Activity level in left auditory cortex predicts behavioral performance in inhibition tasks in children
Sam van Bijnen1, Lauri Parkkonen2, Tiina Parviainen3
1Centre for Interdisciplinary Brain Research, Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014, Jyväskylä, Finland; Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, 1012 WX, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Neuroimage
|June 14, 2022
Summary
Child auditory brain activity measured with M/EEG predicts cognitive inhibition performance. Left-hemisphere auditory cortical activity in children, unlike adults, correlates with response time variability, suggesting developmental differences in cognitive control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Sensory processing is crucial for developing cognitive skills and goal-directed behavior.
- The relationship between auditory processing and cognitive functions in children remains unclear.
- Understanding these links is vital for identifying developmental trajectories in cognitive abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between auditory cortical activity and cognitive functions in school-aged children.
- To compare auditory processing and cognitive control mechanisms in children versus adults.
- To explore how neural activity in the auditory cortex relates to performance in inhibition tasks.
Main Methods:
- Combined magneto- and electroencephalography (M/EEG) measurements were used in children aged 6-14 years.
- Auditory stimulation was employed to evoke cortical responses.
- Performance in inhibition tasks was assessed and correlated with neural activity.
Main Results:
- Auditory cortical activity approximately 250 ms post-stimulation predicted performance in inhibition tasks.
- The amplitude of a left-hemisphere activation pattern correlated with behavioral response time variability.
- This specific activation pattern was observed in children but not typically in adults.
Conclusions:
- Childhood auditory cortical activity plays a predictive role in cognitive task performance, particularly inhibition.
- Divergent neural mechanisms support cognitive control in children and adults, with a shift from auditory cortex involvement in children to prefrontal areas in adults.
- These findings highlight developmental changes in how the brain utilizes resources for cognitive control, moving from sensorimotor associations to top-down regulation.
