper 6-month maternal slope predicted steeper 12-month infant slope controlling for 6-month infant slope and breastfeeding. Steeper 6-month maternal slope predicted lower 6-9 Hz power. Six-month maternal area under the cuve (AUCg) was unrelated to 12-month infant AUCg and 6-9 Hz power. Psychosocial, caregiving, and breastfeeding variables did not explain results. At 6 months, maternal and infant slopes correlated, as did maternal and infant AUCg. Twelve-month maternal and infant cortisol were unrelated. Results indicate maternal slope is an informative predictor of infant physiology and suggest the importance of maternal physiological stress in this developmental period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M. St. John
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, , , ,
| | - Katie Kao
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, , , ,
| | - Jacqueline Liederman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, , , ,
| | - Philip G. Grieve
- Departments of Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032,
| | - Amanda R. Tarullo
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, , , ,
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