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Updated: Jul 1, 2026
Cortical Source Analysis of High-Density EEG Recordings in Children
Published on: June 30, 2014
Effects of perinatal asphyxia on cortical activity in two-year-old children
Sebastian König1, Anna Tuiskula2, Marjo Metsäranta2
1Early Brain Activity, Systems and Health Group, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 8, 00290 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Neuroscience and Bioengineering, Aalto University, Rakentajanaukio 2, 02150 Espoo, Finland.
Insights
Perinatal asphyxia (PA), even without hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), can cause lasting changes in brain activity networks. These changes in cortical function may affect brain development in children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Perinatal asphyxia (PA) is a significant risk factor for neonatal brain injury.
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a severe consequence of PA, linked to high morbidity and mortality.
- Long-term effects of PA without clinical HIE on brain networks are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-lasting effects of PA with and without HIE on cortical activity networks.
- To compare brain function in children with PA only, PA with HIE, and healthy controls at two years of age.
Main Methods:
- Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings were obtained during sleep from three groups: PA only (n=10), PA with mild-to-moderate HIE (n=8), and healthy controls (n=37).
- Analysis focused on group differences in local cortical function and cortico-cortical networks, including frequency-specific amplitudes and phase-related networks.
Main Results:
- Both PA and HIE groups showed reduced frequency-specific amplitudes compared to controls.
- Children with PA exhibited altered amplitude-related networks (stronger at low frequencies, weaker at high frequencies).
- Children with HIE displayed decreased connectivity across all frequencies.
- Phase-related networks in the PA group were also altered (stronger at low frequencies, weaker at high frequencies).
Conclusions:
- Perinatal asphyxia, even in the absence of clinical HIE, is associated with persistent changes in cortical activity and large-scale brain networks.
- These neurophysiological alterations may have implications for normal brain function and development.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the impact of PA on long-term neurological outcomes.
Abstract:
Perinatal asphyxia can lead to clinical hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) associated with high morbidity and mortality, but less is known about long-lasting effects of perinatal asphyxia alone (PA). Here, we investigate how PA with versus without clinical HIE affects cortical activity networks at two years of age. Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings were acquired during sleep from three cohorts of children (PA only (n = 10), PA with mild to moderate HIE (n = 8), and healthy controls (n = 37)), and we assessed the group differences in local cortical function and cortico-cortical networks. Compared with the healthy controls, both PA and HIE were linked to reduced frequency-specific amplitudes. In two-year-old children with PA, the amplitude-related networks were stronger at low frequencies and weaker at higher frequencies, however, two-year-olds with HIE showed decreased connectivity at all frequencies. Likewise, phase-related networks in children with PA were stronger at lower frequencies and weaker at higher frequencies. Local phase-amplitude coupling was affected by PA or HIE in only a few cortical regions. Our findings suggest that PA, even without clinical HIE, may be associated with long-lasting changes to both local cortical activity and the large-scale cortical networks, which could potentially affect normal brain functions.
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