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Infant Electroencephalogram Coherence and Toddler Inhibition are Associated with Social Responsiveness at Age 4

Alleyne P R Broomell1, Jyoti Savla2, Martha Ann Bell1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech.

Infancy : the Official Journal of the International Society on Infant Studies
|June 13, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Infant brain connectivity predicts later social skills. Higher right hemisphere frontotemporal electroencephalogram (EEG) coherence in infancy was linked to reduced toddler inhibition, which predicted lower social responsiveness in childhood.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Individual differences in infant functional neuroconnectivity may serve as biomarkers for future cognitive and social development.
  • The precise mechanisms linking early brain connectivity to later social outcomes remain largely undetermined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a longitudinal model examining how infant frontotemporal electroencephalogram (EEG) coherence predicts subsequent inhibitory control in toddlers.
  • To determine if toddler inhibition mediates the relationship between early neuroconnectivity and childhood social responsiveness.

Main Methods:

  • Employed a longitudinal design tracking participants from infancy to childhood.
  • Utilized electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure frontotemporal coherence in infants.
  • Applied structural equation modeling to analyze the predictive relationships between EEG coherence, toddler inhibition, and childhood social responsiveness.

Main Results:

  • The structural equation model demonstrated a good fit, supporting the proposed longitudinal associations.
  • Increased right hemisphere frontotemporal EEG coherence in infancy was significantly associated with lower levels of inhibitory control at age two.
  • Reduced inhibitory control in toddlers predicted diminished social responsiveness at age four.

Conclusions:

  • Infant frontotemporal connectivity is indirectly associated with later social behavior.
  • Toddler inhibitory control emerges as a significant mediating mechanism in the pathway from early brain connectivity to childhood social responsiveness.
  • These findings highlight the importance of early neural development in shaping social trajectories.

Keywords:
EEG coherencechildreninfantsinhibitionneuroconnectivitysocial responsiveness

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