Visual perception in children: human, animal and virtual movement activates different cortical areas

This study was designed to relate visual perception of motion (HUMAN, ANIMAL and VIRTUAL) to cortical activity (qEEG parameters). Thirty-four healthy right-handed children (29 months-94 months, mean age 5 years) viewed a video film showing a still image (a lake) and animated images with human, animal and virtual movement. EEGs were recorded while the children watched the video film. The power values of each frequency band theta 1: 3.5-5.5 Hz, theta 2: 5.5-7.5 Hz, alpha 1: 7.5-10.5 Hz, alpha 2: 10.5-13 Hz, beta 1: 13-18 Hz, beta 2: 18-25 Hz and beta 3: 25-35 Hz were analyzed in a four-way repeated-measures ANOVA (age x hemisphere x electrode x type of activation). Three main results were obtained: (1) younger children (< 5 years) showed higher power spectral values than older children; (2) there was specificity for real human movement in the left hemisphere; and (3) activations in the left- and right-hemispheres were different according to the movement visualized. These results indicate that in healthy children, human, animal and virtual movement activates different cortical areas.