To snack or not to snack: Using fNIRS to link inhibitory control to functional connectivity in the toddler brain
Anastasia Kerr-German1, August Namuth1, Hendrik Santosa2
1Boys Town National Research Hospital, Center for Childhood Deafness, Language and Learning, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Insights
This study reveals that stronger brain connectivity in toddlers is linked to better inhibitory control (IC), a key skill for development. These findings offer early insights into the neural basis of self-regulation in young children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Inhibitory control (IC) develops in early childhood and impacts life outcomes.
- Neural underpinnings of IC in toddlers are not well understood.
- Early self-regulation is crucial for cognitive and social development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural correlates of inhibitory control in 2.5-year-olds.
- To examine functional connectivity (FC) during a snack delay task.
- To link brain development to self-regulatory performance in toddlers.
Main Methods:
- Used functional infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to record hemodynamic responses in 2.5-year-olds.
- Employed a traditional snack delay task to assess inhibitory control.
- Analyzed functional connectivity (FC) between brain regions.
Main Results:
- Positive association found between functional connectivity strength and performance on the IC task.
- Specific links identified between left frontal-parietal and bilateral parietal cortex connectivity and IC.
- First neural data for toddlers performing an IC task.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first neural evidence linking brain development and inhibitory control in toddlers.
- Findings suggest that functional connectivity plays a role in early self-regulation.
- Opens avenues for future research in clinical populations and early intervention.
Abstract:
Inhibitory control (IC) emerges in infancy, continues to develop throughout childhood and is linked to later life outcomes such as school achievement, prosocial behavior, and psychopathology. Little, however, is known about the neural processes underpinning IC, especially in 2-year-olds. In this study, we examine functional connectivity (FC) in 2.5-year-olds while recording hemodynamic responses via functional infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during a traditional snack delay task. We found that functional connectivity strength between left frontal and parietal cortex and bilateral parietal cortex were positively associated with performance on this task. The current findings present the first neural data for toddlers during this IC task. Further, these data are the first to link this self-regulatory process to differences in brain development within this population. Implications for future directions and work with clinical populations are discussed.
