Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 29, 2026
Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
Published on: July 1, 2015
The effects of feeding on the electroencephalogram in 3- and 6-month-old infants
Johannes Lehtonen1, Mervi Könönen, Maija Purhonen
1Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. johannes.lehtonen@kuh.fi
Insights
Infant brain activity during feeding changes with age. Six-month-olds show specific theta brainwaves linked to emotional arousal when eating, unlike newborns.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Infant neurophysiological responses to feeding are not well understood.
- Previous research indicated increased EEG amplitude in newborns during nutritive feeding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate electroencephalogram (EEG) responses to feeding in 3- and 6-month-old infants.
- To characterize the developmental changes in infant EEG patterns during feeding.
Main Methods:
- EEG recordings were obtained from 13 infants at 3 and 6 months of age during feeding.
- Analysis focused on changes in EEG amplitude and frequency, specifically theta activity.
Main Results:
- The generalized EEG response observed in newborns diminished by 3 months of age.
- At 6 months, infants exhibited significant rhythmic 3-5 Hz theta activity during feeding, peaking in right posterior regions.
- This theta activity ceased upon cessation of feeding.
Conclusions:
- The infant EEG response to feeding evolves from an undifferentiated pattern in newborns to a specific rhythmic theta activity by 6 months.
- This feeding-induced theta activity is likely associated with emotional arousal in 6-month-old infants.
Abstract:
The human infant's neurophysiological responses to feeding are poorly understood. We found recently a significant increase of EEG amplitude in the newborn during nutritive feeding, but not during pacifier sucking. In this study, we report EEG responses to feeding in 13 infants at the ages of 3 and 6 months. The undifferentiated response of the newborn was found to wane until the age of 3 months, whereas in 6-month-old infants, relatively abundant rhythmic 3-5 Hz theta activity was recorded during feeding with an amplitude maximum in right posterior areas. Cessation of feeding was followed by cessation of theta activity. The rhythmic 3-5 Hz theta response to feeding is likely to represent emotional arousal, as it is similar to previous findings showing posterior theta increase in other settings connected with emotional arousal in infants.
