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Updated: Jun 12, 2025
Cortical Source Analysis of High-Density EEG Recordings in Children
Published on: June 30, 2014
The development and structure of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study EEG protocol
Nathan A Fox1, Koraly Pérez-Edgar2, Santiago Morales3
1Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, The University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
Insights
The HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study uses electroencephalography (EEG) to track brain development from prenatal stages through early childhood. This protocol details EEG/event-related potential (ERP) methods for studying cognitive processes in young children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- The HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study is a large-scale, multi-site, prospective longitudinal cohort study.
- It aims to investigate human brain development, cognitive function, and behavioral, social, and emotional maturation from prenatal stages through early childhood.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) is a key neuroimaging modality within the HBCD Study, capturing electrical brain activity non-invasively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the standardized Electroencephalography/Event-Related Potential (EEG/ERP) protocol developed for the HBCD Study.
- To describe the selection and development of specific cognitive tasks used in the protocol.
- To outline the implementation, data processing, and equity considerations for the HBCD EEG/ERP methodology.
Main Methods:
- The protocol details four core tasks: Video Resting State, Visual Evoked Potential, Auditory Oddball, and Face Processing.
- Standardized cross-site acquisition parameters, hardware, site setup, and training procedures were implemented.
- Development of preprocessing pipelines and derivative data creation, alongside equity and inclusion considerations, are described.
Main Results:
- The paper details the development and piloting of the HBCD EEG/ERP protocol.
- It highlights the establishment of common acquisition parameters and preprocessing pipelines across multiple sites.
- The functioning of the EEG Workgroup and collaborative input throughout protocol development is outlined.
Conclusions:
- The HBCD Study has established a robust and standardized EEG/ERP protocol for longitudinal research on child development.
- The protocol incorporates diverse cognitive tasks and emphasizes cross-site consistency and data quality.
- Considerations for equity and inclusion were integrated into the protocol development, ensuring broader applicability.
Abstract:
The HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study, a multi-site prospective longitudinal cohort study, will examine human brain, cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional development beginning prenatally and planned through early childhood. Electroencephalography (EEG) is one of two brain imaging modalities central to the HBCD Study. EEG records electrical signals from the scalp that reflect electrical brain activity. In addition, the EEG signal can be synchronized to the presentation of discrete stimuli (auditory or visual) to measure specific cognitive processes with excellent temporal precision (e.g., event-related potentials; ERPs). EEG is particularly helpful for the HBCD Study as it can be used with awake, alert infants, and can be acquired continuously across development. The current paper reviews the HBCD Study's EEG/ERP protocol: (a) the selection and development of the tasks (Video Resting State, Visual Evoked Potential, Auditory Oddball, Face Processing); (b) the implementation of common cross-site acquisition parameters and hardware, site setup, training, and initial piloting; (c) the development of the preprocessing pipelines and creation of derivatives; and (d) the incorporation of equity and inclusion considerations. The paper also provides an overview of the functioning of the EEG Workgroup and the input from members across all steps of protocol development and piloting.
