Measurement of brain function in pre-school children using a custom sized whole-head MEG sensor array

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Conventional whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) systems utilize fixed sensor arrays optimized for adult head sizes.
• These adult-optimized arrays are suboptimal for accurately measuring brain activity in the significantly smaller heads of young children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of using a novel, custom-sized whole-head MEG system designed specifically for pre-school-aged children.
• To measure brain activity in young children using this specialized pediatric MEG system.

Main Methods:

• Auditory evoked fields were measured from seven 4-year-old children.
• Measurements were conducted using a 64-channel KIT whole-head gradiometer MEG system, adapted with a child-sized helmet dewar.

Main Results:

• Head fit within the MEG helmet dewar was substantially improved in the child-sized helmet compared to the adult helmet.
• Successful measurement of auditory evoked fields and computation of dipole source locations were achieved in all seven children.
• The head fit in the child-sized system was comparable to that of adults in conventional adult MEG systems.

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates the feasibility of routinely measuring neuromagnetic brain function in healthy, awake pre-school-aged children.
• The development of child-sized whole-head MEG systems provides new avenues for investigating cognitive brain development in early childhood.