The development and structure of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study EEG protocol.

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.