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Çetinçelik M, Jordan-Barros A, Rowland CF, Snijders TM. The effect of visual speech cues on neural tracking of speech in 10-month-old infants. Eur J Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 39188179 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16492] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
While infants' sensitivity to visual speech cues and the benefit of these cues have been well-established by behavioural studies, there is little evidence on the effect of visual speech cues on infants' neural processing of continuous auditory speech. In this study, we investigated whether visual speech cues, such as the movements of the lips, jaw, and larynx, facilitate infants' neural speech tracking. Ten-month-old Dutch-learning infants watched videos of a speaker reciting passages in infant-directed speech while electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. In the videos, either the full face of the speaker was displayed or the speaker's mouth and jaw were masked with a block, obstructing the visual speech cues. To assess neural tracking, speech-brain coherence (SBC) was calculated, focusing particularly on the stress and syllabic rates (1-1.75 and 2.5-3.5 Hz respectively in our stimuli). First, overall, SBC was compared to surrogate data, and then, differences in SBC in the two conditions were tested at the frequencies of interest. Our results indicated that infants show significant tracking at both stress and syllabic rates. However, no differences were identified between the two conditions, meaning that infants' neural tracking was not modulated further by the presence of visual speech cues. Furthermore, we demonstrated that infants' neural tracking of low-frequency information is related to their subsequent vocabulary development at 18 months. Overall, this study provides evidence that infants' neural tracking of speech is not necessarily impaired when visual speech cues are not fully visible and that neural tracking may be a potential mechanism in successful language acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis Çetinçelik
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Cognitive Neuropsychology Department, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Antonia Jordan-Barros
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Science, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
- Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Caroline F Rowland
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Tineke M Snijders
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Cognitive Neuropsychology Department, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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2
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Baykan C, Zhu X, Zinchenko A, Shi Z. Blocked versus interleaved: How range contexts modulate time perception and its EEG signatures. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14585. [PMID: 38594873 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14585] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Accurate time perception is a crucial element in a wide range of cognitive tasks, including decision-making, memory, and motor control. One commonly observed phenomenon is that when given a range of time intervals to consider, people's estimates often cluster around the midpoint of those intervals. Previous studies have suggested that the range of these intervals can also influence our judgments, but the neural mechanisms behind this "range effect" are not yet understood. We used both behavioral tests and electroencephalographic (EEG) measures to understand how the range of sample time intervals affects the accuracy of people's subsequent time estimates. Study participants were exposed to two different setups: In the "blocked-range" (BR) session, short and long intervals were presented in separate blocks, whereas in the "interleaved-range" (IR) session, intervals of various lengths were presented randomly. Our findings indicated that the BR context led to more accurate time estimates compared to the IR context. In terms of EEG data, the BR context resulted in quicker buildup of contingent negative variation (CNV), which also reached higher amplitude levels and dissolved more rapidly during the encoding stage. We also observed an enhanced amplitude in the offset P2 component of the EEG signal. Overall, our results suggest that the variability in time intervals, as defined by their range, influences the neural processes that underlie time estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cemre Baykan
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
- General and Biological Psychology, Department of Psychology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Xiuna Zhu
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Artyom Zinchenko
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Zhuanghua Shi
- General and Experimental Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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3
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Wass SV, Mirza FU, Smith C. Understanding allostasis: Early-life self-regulation involves both up- and down-regulation of arousal. Child Dev 2024. [PMID: 39056636 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Optimal performance lies at intermediate autonomic arousal, but no previous research has examined whether the emergence of endogenous control associates with changes in children's up-regulation from hypo-arousal, as well as down-regulation from hyper-arousal. We used wearables to take day-long recordings from N = 58, 12-month-olds (60% white/58% female); and, in the same infants, we measured self-regulation in the lab with a still-face paradigm. Overall, our findings suggest that infants who showed more self-regulatory behaviors in the lab were more likely to actively change their behaviors in home settings moment-by-moment "on the fly" following changes in autonomic arousal, and that these changes result in up- as well as down-regulation. Implications for the role of atypical self-regulation in later psychopathology are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S V Wass
- Department of Psychology, University of East London, London, UK
| | - F U Mirza
- Department of Psychology, University of East London, London, UK
| | - C Smith
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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4
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Basu S, Phogat R, Jartarkar M, Banerjee B, Parmananda P. Role of visual brainwave entrainment on the resting state brainwaves of children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. CHILD 2024:1-19. [PMID: 38996080 DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2024.2377656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
The relationship between brainwave oscillations and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)-related cognitive challenges is a trending proposition in the field of Cognitive Neuroscience. Studies suggest the role of brainwave oscillations in the symptom expressions of ADHD-diagnosed children. Intervention studies have further suggested the scope of brain stimulation techniques in improving cognition. The current manuscript explored the effect of changes in the brainwaves post-sensory entrainment on cognitive performance of children. We calculated each participant's brainwave difference and ratios of theta, alpha, and beta power after the entrainment sessions. Further, we explored possible correlations between these values and the psychometric scores. The beta resting state showed the strongest association with selective attention performance of all participants. Theta-beta ratio (TBR) showed an inverse correlation with selective attention and working memory performances. The theta frequency was associated with decreased working performance in children without ADHD. Our findings also suggest a predominant role of TBR than the theta-alpha ratio in determining the cognitive performance of children with ADHD. The individual differences in the entrainment reception were attributed to the participant's age, IQ, and their innate baseline frequencies. The implications of our findings can initiate substantiating brainwave-based entrainment sessions as a therapeutic modality to improve cognition among children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Basu
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, Zuarinagar, Goa, India
- School of Arts and Sciences, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, Karnataka; India
| | - Richa Phogat
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Mayur Jartarkar
- Centre for Behavioral Science in Finance, Economics, and Marketing, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Bidisha Banerjee
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, Zuarinagar, Goa, India
| | - Punit Parmananda
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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5
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Forss S, Ciria A, Clark F, Galusca CL, Harrison D, Lee S. A transdisciplinary view on curiosity beyond linguistic humans: animals, infants, and artificial intelligence. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:979-998. [PMID: 38287201 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13054] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Curiosity is a core driver for life-long learning, problem-solving and decision-making. In a broad sense, curiosity is defined as the intrinsically motivated acquisition of novel information. Despite a decades-long history of curiosity research and the earliest human theories arising from studies of laboratory rodents, curiosity has mainly been considered in two camps: 'linguistic human' and 'other'. This is despite psychology being heritable, and there are many continuities in cognitive capacities across the animal kingdom. Boundary-pushing cross-disciplinary debates on curiosity are lacking, and the relative exclusion of pre-linguistic infants and non-human animals has led to a scientific impasse which more broadly impedes the development of artificially intelligent systems modelled on curiosity in natural agents. In this review, we synthesize literature across multiple disciplines that have studied curiosity in non-verbal systems. By highlighting how similar findings have been produced across the separate disciplines of animal behaviour, developmental psychology, neuroscience, and computational cognition, we discuss how this can be used to advance our understanding of curiosity. We propose, for the first time, how features of curiosity could be quantified and therefore studied more operationally across systems: across different species, developmental stages, and natural or artificial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Forss
- Collegium Helveticum, Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich and Zurich University of the Arts, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alejandra Ciria
- School of Psychology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fay Clark
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Cristina-Loana Galusca
- Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition, CNRS Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - David Harrison
- Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Saein Lee
- Interdisciplinary Program of EcoCreative, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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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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7
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Lanfranco RC, Dos Santos Sousa F, Wessel PM, Rivera-Rei Á, Bekinschtein TA, Lucero B, Canales-Johnson A, Huepe D. Slow-wave brain connectivity predicts executive functioning and group belonging in socially vulnerable individuals. Cortex 2024; 174:201-214. [PMID: 38569258 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Important efforts have been made to describe the neural and cognitive features of healthy and clinical populations. However, the neural and cognitive features of socially vulnerable individuals remain largely unexplored, despite their proneness to developing neurocognitive disorders. Socially vulnerable individuals can be characterised as socially deprived, having a low socioeconomic status, suffering from chronic social stress, and exhibiting poor social adaptation. While it is known that such individuals are likely to perform worse than their peers on executive function tasks, studies on healthy but socially vulnerable groups are lacking. In the current study, we explore whether neural power and connectivity signatures can characterise executive function performance in healthy but socially vulnerable individuals, shedding light on the impairing effects that chronic stress and social disadvantages have on cognition. We measured resting-state electroencephalography and executive functioning in 38 socially vulnerable participants and 38 matched control participants. Our findings indicate that while neural power was uninformative, lower delta and theta phase synchrony are associated with worse executive function performance in all participants, whereas delta phase synchrony is higher in the socially vulnerable group compared to the control group. Finally, we found that delta phase synchrony and years of schooling are the best predictors for belonging to the socially vulnerable group. Overall, these findings suggest that exposure to chronic stress due to socioeconomic factors and a lack of education are associated with changes in slow-wave neural connectivity and executive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renzo C Lanfranco
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Research in Cognition & Neurosciences, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Pierre Musa Wessel
- Department of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Álvaro Rivera-Rei
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (SCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Tristán A Bekinschtein
- Cambridge Consciousness and Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Boris Lucero
- The Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Andrés Canales-Johnson
- Cambridge Consciousness and Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; The Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neurosciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.
| | - David Huepe
- Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (SCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile.
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8
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Bosseler AN, Meltzoff AN, Bierer S, Huber E, Mizrahi JC, Larson E, Endevelt-Shapira Y, Taulu S, Kuhl PK. Infants' brain responses to social interaction predict future language growth. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1731-1738.e3. [PMID: 38593800 PMCID: PMC11090161 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.020] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
In face-to-face interactions with infants, human adults exhibit a species-specific communicative signal. Adults present a distinctive "social ensemble": they use infant-directed speech (parentese), respond contingently to infants' actions and vocalizations, and react positively through mutual eye-gaze and smiling. Studies suggest that this social ensemble is essential for initial language learning. Our hypothesis is that the social ensemble attracts attentional systems to speech and that sensorimotor systems prepare infants to respond vocally, both of which advance language learning. Using infant magnetoencephalography (MEG), we measure 5-month-old infants' neural responses during live verbal face-to-face (F2F) interaction with an adult (social condition) and during a control (nonsocial condition) in which the adult turns away from the infant to speak to another person. Using a longitudinal design, we tested whether infants' brain responses to these conditions at 5 months of age predicted their language growth at five future time points. Brain areas involved in attention (right hemisphere inferior frontal, right hemisphere superior temporal, and right hemisphere inferior parietal) show significantly higher theta activity in the social versus nonsocial condition. Critical to theory, we found that infants' neural activity in response to F2F interaction in attentional and sensorimotor regions significantly predicted future language development into the third year of life, more than 2 years after the initial measurements. We develop a view of early language acquisition that underscores the centrality of the social ensemble, and we offer new insight into the neurobiological components that link infants' language learning to their early brain functioning during social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis N Bosseler
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Andrew N Meltzoff
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Steven Bierer
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Elizabeth Huber
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Julia C Mizrahi
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Eric Larson
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Yaara Endevelt-Shapira
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Samu Taulu
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Patricia K Kuhl
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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9
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McCane AM, Kronheim L, Torrado Pacheco A, Moghaddam B. Adolescents rats engage the orbitofrontal-striatal pathway differently than adults during impulsive actions. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8605. [PMID: 38615065 PMCID: PMC11016110 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58648-w] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is characterized by increased impulsive and risk-taking behaviors. To better understand the neural networks that subserves impulsivity in adolescents, we used a reward-guided behavioral model that quantifies age differences in impulsive actions in adult and adolescent rats of both sexes. Using chemogenetics, we identified orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) projections to the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) as a critical pathway for age-related execution of impulsive actions. Simultaneous recording of single units and local field potentials in the OFC and DMS during task performance revealed an overall muted response in adolescents during impulsive actions as well as age-specific differences in theta power and OFC-DMS functional connectivity. Collectively, these data reveal that the OFC-DMS pathway is critical for age-differences in reward-guided impulsive actions and provide a network mechanism to enhance our understanding of how adolescent and adult brains coordinate behavioral inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lo Kronheim
- Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | | | - Bita Moghaddam
- Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
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10
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Chirumamilla VC, Hitchings L, Mulkey SB, Anwar T, Baker R, Larry Maxwell G, De Asis-Cruz J, Kapse K, Limperopoulos C, du Plessis A, Govindan RB. Association of brain functional connectivity with neurodevelopmental outcomes in healthy full-term newborns. Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 160:68-74. [PMID: 38412745 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.02.009] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the association between neurodevelopmental outcomes and functional brain connectivity (FBC) in healthy term infants. METHODS This is a retrospective study of prospectively collected High-density electroencephalography (HD-EEG) from newborns within 72 hours from birth. Developmental assessments were performed at two years of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III (BSID-III) measuring cognitive, language, motor, and socio-emotional scores. The FBC was calculated using phase synchronization analysis of source signals in delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands and its association with neurodevelopmental score was assessed with stepwise regression. RESULTS 47/163 had both HD-EEG and BSID-III scores. The FBC of frontal region was associated with cognitive score in the theta band (corrected p, regression coefficients range: p < 0.01, 1.66-1.735). Language scores were significantly associated with connectivity in all frequency bands, predominantly in the left hemisphere (p < 0.01, -2.74-2.40). The FBC of frontal and occipital brain regions of both hemispheres was related to motor score and socio-emotional development in theta, alpha, and gamma frequency bands (p < 0.01, -2.16-2.97). CONCLUSIONS Functional connectivity of higher-order processing is already present at term age. SIGNIFICANCE The FBC might be used to guide interventions for optimizing subsequent neurodevelopment even in low-risk newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkata C Chirumamilla
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Laura Hitchings
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Sarah B Mulkey
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Neurology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Tayyba Anwar
- Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Neurology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Neurology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Robin Baker
- Inova Women's and Children's Hospital, Fairfax, VA, United States; Fairfax Neonatal Associates, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | - G Larry Maxwell
- Inova Women's and Children's Hospital, Fairfax, VA, United States
| | | | - Kushal Kapse
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States; Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Adre du Plessis
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States
| | - R B Govindan
- Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, United States; Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States.
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11
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Meyer M, Brezack N, Woodward AL. Neural correlates involved in perspective-taking in early childhood. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 66:101366. [PMID: 38507857 PMCID: PMC10965458 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101366] [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: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Learning to consider another person's perspective is pivotal in early social development. Still, little is known about the neural underpinnings involved in perspective-taking in early childhood. In this EEG study, we examined 4-year-old children's brain activity during a live, social interaction that involved perspective-taking. Children were asked to pass one of two toys to another person. To decide which toy to pass, they had to consider either their partner's perspective (perspective-taking) or visual features unrelated to their partner's perspective (control). We analyzed power changes in midfrontal and temporal-parietal EEG channels. The results indicated that children showed higher power around 7 Hz at right temporal-parietal channels for perspective-taking compared to control trials. This power difference was positively correlated with children's perspective-taking performance, specifically for trials in which they needed to pass the toy their partner could not see. A similar power difference at right temporal-parietal channels was seen when comparing perspective-taking trials where children's visual access mismatched rather than matched that of their partner. No differences were detected for midfrontal channels. In sum, we identified distinct neural activity as 4-year-olds considered another person's perspective in a live interaction; this activity converges with neural findings of adults' social processing network.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Meyer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, the Netherlands.
| | - N Brezack
- WestEd, Learning & Technology, San Francisco, USA
| | - A L Woodward
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, USA
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12
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Feng Y, Diego KS, Dong Z, Wick ZC, Page-Harley L, Page-Harley V, Schnipper J, Lamsifer SI, Pennington ZT, Vetere LM, Philipsberg PA, Soler I, Jurkowski A, Rosado CJ, Khan NN, Cai DJ, Shuman T. Distinct changes to hippocampal and medial entorhinal circuits emerge across the progression of cognitive deficits in epilepsy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.12.584697. [PMID: 38559224 PMCID: PMC10979962 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.12.584697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) causes pervasive and progressive memory impairments, yet the specific circuit changes that drive these deficits remain unclear. To investigate how hippocampal-entorhinal dysfunction contributes to progressive memory deficits in epilepsy, we performed simultaneous in vivo electrophysiology in hippocampus (HPC) and medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) of control and epileptic mice 3 or 8 weeks after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (Pilo-SE). We found that HPC synchronization deficits (including reduced theta power, coherence, and altered interneuron spike timing) emerged within 3 weeks of Pilo-SE, aligning with early-onset, relatively subtle memory deficits. In contrast, abnormal synchronization within MEC and between HPC-MEC emerged later, by 8 weeks after Pilo-SE, when spatial memory impairment was more severe. Furthermore, a distinct subpopulation of MEC layer 3 excitatory neurons (active at theta troughs) was specifically impaired in epileptic mice. Together, these findings suggest that hippocampal-entorhinal circuit dysfunction accumulates and shifts as cognitive impairment progresses in TLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Feng
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | | | - Zhe Dong
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ivan Soler
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | | | | | - Nadia N Khan
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Denise J Cai
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
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13
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Michel C, Matthes D, Hoehl S. Theta power relates to infant object encoding in naturalistic mother-infant interactions. Child Dev 2024; 95:530-543. [PMID: 37715460 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates infants' neural and behavioral responses to maternal ostensive signals during naturalistic mother-infant interactions and their effects on object encoding. Mothers familiarized their 9- to 10-month-olds (N = 35, 17 females, mainly White, data collection: 2018-2019) with objects with or without mutual gaze, infant-directed speech, and calling the infant's name. Ostensive signals focused infants' attention on objects and their mothers. Infant theta activity synchronized and alpha activity desynchronized during interactions compared to a nonsocial resting phase (Cohen' d: 0.49-0.75). Yet, their amplitudes were unrelated to maternal ostensive signals. Ostensive signals did not facilitate object encoding. However, higher infant theta power during encoding predicted better subsequent object recognition. Results strengthen the role of theta-band power for early learning processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Michel
- SRH University of Applied Health Sciences, Gera, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Faculty of Education, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Matthes
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Laboratory for Biosignal Processing, Leipzig University of Applied Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefanie Hoehl
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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14
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Carnevali L, Della Longa L, Dragovic D, Farroni T. Touch and look: The role of affective touch in promoting infants' attention towards complex visual scenes. INFANCY 2024; 29:271-283. [PMID: 38180744 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
In a complex social environment, stimuli from different sensory modalities need to be integrated to decode communicative meanings. From very early in life, infants have to combine a multitude of sensory features with social and affective attributes. Of all senses, touch constitutes a privileged channel to carry affective-motivational meanings and foster social connection. In the present study, we investigate whether sharing sensory stimulation that varies for its affective value differentially affects infants' attention towards visual stimuli. 6 to 11-month-old infants (N = 42) were familiarized with two characters respectively matched with tactile (affective or non-affective) and auditory stimulation; then repeatedly exposed to scenes where the two characters moved towards target objects. Our results showed a main effect of stimulation (sound vs. touch) on looking times during familiarization, with longer looking times when sound is provided. During scenes presentation, a main effect of the type of touch (affective vs. non affective) emerged, with longer looking times in infants that previously experienced affective touch, suggesting that this sensory experience may critically engage the self and modulate infant attention. Overall, these findings suggest that while sound acts as attention getter, affective touch supports sustained attention towards complex visual scenes beyond the stimulation period itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Carnevali
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Letizia Della Longa
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Danica Dragovic
- Pediatric Unit, San Polo Hospital, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano-Isontina (ASUGI), Monfalcone, Italy
| | - Teresa Farroni
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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15
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Zhang Q, Dong X, Jin W, Fan J. Early brain cognitive development in late preterm infants: an event-related potential and resting EEG study. Ital J Pediatr 2024; 50:26. [PMID: 38355639 PMCID: PMC10865666 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-023-01567-9] [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] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Late preterm infants (LPIs) are at risk of neurodevelopmental delay. Research on their cognitive development is helpful for early intervention and follow-up. METHODS Event-related potential (ERP) and resting electroencephalography (RS-EEG) were used to study the brain cognitive function of LPIs in the early stage of life. The Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS) was used to track the neurodevelopmental status at the age of 1 year after correction, and to explore the neurophysiological indicators that could predict the outcome of cognitive development in the early stage. RESULTS The results showed that mismatch response (MMR) amplitude, RS-EEG power spectrum and functional connectivity all suggested that LPIs were lagging behind. At the age of 1 year after correction, high-risk LPIs showed no significant delay in gross motor function, but lagged behind in fine motor function, language, personal social interaction and adaptability. The ROC curve was used to evaluate the predictive role of MMR amplitude in the brain cognitive development prognosis at 1 year, showing a sensitivity of 80.00% and a specificity of 90.57%. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.788, with a P-value of 0.007. CONCLUSIONS Based on our findings we supposed that the cognitive function of LPI lags behind that of full-term infants in early life. Preterm birth and perinatal diseases or high risk factors affected brain cognitive function in LPIs. MMR amplitude can be used as an early predictor of brain cognitive development in LPIs. TRIAL REGISTRATION This clinical trial is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR). TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ChiCTR2100041929. Date of registration: 2021-01-10. URL of the trial registry record: https://www.chictr.org.cn/ .
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinfen Zhang
- Children' s Health Research Center, Changzhou Children ' s Hospital of Nantong University, 468 Yanling Middle Road, Tianning District, Changzhou, 213003, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xuan Dong
- Children' s Health Research Center, Changzhou Children ' s Hospital of Nantong University, 468 Yanling Middle Road, Tianning District, Changzhou, 213003, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenjie Jin
- Children' s Health Research Center, Changzhou Children ' s Hospital of Nantong University, 468 Yanling Middle Road, Tianning District, Changzhou, 213003, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiaojiao Fan
- Children' s Health Research Center, Changzhou Children ' s Hospital of Nantong University, 468 Yanling Middle Road, Tianning District, Changzhou, 213003, Jiangsu, China
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16
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Bánki A, Köster M, Cichy RM, Hoehl S. Communicative signals during joint attention promote neural processes of infants and caregivers. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 65:101321. [PMID: 38061133 PMCID: PMC10754706 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Communicative signals such as eye contact increase infants' brain activation to visual stimuli and promote joint attention. Our study assessed whether communicative signals during joint attention enhance infant-caregiver dyads' neural responses to objects, and their neural synchrony. To track mutual attention processes, we applied rhythmic visual stimulation (RVS), presenting images of objects to 12-month-old infants and their mothers (n = 37 dyads), while we recorded dyads' brain activity (i.e., steady-state visual evoked potentials, SSVEPs) with electroencephalography (EEG) hyperscanning. Within dyads, mothers either communicatively showed the images to their infant or watched the images without communicative engagement. Communicative cues increased infants' and mothers' SSVEPs at central-occipital-parietal, and central electrode sites, respectively. Infants showed significantly more gaze behaviour to images during communicative engagement. Dyadic neural synchrony (SSVEP amplitude envelope correlations, AECs) was not modulated by communicative cues. Taken together, maternal communicative cues in joint attention increase infants' neural responses to objects, and shape mothers' own attention processes. We show that communicative cues enhance cortical visual processing, thus play an essential role in social learning. Future studies need to elucidate the effect of communicative cues on neural synchrony during joint attention. Finally, our study introduces RVS to study infant-caregiver neural dynamics in social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bánki
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Psychology, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Moritz Köster
- University of Regensburg, Institute for Psychology, Regensburg, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Stefanie Hoehl
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Psychology, Vienna, Austria
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17
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Köster M, Brzozowska A, Bánki A, Tünte M, Ward EK, Hoehl S. Rhythmic visual stimulation as a window into early brain development: A systematic review. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 64:101315. [PMID: 37948945 PMCID: PMC10663747 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhythmic visual stimulation (RVS), the periodic presentation of visual stimuli to elicit a rhythmic brain response, is increasingly applied to reveal insights into early neurocognitive development. Our systematic review identified 69 studies applying RVS in 0- to 6-year-olds. RVS has long been used to study the development of the visual system and applications have more recently been expanded to uncover higher cognitive functions in the developing brain, including overt and covert attention, face and object perception, numeral cognition, and predictive processing. These insights are owed to the unique benefits of RVS, such as the targeted frequency and stimulus-specific neural responses, as well as a remarkable signal-to-noise ratio. Yet, neural mechanisms underlying the RVS response are still poorly understood. We discuss critical challenges and avenues for future research, and the unique potentials the method holds. With this review, we provide a resource for researchers interested in the breadth of developmental RVS research and hope to inspire the future use of this cutting-edge method in developmental cognitive neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Köster
- University of Regensburg, Institute of Psychology, Germany.
| | | | - Anna Bánki
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Psychology, Austria
| | - Markus Tünte
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Psychology, Austria
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18
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Cheng S, Ding Z, Chen C, Sun W, Jiang T, Liu X, Zhang M. The effect of choice on memory: The role of theta oscillations. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14390. [PMID: 37455343 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
People value the opportunity to exercise control over the environment or make their own choices. Recent studies have revealed that simply having the opportunity to make choices can facilitate memory performance, suggesting an interaction between reward (due to choice making) and memory systems. However, little is known about the electrophysiological basis of choice-related memory. In the current study, we used scalp electroencephalography combined with a choice encoding task to examine the role of theta oscillations (which have been widely connected to reward and memory processing) in choice-related memory formation. The encoding task had two conditions. In the choice condition, participants were asked to choose between two occluded memoranda by themselves, whereas in the fixed condition, the decision was made by the computer. Behavioral results showed the choice effect, with better performance in the choice condition than the fixed condition on the recognition test given after a 24-h delay. Increases in theta power during an early latency of encoding period predicted successful memory formation in the choice condition, but not in the fixed condition. Furthermore, decreases in theta power during a late latency predicted successful memory formation in both the fixed and the choice conditions. Finally, we observed increased theta power in the choice condition compared to the fixed condition during an early latency of encoding period and decreased theta power in the choice condition compared to the fixed condition during a late latency. Our results suggest that theta oscillations play a significant role in choice-related memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Cheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, P.R. China
- General and Experimental Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Zhuolei Ding
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Wenxiang Sun
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Ting Jiang
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xun Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, P.R. China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Mingxia Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, P.R. China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
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19
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Filippa M, Benis D, Adam-Darque A, Grandjean D, Hüppi PS. Preterm infants show an atypical processing of the mother's voice. Brain Cogn 2023; 173:106104. [PMID: 37949001 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2023.106104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
To understand the consequences of prematurity on language perception, it is fundamental to determine how atypical early sensory experience affects brain development. At term equivalent age, ten preterm and ten full-term newborns underwent high-density EEG during mother or stranger speech presentation, in the forward or backward order. A general group effect terms > preterms is evident in the theta frequency band, in the left temporal area, with preterms showing significant activation for strangers' and terms for the mother's voice. A significant group contrast in the low and high theta in the right temporal regions indicates higher activations for the stranger's voice in preterms. Finally, only full terms presented a late gamma band increase for the maternal voice, indicating a more mature brain response. EEG time-frequency analysis demonstrate that preterm infants are selectively responsive to stranger voices in both temporal hemispheres, and that they lack selective brain responses to their mother's forward voice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Filippa
- Division of Development and Growth, Child and Adolescent Department, Rue Willy-Donzé 1205 Genève, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 101 Genève, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Damien Benis
- Division of Development and Growth, Child and Adolescent Department, Rue Willy-Donzé 1205 Genève, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 101 Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra Adam-Darque
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neurorehabilitation, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Neurorehabilitation, University Hospital of Geneva and University of Geneva, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Didier Grandjean
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 101 Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Petra S Hüppi
- Division of Development and Growth, Child and Adolescent Department, Rue Willy-Donzé 1205 Genève, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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20
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Leimeister F, Pesquita A, Jensen O, Pauli P, Wiemer J. To remember or not to remember: Neural oscillations and ERPs as predictors of intentional associative fear learning. Int J Psychophysiol 2023; 193:112235. [PMID: 37604281 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.08.008] [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: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
It is widely accepted that impaired safety learning to a safe stimulus is a pathological feature of anxiety disorders. Safety learning refers to learning that a stimulus is associated with the absence of threat. Cognitive mechanisms that underlie successful threat and safety learning are, however, poorly understood. This study aimed to identify various physiological markers, including neural oscillations and event-related potentials (ERPs) that predict successful threat and safety learning. Therefore, to detect potential differences in these markers, we measured EEG in a fear learning framework combined with a subsequent memory paradigm. Thirty-seven participants were asked to memorize a series of associations between faces and an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US) or its omission. We found a decrease of power in the alpha band in occipital brain regions during learning for both threatening (conditioned stimuli, CS+) and safe faces (control stimuli, CS-) that were subsequently remembered to be associated with a US or not. No effects in theta band were found. In regard to ERPs, a late positive potential (LPP) and a P300 component were larger for remembered than for forgotten CS-US associations. The P300 was also enhanced to remembered US and US omissions, thus replicating previous findings. These results point to the importance of cognitive resource allocation as an underlying mechanism of fear learning and electrophysiological measurements as potential biomarkers for successful threat and safety learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Leimeister
- Institute of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), University of Würzburg, Marcusstr. 9-11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Ana Pesquita
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Ole Jensen
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Pauli
- Institute of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), University of Würzburg, Marcusstr. 9-11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Julian Wiemer
- Institute of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), University of Würzburg, Marcusstr. 9-11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
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21
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Troller-Renfree SV, Sperber JF, Hart ER, Costanzo MA, Gennetian LA, Meyer JS, Fox NA, Noble KG. Associations between maternal stress and infant resting brain activity among families residing in poverty in the U.S. Biol Psychol 2023; 184:108683. [PMID: 37716521 PMCID: PMC10842437 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that maternal experiences of stress shape children's functional brain activity in the first years of life. Individuals living in poverty are more likely to experience stress from a variety of sources. However, it is unclear how stress is related to resting brain activity among children born into poverty. The present study examines whether infants born into households experiencing poverty show differences in brain activity associated with maternal reports of experiencing stress. The analytic sample comprised 247 mother-infant dyads who completed maternal questionnaires characterizing stress, and for whom recordings of infant resting brain activity were obtained at 1 year of age (M=12.93 months, SD=1.66; 50% female). Mothers (40% Black, non-Hispanic, 40% Hispanic, 12% White, non-Hispanic) who reported higher stress had infants who showed more resting brain activity in the lower end of the frequency spectrum (relative theta power) and less resting brain activity in the middle range of the frequency spectrum (relative alpha power). While statistically detectable at the whole-brain level, follow-up exploratory analyses revealed that these effects were most apparent in electrodes over frontal and parietal regions of the brain. These findings held after adjusting for a variety of potentially confounding variables. Altogether, the present study suggests that, among families experiencing low economic resources, maternal reports of stress are associated with differences in patterns of infant resting brain activity during the first year of life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emma R Hart
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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22
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Lapidow E, Bonawitz E. What's in the Box? Preschoolers Consider Ambiguity, Expected Value, and Information for Future Decisions in Explore-Exploit Tasks. Open Mind (Camb) 2023; 7:855-878. [PMID: 37946850 PMCID: PMC10631797 DOI: 10.1162/opmi_a_00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-directed exploration in childhood appears driven by a desire to resolve uncertainties in order to learn more about the world. However, in adult decision-making, the choice to explore new information rather than exploit what is already known takes many factors beyond uncertainty (such as expected utilities and costs) into account. The evidence for whether young children are sensitive to complex, contextual factors in making exploration decisions is limited and mixed. Here, we investigate whether modifying uncertain options influences explore-exploit behavior in preschool-aged children (48-68 months). Over the course of three experiments, we manipulate uncertain options' ambiguity, expected value, and potential to improve epistemic state for future exploration in a novel forced-choice design. We find evidence that young children are influenced by each of these factors, suggesting that early, self-directed exploration involves sophisticated, context-sensitive decision-making under uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Lapidow
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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23
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Griggs MA, Parr B, Vandegrift NS, Jelsone-Swain L. The effect of acute exercise on attentional control and theta power in young adults. Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:2509-2520. [PMID: 37670008 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06660-3] [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: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Exercise has a profound impact on one's health, and it is becoming increasingly accepted that exercise also benefits cognitive functioning. Yet, the neural mechanism for which cognitive enhancement occurs is less understood. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to experimentally test whether an acute exercise activity was able to increase theta power and behavioral performance during an executive functioning attentional control task. Participants were randomly assigned to either a stationary-bike exercise or a resting control condition. Thereafter, they completed the Eriksen flanker task, and most participants completed this while EEG data were recorded. From the flanker task data, we demonstrated an interaction effect from both accuracy and reaction time measurements. Importantly, the exercise group was more accurate than the control group in incongruent trials. From the EEG data, theta power was overall higher in the exercise group, especially during the congruent trials, compared to controls. Our results add to the limited but growing body of research that suggests acute exercise produces a general increase in theta power, which in turn may play a role in enhancing cognitive performance. These results, combined with previous research, could have widespread implications in multiple settings such as in the investigation of a biomarker of physical fitness, neurorehabilitation, and in education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Griggs
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina Aiken, 471 University Pkwy, Aiken, SC, 29801, USA
| | - Brian Parr
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina Aiken, 471 University Pkwy, Aiken, SC, 29801, USA
| | - Nathan S Vandegrift
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina Aiken, 471 University Pkwy, Aiken, SC, 29801, USA
| | - Laura Jelsone-Swain
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina Aiken, 471 University Pkwy, Aiken, SC, 29801, USA.
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24
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Throm E, Gui A, Haartsen R, da Costa PF, Leech R, Jones EJH. Real-time monitoring of infant theta power during naturalistic social experiences. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101300. [PMID: 37741087 PMCID: PMC10523417 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Infant-directed speech and direct gaze are important social cues that shape infant's attention to their parents. Traditional methods for probing their effect on infant attention involve a small number of pre-selected screen-based stimuli, which do not capture the complexity of real-world interactions. Here, we used neuroadaptive Bayesian Optimization (NBO) to search a large 'space' of different naturalistic social experiences that systematically varied in their visual (gaze direct to averted) and auditory properties (infant directed speech to nonvocal sounds). We measured oscillatory brain responses (relative theta power) during episodes of naturalistic social experiences in 57 typically developing 6- to 12-month-old infants. Relative theta power was used as input to the NBO algorithm to identify the naturalistic social context that maximally elicited attention in each individual infant. Results showed that individual infants were heterogeneous in the stimulus that elicited maximal theta with no overall stronger attention for direct gaze or infant-directed speech; however, individual differences in attention towards averted gaze were related to interpersonal skills and greater likelihood of preferring speech and direct gaze was observed in infants whose parents showed more positive affect. Our work indicates NBO may be a fruitful method for probing the role of distinct social cues in eliciting attention in naturalistic social contexts at the individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Throm
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Science, Birkbeck, University of London, Henry Wellcome Building, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Gui
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Science, Birkbeck, University of London, Henry Wellcome Building, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Rianne Haartsen
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Science, Birkbeck, University of London, TodderLab, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Pedro F da Costa
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, de Crespigny Road, London SE5 8AB, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Leech
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, de Crespigny Road, London SE5 8AB, United Kingdom
| | - Emily J H Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Science, Birkbeck, University of London, Henry Wellcome Building, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom.
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25
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Tan E, Tang A, Debnath R, Humphreys KL, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA, Fox NA. Resting brain activity in early childhood predicts IQ at 18 years. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101287. [PMID: 37531865 PMCID: PMC10407667 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Resting brain activity has been widely used as an index of brain development in neuroscience and clinical research. However, it remains unclear whether early differences in resting brain activity have meaningful implications for predicting long-term cognitive outcomes. Using data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project (Zeanah et al., 2003), we examined the impact of institutional rearing and the consequences of early foster care intervention on 18-year IQ. We found that higher resting theta electroencephalogram (EEG) power, reflecting atypical neurodevelopment, across three assessments from 22 to 42 months predicted lower full-scale IQ at 18 years, providing the first evidence that brain activity in early childhood predicts cognitive outcomes into adulthood. In addition, both institutional rearing and later (vs. earlier) foster care intervention predicted higher resting theta power in early childhood, which in turn predicted lower IQ at 18 years. These findings demonstrate that experientially-induced changes in brain activity early in life have profound impact on long-term cognitive development, highlighting the importance of early intervention for promoting healthy development among children living in disadvantaged environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enda Tan
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park 20740, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park 20740, USA.
| | - Alva Tang
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson 75080, USA.
| | - Ranjan Debnath
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg 39118, Germany.
| | - Kathryn L Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville 37203, USA.
| | - Charles H Zeanah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University, New Orleans 70118, USA.
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital of Harvard Medical School, Boston 02115, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge 02138, USA.
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park 20740, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park 20740, USA.
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26
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Brændholt M, Kluger DS, Varga S, Heck DH, Gross J, Allen MG. Breathing in waves: Understanding respiratory-brain coupling as a gradient of predictive oscillations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105262. [PMID: 37271298 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Breathing plays a crucial role in shaping perceptual and cognitive processes by regulating the strength and synchronisation of neural oscillations. Numerous studies have demonstrated that respiratory rhythms govern a wide range of behavioural effects across cognitive, affective, and perceptual domains. Additionally, respiratory-modulated brain oscillations have been observed in various mammalian models and across diverse frequency spectra. However, a comprehensive framework to elucidate these disparate phenomena remains elusive. In this review, we synthesise existing findings to propose a neural gradient of respiratory-modulated brain oscillations and examine recent computational models of neural oscillations to map this gradient onto a hierarchical cascade of precision-weighted prediction errors. By deciphering the computational mechanisms underlying respiratory control of these processes, we can potentially uncover new pathways for understanding the link between respiratory-brain coupling and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malthe Brændholt
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Daniel S Kluger
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of Münster, Germany.
| | - Somogy Varga
- School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Denmark; The Centre for Philosophy of Epidemiology, Medicine and Public Health, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Detlef H Heck
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN
| | - Joachim Gross
- Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignal Analysis, University of Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Germany
| | - Micah G Allen
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Denmark; Cambridge Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK
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27
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Oyaga MR, Serra I, Kurup D, Koekkoek SKE, Badura A. Delay eyeblink conditioning performance and brain-wide c-Fos expression in male and female mice. Open Biol 2023; 13:220121. [PMID: 37161289 PMCID: PMC10170203 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Delay eyeblink conditioning has been extensively used to study associative learning and the cerebellar circuits underlying this task have been largely identified. However, there is a little knowledge on how factors such as strain, sex and innate behaviour influence performance during this type of learning. In this study, we used male and female mice of C57BL/6J (B6) and B6CBAF1 strains to investigate the effect of sex, strain and locomotion in delay eyeblink conditioning. We performed a short and a long delay eyeblink conditioning paradigm and used a c-Fos immunostaining approach to explore the involvement of different brain areas in this task. We found that both B6 and B6CBAF1 females reach higher learning scores compared to males in the initial stages of learning. This sex-dependent difference was no longer present as the learning progressed. Moreover, we found a strong positive correlation between learning scores and voluntary locomotion irrespective of the training duration. c-Fos immunostainings after the short paradigm showed positive correlations between c-Fos expression and learning scores in the cerebellar cortex and brainstem, as well as previously unreported areas. By contrast, after the long paradigm, c-Fos expression was only significantly elevated in the brainstem. Taken together, we show that differences in voluntary locomotion and activity across brain areas correlate with performance in delay eyeblink conditioning across strains and sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Roa Oyaga
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ines Serra
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Devika Kurup
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Aleksandra Badura
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience, Royal Dutch Academy for Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam 1105 BA, the Netherlands
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28
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Brown J, Camporesi E, Lantero-Rodriguez J, Olsson M, Wang A, Medem B, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Karikari TK, Wall M, Hill E. Tau in cerebrospinal fluid induces neuronal hyperexcitability and alters hippocampal theta oscillations. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:67. [PMID: 37095572 PMCID: PMC10127378 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01562-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies are characterized by the aggregation of tau into soluble and insoluble forms (including tangles and neuropil threads). In humans, a fraction of both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated N-terminal to mid-domain tau species, are secreted into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Some of these CSF tau species can be measured as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, starting from early stages of disease. While in animal models of AD pathology, soluble tau aggregates have been shown to disrupt neuronal function, it is unclear whether the tau species present in CSF will modulate neural activity. Here, we have developed and applied a novel approach to examine the electrophysiological effects of CSF from patients with a tau-positive biomarker profile. The method involves incubation of acutely-isolated wild-type mouse hippocampal brain slices with small volumes of diluted human CSF, followed by a suite of electrophysiological recording methods to evaluate their effects on neuronal function, from single cells through to the network level. Comparison of the toxicity profiles of the same CSF samples, with and without immuno-depletion for tau, has enabled a pioneering demonstration that CSF-tau potently modulates neuronal function. We demonstrate that CSF-tau mediates an increase in neuronal excitability in single cells. We then observed, at the network level, increased input-output responses and enhanced paired-pulse facilitation as well as an increase in long-term potentiation. Finally, we show that CSF-tau modifies the generation and maintenance of hippocampal theta oscillations, which have important roles in learning and memory and are known to be altered in AD patients. Together, we describe a novel method for screening human CSF-tau to understand functional effects on neuron and network activity, which could have far-reaching benefits in understanding tau pathology, thus allowing for the development of better targeted treatments for tauopathies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Brown
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Elena Camporesi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Juan Lantero-Rodriguez
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Maria Olsson
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Alice Wang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Blanca Medem
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53792, USA
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Thomas K Karikari
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 43180, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Mark Wall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Emily Hill
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
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29
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Phillips E, Goupil L, Whitehorn M, Bruce-Gardyne E, Csolsim F, Marriott-Haresign I, Wass S. Proactive or reactive? Neural oscillatory insight into the leader-follower dynamics of early infant-caregiver interaction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2122481120. [PMID: 37014853 PMCID: PMC10104541 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122481120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We know that infants' ability to coordinate attention with others toward the end of the first year is fundamental to language acquisition and social cognition. Yet, we understand little about the neural and cognitive mechanisms driving infant attention in shared interaction: do infants play a proactive role in creating episodes of joint attention? Recording electroencephalography (EEG) from 12-mo-old infants while they engaged in table-top play with their caregiver, we examined the communicative behaviors and neural activity preceding and following infant- vs. adult-led joint attention. Infant-led episodes of joint attention appeared largely reactive: they were not associated with increased theta power, a neural marker of endogenously driven attention, and infants did not increase their ostensive signals before the initiation. Infants were, however, sensitive to whether their initiations were responded to. When caregivers joined their attentional focus, infants showed increased alpha suppression, a pattern of neural activity associated with predictive processing. Our results suggest that at 10 to 12 mo, infants are not routinely proactive in creating joint attention episodes yet. They do, however, anticipate behavioral contingency, a potentially foundational mechanism for the emergence of intentional communication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Louise Goupil
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38000Grenoble, France
| | - Megan Whitehorn
- Department of Psychology, University of East London, London, UKE15 4LZ
| | | | | | | | - Sam V. Wass
- Department of Psychology, University of East London, London, UKE15 4LZ
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30
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Morales S, Bowers ME, Leach SC, Buzzell GA, McSweeney M, Yoder L, Fifer W, Elliott AJ, Fox NA. Development of auditory change-detection and attentional capture, and their relation to inhibitory control. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14211. [PMID: 36350009 PMCID: PMC10324628 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
EEG methods offer a promising approach to study the development of attention or attention-related processes such as change-detection and attentional capture. However, the development of these attention processes from early to middle childhood is not well understood. In the current study, we utilized a passive three-stimulus oddball paradigm to examine age-related changes in auditory change-detection and attentional capture in a large sample of children across childhood (N = 475; 249 female, 226 male; Mage = 6.71; SDage = 2.22; Rangeage = 4.01-11.5 years). Conventional ERP analyses revealed no age-related changes in change detection (mismatch negativity) and attentional capture (P3a) components, but we observed age-related reductions in late automatic processing of auditory change (late discriminative negativity). However, when utilizing time-frequency analyses, we observed developmental increases in frontocentral signal strength (power) and consistency (inter-trial phase synchrony) in delta and theta bands in response to novel sounds. Such frontocentral delta/theta responses have been linked in prior work to cognitive control. To further examine this possibility, we examined relations with inhibitory control. Results revealed that increased consistency in theta in response to novel sounds was related to improved inhibitory control. Together, our results advance our understanding of the development of attention in childhood. Moreover, they demonstrate the contributions of time-frequency approaches to studying neurocognitive development. Finally, our results highlight the utility of neuroimaging paradigms that have low cognitive and motor demands to study the development of psychological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Morales
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, The University of Maryland – College Park
| | - Maureen E. Bowers
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, The University of Maryland – College Park
| | - Stephanie C. Leach
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, The University of Maryland – College Park
| | - George A. Buzzell
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University
- Center for Children and Families, Miami, Florida
| | - Marco McSweeney
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, The University of Maryland – College Park
| | - Lydia Yoder
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, The University of Maryland – College Park
| | | | - Amy J. Elliott
- Avera Research Institute
- Department of Pediatrics, University of South Dakota School of Medicine
| | - Nathan A. Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, The University of Maryland – College Park
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31
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Gilbreath D, Hagood D, Alatorre-Cruz GC, Andres A, Downs H, Larson-Prior LJ. Effects of Early Nutrition Factors on Baseline Neurodevelopment during the First 6 Months of Life: An EEG Study. Nutrients 2023; 15:1535. [PMID: 36986265 PMCID: PMC10055905 DOI: 10.3390/nu15061535] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout infancy, the brain undergoes rapid changes in structure and function that are sensitive to environmental influences, such as diet. Breastfed (BF) infants score higher on cognitive tests throughout infancy and into adolescence than formula fed (FF) infants, and these differences in neurocognitive development are reflected in higher concentrations of white and grey matter as measured by MRI. To further explore the effect diet has on cognitive development, electroencephalography (EEG) is used as a direct measure of neuronal activity and to assess specific frequency bands associated with cognitive processes. Task-free baseline EEGs were collected from infants fed with human milk (BF), dairy-based formula (MF), or soy-based formula (SF) at 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months of age to explore differences in frequency bands in both sensor and source space. Significant global differences in sensor space were seen in beta and gamma bands between BF and SF groups at ages 2 and 6 months, and these differences were further observed through volumetric modeling in source space. We conclude that BF infants exhibit earlier brain maturation reflected in greater power spectral density in these frequency bands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan Gilbreath
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC), Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, AR 72207, USA
| | - Darcy Hagood
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC), Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
| | - Graciela Catalina Alatorre-Cruz
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC), Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, AR 72207, USA
| | - Aline Andres
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC), Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, AR 72207, USA
| | - Heather Downs
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC), Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
| | - Linda J. Larson-Prior
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center (ACNC), Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, AR 72207, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, AR 72207, USA
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32
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Angelini L, Tamburro G, Lionetti F, Spinelli M, Comani S, Zappasodi F, Fasolo M, Aureli T. Alpha and theta brain activity in 9-month-old infants during a live referential gaze paradigm. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14198. [PMID: 36271701 PMCID: PMC10078202 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The ability to establish a connection between the direction of the other's gaze and the object that is observed has important implications in the development of social cognition and learning. In this study, we analyzed alpha and theta band oscillations in one group of 9-month-old infants by implementing a face-to-face live paradigm, which presented the infants with a triadic social interaction with a real human being. We compared neural activations in two experimental conditions: Congruent and Incongruent gaze shift following the appearance of an object. In the Incongruent object-gaze shift condition, we observed an increase of the theta power in comparison with the Congruent condition. We also found an enhancement of the alpha activity during the Congruent versus the Incongruent object-gaze condition. These findings confirm the involvement of the theta and alpha band activity in the detection of the gaze of others when it shifts toward a referential target. We consider that the theta band modulation could be associated with the processing of unexpected events. Furthermore, the increase of the alpha band activity during the Congruent object-gaze condition seems to be in agreement with prior findings on the mechanisms of internally controlled attention that emerge before the first year of life. The implementation of a live paradigm elicited a partially different oscillatory pattern in comparison with non-live standard paradigms, supporting the importance of an ecological set-up reproducing real-life conditions to study the development of social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Angelini
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Gabriella Tamburro
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics Center, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Francesca Lionetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Maria Spinelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Silvia Comani
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics Center, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Filippo Zappasodi
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics Center, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.,Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Mirco Fasolo
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Tiziana Aureli
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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Karmazyn-Raz H, Smith LB. Sampling statistics are like story creation: a network analysis of parent-toddler exploratory play. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210358. [PMID: 36571129 PMCID: PMC9791483 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Actions in the world elicit data for learning and do so in a stream of interconnected events. Here, we provide evidence on how toddlers with their parent sample information by acting on toys during exploratory play. We observed 10 min of free-flowing and unconstrained object exploration of by toddlers (mean age 21 months) and parents in a room with many available objects (n = 32). Borrowing concepts and measures from the study of narratives, we found that the toy selections are not a string of unrelated events but exhibit a suite of what we call coherence statistics: Zipfian distributions, burstiness and a network structure. We discuss the transient memory processes that underlie the moment-to-moment toy selections that create this coherence and the role of these statistics in the development of abstract and generalizable systems of knowledge. This article is part of the theme issue 'Concepts in interaction: social engagement and inner experiences'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadar Karmazyn-Raz
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47401, USA
| | - Linda B. Smith
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47401, USA
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34
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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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35
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Larson LM, Feuerriegel D, Hasan MI, Braat S, Jin J, Tipu SMU, Shiraji S, Tofail F, Biggs BA, Hamadani J, Johnson K, Pasricha SR, Bode S. Supplementation With Iron Syrup or Iron-Containing Multiple Micronutrient Powders Alters Resting Brain Activity in Bangladeshi Children. J Nutr 2023; 153:352-363. [PMID: 36913472 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anemia and iron deficiency have been associated with poor child cognitive development. A key rationale for the prevention of anemia using supplementation with iron has been the benefits to neurodevelopment. However, little causal evidence exists for these gains. OBJECTIVES We aimed to examine effects of supplementation with iron or multiple micronutrient powders (MNPs) on brain activity measures using resting electroencephalography (EEG). METHODS Children included in this neurocognitive substudy were randomly selected from the Benefits and Risks of Iron Supplementation in Children study, a double-blind, double-dummy, individually randomized, parallel-group trial in Bangladesh, in which children, starting at 8 mo of age, received 3 mo of daily iron syrup, MNPs, or placebo. Resting brain activity was recorded using EEG immediately after intervention (month 3) and after a further 9-month follow-up (month 12). We derived EEG band power measures for delta, theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands. Linear regression models were used to compare the effect of each intervention with that of placebo on the outcomes. RESULTS Data from 412 children at month 3 and 374 at month 12 were analyzed. At baseline, 43.9% were anemic and 26.7% were iron deficient. Immediately after intervention, iron syrup, but not MNPs, increased the mu alpha-band power, a measure that is associated with maturity and the production of motor actions (iron vs. placebo: mean difference = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.50 μV2; P = 0.003; false discovery rate adjusted P = 0.015). Despite effects on hemoglobin and iron status, effects were not observed on the posterior alpha, beta, delta, and theta bands, nor were effects sustained at the 9-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The effect size for immediate effects on the mu alpha-band power is comparable in magnitude with psychosocial stimulation interventions and poverty reduction strategies. However, overall, we did not find evidence for long-lasting changes in resting EEG power spectra from iron interventions in young Bangladeshi children. This trial was registered at www.anzctr.org.au as ACTRN12617000660381.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila M Larson
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA; Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Daniel Feuerriegel
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mohammed Imrul Hasan
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sabine Braat
- Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jerry Jin
- Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sm Mulk Uddin Tipu
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shamima Shiraji
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Fahmida Tofail
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Beverley-Ann Biggs
- Department of Infectious Diseases at the Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; The Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jena Hamadani
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Katherine Johnson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sant-Rayn Pasricha
- Population Health and Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Diagnostic Haematology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Diagnostic Haematology and Clinical Haematology, The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stefan Bode
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Meyer M, van Schaik JE, Poli F, Hunnius S. How infant-directed actions enhance infants' attention, learning, and exploration: Evidence from EEG and computational modeling. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13259. [PMID: 35343042 PMCID: PMC10078262 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
When teaching infants new actions, parents tend to modify their movements. Infants prefer these infant-directed actions (IDAs) over adult-directed actions and learn well from them. Yet, it remains unclear how parents' action modulations capture infants' attention. Typically, making movements larger than usual is thought to draw attention. Recent findings, however, suggest that parents might exploit movement variability to highlight actions. We hypothesized that variability in movement amplitude rather than higher amplitude is capturing infants' attention during IDAs. Using EEG, we measured 15-month-olds' brain activity while they were observing action demonstrations with normal, high, or variable amplitude movements. Infants' theta power (4-5 Hz) in fronto-central channels was compared between conditions. Frontal theta was significantly higher, indicating stronger attentional engagement, in the variable compared to the other conditions. Computational modelling showed that infants' frontal theta power was predicted best by how surprising each movement was. Thus, surprise induced by variability in movements rather than large movements alone engages infants' attention during IDAs. Infants with higher theta power for variable movements were more likely to perform actions successfully and to explore objects novel in the context of the given goal. This highlights the brain mechanisms by which IDAs enhance infants' attention, learning, and exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Meyer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Johanna E van Schaik
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Francesco Poli
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine Hunnius
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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37
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Wilkinson M, Keehn RJ, Linke A, You Y, Gao Y, Alemu K, Correas A, Rosen B, Kohli J, Wagner L, Sridhar A, Marinkovic K, Müller RA. fMRI BOLD and MEG theta power reflect complementary aspects of activity during lexicosemantic decision in adolescents with ASD. NEUROIMAGE. REPORTS 2022; 2:100134. [PMID: 36438080 PMCID: PMC9683354 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2022.100134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been predominantly unimodal. While many fMRI studies have reported atypical activity patterns for diverse tasks, the MEG literature in ASD remains comparatively small. Our group recently reported atypically increased event-related theta power in individuals with ASD during lexicosemantic processing. The current multimodal study examined the relationship between fMRI BOLD signal and anatomically-constrained MEG (aMEG) theta power. Thirty-three adolescents with ASD and 23 typically developing (TD) peers took part in both fMRI and MEG scans, during which they distinguished between standard words (SW), animal words (AW), and pseudowords (PW). Regions-of-interest (ROIs) were derived based on task effects detected in BOLD signal and aMEG theta power. BOLD signal and theta power were extracted for each ROI and word condition. Compared to TD participants, increased theta power in the ASD group was found across several time windows and regions including left fusiform and inferior frontal, as well as right angular and anterior cingulate gyri, whereas BOLD signal was significantly increased in the ASD group only in right anterior cingulate gyrus. No significant correlations were observed between BOLD signal and theta power. Findings suggest that the common interpretation of increases in BOLD signal and theta power as 'activation' require careful differentiation, as these reflect largely distinct aspects of regional brain activity. Some group differences in dynamic neural processing detected with aMEG that are likely relevant for lexical processing may be obscured by the hemodynamic signal source and low temporal resolution of fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Wilkinson
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, United States,Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - R.J. Jao Keehn
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - A.C. Linke
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Y. You
- Spatiotemporal Brain Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Y. Gao
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, United States,Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - K. Alemu
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - A. Correas
- Spatiotemporal Brain Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - B.Q. Rosen
- Spatiotemporal Brain Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - J.S. Kohli
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, United States,Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - L. Wagner
- Spatiotemporal Brain Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - A. Sridhar
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - K. Marinkovic
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, United States,Spatiotemporal Brain Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States,Radiology Department, University of California at San Diego, CA, United States
| | - R.-A. Müller
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, United States,Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States,Corresponding author. San Diego State University, 6363 Alvarado Ct., Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92120, United States. (R.-A. Müller)
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38
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Haartsen R, Charman T, Pasco G, Johnson MH, Jones EJH. Modulation of EEG theta by naturalistic social content is not altered in infants with family history of autism. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20758. [PMID: 36456597 PMCID: PMC9715667 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24870-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Theta oscillations (spectral power and connectivity) are sensitive to the social content of an experience in typically developing infants, providing a possible marker of early social brain development. Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting early social behaviour, but links to underlying social brain function remain unclear. We explored whether modulations of theta spectral power and connectivity by naturalistic social content in infancy are related to family history for autism. Fourteen-month-old infants with (family history; FH; N = 75) and without (no family history; NFH; N = 26) a first-degree relative with autism watched social and non-social videos during EEG recording. We calculated theta (4-5 Hz) spectral power and connectivity modulations (social-non-social) and associated them with outcomes at 36 months. We replicated previous findings of increased theta power and connectivity during social compared to non-social videos. Theta modulations with social content were similar between groups, for both power and connectivity. Together, these findings suggest that neural responses to naturalistic social stimuli may not be strongly altered in 14-month-old infants with family history of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rianne Haartsen
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, WC1E 7HX, UK.
- ToddlerLab, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX, UK.
| | - Tony Charman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3BX, UK
| | - Greg Pasco
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Mark H Johnson
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, WC1E 7HX, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emily J H Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, WC1E 7HX, UK
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Gossé LK, Wiesemann F, Elwell CE, Jones EJH. Habitual night waking associates with dynamics of waking cortical theta power in infancy. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22344. [PMID: 36426793 PMCID: PMC9828365 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The implications of the substantial individual differences in infant sleep for early brain development remain unclear. Here, we examined whether night sleep quality relates to daytime brain activity, operationalized through measures of EEG theta power and its dynamic modulation, which have been previously linked to later cognitive development. For this longitudinal study, 76 typically developing infants were studied (age: 4-14 months, 166 individual study visits) over the course of 6 months with one, two, three, or four lab visits. Habitual sleep was measured with a 7-day sleep diary and actigraphy, and the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. Twenty-channel EEG was recorded while infants watched multiple rounds of videos of women singing nursery rhymes; oscillatory power in the theta band was extracted. Key metrics were average theta across stimuli and the slope of change in theta within the first novel movie. Both objective and subjective sleep assessment methods showed a relationship between more night waking and higher overall theta power and reduced dynamic modulation of theta over the course of the novel video stimuli. These results may indicate altered learning and consolidation in infants with more disrupted night sleep, which may have implications for cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa K. Gossé
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, BirkbeckUniversity of LondonLondonUK
| | - Frank Wiesemann
- Research & DevelopmentProcter & GambleSchwalbach am TaunusGermany
| | - Clare E. Elwell
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Optics Research LaboratoryUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Emily J. H. Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, BirkbeckUniversity of LondonLondonUK
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40
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Berger A, Posner MI. Beyond Infant's Looking: The Neural Basis for Infant Prediction Errors. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2022; 18:664-674. [PMID: 36269781 DOI: 10.1177/17456916221112918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Contemporary conceptualizations on infant cognitive development focus on predictive processes; the basic idea is that the brain continuously creates predictions about what is expected and that the divergence between predicted and actual perceived data yields a prediction error. This prediction error updates the model from which the predictions are generated and therefore is a basic mechanism for learning and adaptation to the dynamics of the ever-changing environment. In this article, we review the types of available empirical evidence supporting the idea that predictive processes can be found in infancy, especially emphasizing the contribution of electrophysiology as a potential method for testing the similarity of the brain mechanisms for processing prediction errors in infants to those of adults. In infants, as with older children, adolescents, and adults, predictions involve synchronization bursts of middle-central theta reflecting brain activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. We discuss how early in development such brain mechanisms develop and open questions that still remain to be empirically investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Berger
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
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41
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Ruggeri A. An Introduction to Ecological Active Learning. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/09637214221112114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This article introduces ecological active learning, a developmental framework that focuses on children’s ability to adapt and tailor their active-learning strategies to the particular structure and characteristics of a learning environment. Results of seminal studies indicate that efficient, adaptive search strategies emerge around 3 years of age, much earlier than previously assumed. This work highlights the importance of developing age-appropriate paradigms that capture children’s early competence to gain a more comprehensive and fair picture of their active-learning abilities. Also, it offers a process-oriented theoretical framework that can accommodate and reconcile a sparse but growing body of work documenting children’s active and adaptive learning. Three of the most promising avenues for future research on children’s ecological active learning are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azzurra Ruggeri
- MPRG iSearch, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany; School of Social Sciences and Technology, Technical University Munich; and Department of Cognitive Science, Central European University
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42
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Piccardi ES, Gliga T. Understanding sensory regulation in typical and atypical development: The case of sensory seeking. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2022.101037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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43
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Begum‐Ali J, Goodwin A, Mason L, Pasco G, Charman T, Johnson MH, Jones EJ. Altered theta-beta ratio in infancy associates with family history of ADHD and later ADHD-relevant temperamental traits. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:1057-1067. [PMID: 35187652 PMCID: PMC9540467 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uncovering the neural mechanisms that underlie symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) requires studying brain development prior to the emergence of behavioural difficulties. One new approach to this is prospective studies of infants with an elevated likelihood of developing ADHD. METHODS We used a prospective design to examine an oscillatory electroencephalography profile that has been widely studied in both children and adults with ADHD - the balance between lower and higher frequencies operationalised as the theta-beta ratio (TBR). In the present study, we examined TBR in 136 10-month-old infants (72 male and 64 female) with/without an elevated likelihood of developing ADHD and/or a comparison disorder (Autism Spectrum Disorder; ASD). RESULTS Infants with a first-degree relative with ADHD demonstrated lower TBR than infants without a first-degree relative with ADHD. Further, lower TBR at 10 months was positively associated with temperament dimensions conceptually related to ADHD at 2 years. TBR was not altered in infants with a family history of ASD. CONCLUSIONS This is the first demonstration that alterations in TBR are present prior to behavioural symptoms of ADHD. However, these alterations manifest differently than those sometimes observed in older children with an ADHD diagnosis. Importantly, altered TBR was not seen in infants at elevated likelihood of developing ASD, suggesting a degree of specificity to ADHD. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that there are brain changes associated with a family history of ADHD observable in the first year of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannath Begum‐Ali
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentDepartment of Psychological SciencesBirkbeck, University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Amy Goodwin
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental SciencesInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Luke Mason
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentDepartment of Psychological SciencesBirkbeck, University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Greg Pasco
- Psychology DepartmentInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Tony Charman
- Psychology DepartmentInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology & NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Mark H. Johnson
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentDepartment of Psychological SciencesBirkbeck, University of LondonLondonUK,Department of PsychologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Emily J.H. Jones
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentDepartment of Psychological SciencesBirkbeck, University of LondonLondonUK
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44
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Hervé E, Mento G, Desnous B, François C. Challenges and new perspectives of developmental cognitive EEG studies. Neuroimage 2022; 260:119508. [PMID: 35882267 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite shared procedures with adults, electroencephalography (EEG) in early development presents many specificities that need to be considered for good quality data collection. In this paper, we provide an overview of the most representative early cognitive developmental EEG studies focusing on the specificities of this neuroimaging technique in young participants, such as attrition and artifacts. We also summarize the most representative results in developmental EEG research obtained in the time and time-frequency domains and use more advanced signal processing methods. Finally, we briefly introduce three recent standardized pipelines that will help promote replicability and comparability across experiments and ages. While this paper does not claim to be exhaustive, it aims to give a sufficiently large overview of the challenges and solutions available to conduct robust cognitive developmental EEG studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estelle Hervé
- CNRS, LPL, Aix-Marseille University, 5 Avenue Pasteur, Aix-en-Provence 13100, France
| | - Giovanni Mento
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova 35131, Italy; Padua Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Padova 35131, Italy
| | - Béatrice Desnous
- APHM, Reference Center for Rare Epilepsies, Timone Children Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille 13005, France; Inserm, INS, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Clément François
- CNRS, LPL, Aix-Marseille University, 5 Avenue Pasteur, Aix-en-Provence 13100, France.
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45
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Bánki A, Brzozowska A, Hoehl S, Köster M. Neural Entrainment vs. Stimulus-Tracking: A Conceptual Challenge for Rhythmic Perceptual Stimulation in Developmental Neuroscience. Front Psychol 2022; 13:878984. [PMID: 35602682 PMCID: PMC9121997 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.878984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bánki
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Anna Bánki
| | | | - Stefanie Hoehl
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Moritz Köster
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Faculty of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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46
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Theta and gamma oscillatory dynamics in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease: A path to prospective therapeutic intervention. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104628. [PMID: 35331816 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the neural basis of cognitive deficits, a key feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), is imperative for achieving the therapy of the disease. Rhythmic oscillatory activities in neural systems are a fundamental mechanism for diverse brain functions, including cognition. In several neurological conditions like AD, aberrant neural oscillations have been shown to play a central role. Furthermore, manipulation of brain oscillations in animals has confirmed their impact on cognition and disease. In this article, we review the evidence from mouse models that shows how synchronized oscillatory activity is intricately linked to AD machinery. We primarily focus on recent reports showing abnormal oscillatory activities at theta and gamma frequencies in AD condition and their influence on cellular disturbances and cognitive impairments. A thorough comprehension of the role that neuronal oscillations play in AD pathology should pave the way to therapeutic interventions that can curb the disease.
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47
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Morales S, Bowers ME. Time-frequency analysis methods and their application in developmental EEG data. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 54:101067. [PMID: 35065418 PMCID: PMC8784307 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
EEG provides a rich measure of brain activity that can be characterized as neuronal oscillations. However, most developmental EEG work to date has focused on analyzing EEG data as Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) or power based on the Fourier transform. While these measures have been productive, they do not leverage all the information contained within the EEG signal. Namely, ERP analyses ignore non-phase-locked signals and Fourier-based power analyses ignore temporal information. Time-frequency analyses can better characterize the oscillations contained in the EEG data. By separating power and phase information across different frequencies, time-frequency measures provide a closer interpretation of the neurophysiological mechanisms, facilitate translation across neurophysiology disciplines, and capture processes not observed by ERP or Fourier-based analyses (e.g., connectivity). Despite their unique contributions, a literature review of this journal reveals that time-frequency analyses of EEG are yet to be embraced by the developmental cognitive neuroscience field. This manuscript presents a conceptual introduction to time-frequency analyses for developmental researchers. To facilitate the use of time-frequency analyses, we include a tutorial of accessible scripts, based on Cohen (2014), to calculate time-frequency power (signal strength), inter-trial phase synchrony (signal consistency), and two types of phase-based connectivity (inter-channel phase synchrony and weighted phase lag index).
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Morales
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland - College Park, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland - College Park, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, USA.
| | - Maureen E Bowers
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland - College Park, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland - College Park, USA
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48
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Wass SV, Perapoch Amadó M, Ives J. Oscillatory entrainment to our early social or physical environment and the emergence of volitional control. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 54:101102. [PMID: 35398645 PMCID: PMC9010552 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
An individual's early interactions with their environment are thought to be largely passive; through the early years, the capacity for volitional control develops. Here, we consider: how is the emergence of volitional control characterised by changes in the entrainment observed between internal activity (behaviour, physiology and brain activity) and the sights and sounds in our everyday environment (physical and social)? We differentiate between contingent responsiveness (entrainment driven by evoked responses to external events) and oscillatory entrainment (driven by internal oscillators becoming temporally aligned with external oscillators). We conclude that ample evidence suggests that children show behavioural, physiological and neural entrainment to their physical and social environment, irrespective of volitional attention control; however, evidence for oscillatory entrainment beyond contingent responsiveness is currently lacking. Evidence for how oscillatory entrainment changes over developmental time is also lacking. Finally, we suggest a mechanism through which periodic environmental rhythms might facilitate both sensory processing and the development of volitional control even in the absence of oscillatory entrainment.
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Affiliation(s)
- S V Wass
- Department of Psychology, University of East London, UK.
| | | | - J Ives
- Department of Psychology, University of East London, UK
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49
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Aguirre M, Brun M, Couderc A, Reboul A, Senez P, Mascaro O. Knowledge in Sight: Toddlers Plan Efficient Epistemic Actions by Anticipating Learning Gains. Cogn Sci 2022; 46:e13103. [PMID: 35122298 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13103] [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: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Anticipating the learning consequences of actions is crucial to plan efficient information seeking. Such a capacity is needed for learners to determine which actions are most likely to result in learning. Here, we tested the early ontogeny of the human capacity to anticipate the amount of learning gained from seeing. In study 1, we tested infants' capacity to anticipate the availability of sight. Fourteen-month-old infants (N = 72) were invited to search for a toy hidden inside a container. The participants were faster to attempt at opening a shutter when this action allowed them to see inside the container. Moreover, this effect was specifically observed when seeing inside the container was potentially useful to the participants' goals. Thus, infants anticipated the availability of sight, and they calibrated their information-seeking behaviors accordingly. In studies 2 and 3, we tested toddlers' capacity to anticipate whether data would be cognitively useful for their goals. Two-and-a-half-year-olds (N = 72) had to locate a target character hidden among distractors. The participants flipped the characters more often, and were comparatively faster to initiate this action when it yielded access to visual data allowing them to locate the target. Thus, toddlers planned their information-seeking behaviors by anticipating the cognitive utility of sight. In contrast, toddlers did not calibrate their behaviors to the cognitive usefulness of auditory data. These results suggest that cognitive models of learning guide toddlers' search for information. The early developmental onset of the capacity to anticipate future learning gains is crucial for active learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Aguirre
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
| | - Mélanie Brun
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
| | - Auriane Couderc
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
| | - Anne Reboul
- Laboratory of Cognitive Psychology, UMR 7290, CNRS and Aix-Marseille University
| | - Philomène Senez
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
| | - Olivier Mascaro
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center
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The impact of a poverty reduction intervention on infant brain activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2115649119. [PMID: 35074878 PMCID: PMC8812534 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115649119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study demonstrates the causal impact of a poverty reduction intervention on early childhood brain activity. Data from the Baby’s First Years study, a randomized control trial, show that a predictable, monthly unconditional cash transfer given to low-income families may have a causal impact on infant brain activity. In the context of greater economic resources, children’s experiences changed, and their brain activity adapted to those experiences. The resultant brain activity patterns have been shown to be associated with the development of subsequent cognitive skills. Early childhood poverty is a risk factor for lower school achievement, reduced earnings, and poorer health, and has been associated with differences in brain structure and function. Whether poverty causes differences in neurodevelopment, or is merely associated with factors that cause such differences, remains unclear. Here, we report estimates of the causal impact of a poverty reduction intervention on brain activity in the first year of life. We draw data from a subsample of the Baby’s First Years study, which recruited 1,000 diverse low-income mother–infant dyads. Shortly after giving birth, mothers were randomized to receive either a large or nominal monthly unconditional cash gift. Infant brain activity was assessed at approximately 1 y of age in the child’s home, using resting electroencephalography (EEG; n = 435). We hypothesized that infants in the high-cash gift group would have greater EEG power in the mid- to high-frequency bands and reduced power in a low-frequency band compared with infants in the low-cash gift group. Indeed, infants in the high-cash gift group showed more power in high-frequency bands. Effect sizes were similar in magnitude to many scalable education interventions, although the significance of estimates varied with the analytic specification. In sum, using a rigorous randomized design, we provide evidence that giving monthly unconditional cash transfers to mothers experiencing poverty in the first year of their children’s lives may change infant brain activity. Such changes reflect neuroplasticity and environmental adaptation and display a pattern that has been associated with the development of subsequent cognitive skills.
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