Brains in Sync: Practical Guideline for Parent-Infant EEG During Natural Interaction

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Bioengineering

Background:

• Parent-infant electroencephalography (EEG) is an emerging hyperscanning technique to simultaneously record brain activity in parents and infants during social interactions.
• Research on brain-to-brain synchrony using parent-infant dual-EEG is expanding, but standardized methodologies and accessible resources are lacking.
• Existing adult dual-EEG methods are advancing, yet specific validations and open-access data for infant studies remain scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive, practical guide for implementing parent-infant EEG hyperscanning in naturalistic settings.
• To offer methodological insights into dual-EEG data (pre)processing, including recommendations for analyzing interpersonal neural coupling.
• To facilitate the advancement of parent-infant EEG research by providing an exemplar dataset and transparently addressing challenges.

Main Methods:

• Step-by-step manual for conducting parent-infant EEG paradigms in a neurodevelopmental laboratory.
• Detailed discussion on (pre)processing choices for dual-EEG data.
• Inclusion of an exemplar dataset from mother-infant dyads during free play interactions.

Main Results:

• The guide offers a standardized framework for parent-infant EEG implementation.
• Recommendations are provided for selecting and interpreting interpersonal neural coupling metrics.
• An exemplar dataset is made available for methodological practice and validation.

Conclusions:

• This practical guide aims to standardize and advance the methodology for parent-infant EEG hyperscanning.
• The provided resources and insights will support researchers in studying social brain development.
• Addressing methodological challenges is crucial for unlocking the potential of dual-EEG in understanding early social interactions.