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Updated: Oct 31, 2025

Measurement of Fronto-limbic Activity Using an Emotional Oddball Task in Children with Familial High Risk for Schizophrenia
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Neurophysiological patterns associated with blunted emotional face processing and withdrawal tendencies in young

Brandon L Goldstein1, Damion J Grasso1, Kimberly J McCarthy1

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.

Developmental Psychobiology
|July 1, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Young children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) show altered brain activity, including reduced responses to emotional stimuli and withdrawal tendencies. These neurophysiological differences may impact their emotional development and mental health.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Child maltreatment is linked to neurophysiological abnormalities and mental health issues.
  • Limited research exists on these patterns in young children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine neurophysiological responses to emotional stimuli in young children exposed to IPV.
  • To investigate resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) and emotion event-related potentials (ERPs) in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) at rest in 21 IPV-exposed and 30 non-exposed children (ages 4-6).
  • Measured the late positive potential (LPP) ERP component during an affective oddball task with emotional faces and animal targets.

Main Results:

  • IPV-exposed children showed lower left FAA, indicating withdrawal tendencies.
  • Reduced LPPs to targets and affective faces (vs. neutral) were observed in IPV-exposed children, suggesting blunted emotional responses.

Conclusions:

  • Young children exposed to IPV exhibit distinct neural patterns associated with withdrawal and blunted emotional reactivity.
  • Findings highlight potential implications for emotional socialization and mental health in this vulnerable group.

Keywords:
LPPaffective oddballchild maltreatmentfrontal asymmetryintimate partner violence

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