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Ünsal E, Duygun R, Yemeniciler İ, Bingöl E, Ceran Ö, Güntekin B. From Infancy to Childhood: A Comprehensive Review of Event- and Task-Related Brain Oscillations. Brain Sci 2024; 14:837. [PMID: 39199528 PMCID: PMC11352659 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14080837] [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: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain development from infancy through childhood involves complex structural and functional changes influenced by both internal and external factors. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of event and task-related brain oscillations, focusing on developmental changes across different frequency bands, including delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma. Electroencephalography (EEG) studies highlight that these oscillations serve as functional building blocks for sensory and cognitive processes, with significant variations observed across different developmental stages. Delta oscillations, primarily associated with deep sleep and early cognitive demands, gradually diminish as children age. Theta rhythms, crucial for attention and memory, display a distinct pattern in early childhood, evolving with cognitive maturation. Alpha oscillations, reflecting thalamocortical interactions and cognitive performance, increase in complexity with age. Beta rhythms, linked to active thinking and problem-solving, show developmental differences in motor and cognitive tasks. Gamma oscillations, associated with higher cognitive functions, exhibit notable changes in response to sensory stimuli and cognitive tasks. This review underscores the importance of understanding oscillatory dynamics to elucidate brain development and its implications for sensory and cognitive processing in childhood. The findings provide a foundation for future research on developmental neuroscience and potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esra Ünsal
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey; (E.Ü.); (R.D.); (İ.Y.); (E.B.)
- Neuroscience Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Rümeysa Duygun
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey; (E.Ü.); (R.D.); (İ.Y.); (E.B.)
- Neuroscience Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - İrem Yemeniciler
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey; (E.Ü.); (R.D.); (İ.Y.); (E.B.)
- Neuroscience Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Elifnur Bingöl
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey; (E.Ü.); (R.D.); (İ.Y.); (E.B.)
- Neuroscience Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ömer Ceran
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey;
| | - Bahar Güntekin
- Neuroscience Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, 34810 Istanbul, Turkey
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Meyer M, Endedijk HM, Hunnius S. Intention to imitate: Top-down effects on 4-year-olds' neural processing of others' actions. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100851. [PMID: 32890960 PMCID: PMC7481529 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
From early in life, we activate our neural motor system when observing others' actions. In adults, this so-called mirroring is modulated not only by the saliency of an action but also by top-down processes, like the intention to imitate it. Yet, it remains unknown whether neural processing of others' actions can be modulated by top-down processes in young children who heavily rely on learning from observing and imitating others but also still develop top-down control skills. Using EEG, we examined whether the intention to imitate increases 4-year-olds' motor activation while observing others' actions. In a within-subjects design, children observed identical actions preceded by distinct instructions, namely to either imitate the action or to name the toy's color. As motor activation index, children's alpha (7-12 Hz) and beta (16-20 Hz) power over motor cortices was analyzed. The results revealed more motor activity reflected by significantly lower beta power for the Imitation compared to the Color-naming Task. The same conditional difference, although differently located, was detected for alpha power. Together, our results show that children's neural processing of others' actions was amplified by their intention to imitate the action. Thus, already at age 4 top-down attention to others' actions can modulate neural action processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Meyer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, USA.
| | | | - Sabine Hunnius
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, the Netherlands
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Esposito G, Rigo P, Bornstein MH. Brain imaging technologies to study infant behavior and development. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 60:101461. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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