Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 23, 2026
EEG Mu Rhythm in Typical and Atypical Development
Published on: April 9, 2014
Longitudinal study of EEG frequency maturation and power changes in children on the Russian North
S I Soroko1, N V Shemyakina1, Zh V Nagornova1
1I.M. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEPhB RAS), Laboratory of Comparative Ecological and Physiological Studies, Toreza, 44, 194223 Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
Insights
This study tracked electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns in children over nine years. It found distinct EEG types that remained stable, showing age-related changes in brain wave activity crucial for development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Understanding childhood brain development is crucial for identifying neurological maturation.
- Longitudinal studies of electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns provide insights into brain activity changes during adolescence.
- Previous research has identified various EEG frequency bands and spectral power characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate longitudinal changes in EEG spectral power and frequency composition in typically developing children.
- To identify distinct EEG patterns and their stability throughout adolescence.
- To analyze age-related dynamics in EEG spectral power across different frequency bands and EEG types.
Main Methods:
- Yearly resting-state (eyes closed) EEG recordings from 15 children aged 8 to 17.
- Analysis of EEG frequency patterns as percentage composition of wave frequencies.
- Spectral power analysis across delta, theta, alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2 frequency bands.
- Classification of EEG signals into four types: fast synchronous, polymorphous synchronous, polymorphous desynchronous, and slow synchronous.
Main Results:
- Four relatively stable EEG types were identified in children during adolescence.
- A universal decrease in slow wave percentage and delta band spectral power was observed with age.
- Specific age-related changes in theta and alpha band spectral power varied significantly across the identified EEG types.
- The fast synchronous type showed decreased theta/alpha-1 and increased alpha-2 power; polymorphous synchronous showed increased alpha-1/alpha-2 power; polymorphous desynchronous showed decreased power across all bands; slow synchronous showed increased alpha-1 power.
Conclusions:
- EEG types exhibit relative stability during adolescence, suggesting predictive value for brain maturation.
- Distinct patterns of spectral power changes occur within different EEG types throughout development.
- The findings highlight the predictive strength of spatial-frequency EEG patterns for subsequent brain maturation.
Abstract:
The aim of the study was to reveal longitudinal changes in electroencephalogram spectral power and frequency (percentage frequency composition of EEG and alpha peak frequency) patterns in normal children from northern Russia. Fifteen children (9 girls and 6 boys) participated in the study. The resting state (eyes closed) EEGs were recorded yearly (2005-2013) from age 8 to age 16-17 for each child. EEG frequency patterns were estimated as the percentages of waves with a 1 Hz step revealed by measuring the interval durations between points crossing zero (isoline) by a curve. EEG spectral power changes were analyzed for delta (1.5-4 Hz), theta (4-7.5 Hz), alpha-1 (7.5-9.5 Hz), alpha-2 (9.5-12.5 Hz), beta-1 (12.5-18 Hz) and beta-2 (18-30 Hz) bands. According to the frequency composition of the EEG signals fast synchronous, polymorphous synchronous, polymorphous desynchronous and slow synchronous types of children EEG were revealed. These EEG types were relatively stable during adolescence. In these EEG types, the frequency patterns and spectral power dynamics with age had several common and specific features. Slow wave percentage and spectral power in the delta band remarkably decreased with age in all groups. Starting from the theta band the EEG types were characterized by different EEG spectral power changes with age. In fast synchronous EEG type, the theta and alpha-1 EEG power decreased, and the alpha-2 power increased in the occipital and parietal areas. The polymorphous synchronous type was characterized by increased both the alpha-1 and alpha-2 power with regional peculiarities. In the polymorphous desynchronous type spectral power in all bands decreased with age, and in the slow synchronous type, the alpha-1 power massively increased with age. Obtained results suggest predictive strength of the spatial-frequency patterns in EEG for its following maturation through the years.
