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Updated: Mar 14, 2026
Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
Published on: July 1, 2015
Associations between infant growth and cognitive development: Insights from EEG functional connectivity and power
Berit Hartjen1,2, Shahria Kakon3, Navin Rahman1
1Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
Insights
Malnutrition in infants is linked to altered brain activity and cognitive delays. Early nutritional support can improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in children facing growth faltering.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Global Health
Background:
- Malnutrition significantly impacts child mortality and development.
- Growth faltering is associated with altered brain functional connectivity (FC) and cognitive deficits.
- Previous research shows varied age-specific links between FC and cognition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between nutritional status and brain development in 12-month-old infants.
- To examine how growth z-scores relate to electroencephalogram (EEG) measures in infants.
- To understand the mediating role of brain activity in malnutrition-behavior associations.
Main Methods:
- The study involved 140 Bangladeshi infants (12 months old).
- Nutritional status was assessed using growth z-scores.
- Electroencephalogram (EEG) was used to measure brain activity, specifically theta and alpha power.
Main Results:
- Growth faltering was associated with reduced theta and alpha power in infant EEG.
- Decreased theta and alpha power correlated with cognitive delays.
- Brain power changes mediated the link between malnutrition and behavioral outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Early life malnutrition affects infant brain development, specifically power in theta and alpha bands.
- Reduced brain power is linked to cognitive delays in growth-faltering infants.
- Interventions addressing nutrition and psychosocial factors are crucial for mitigating adverse neurodevelopmental effects.
Abstract:
Malnutrition is a critical global health challenge, contributing to nearly half of child deaths under 5 and impairing physical and mental health, along with neural and cognitive development. Prior research has linked growth faltering to altered EEG functional connectivity (FC) and poorer cognitive outcomes, though findings varied across ages. This study (2022-2024) examined associations between nutritional status (approximated by growth z-scores) and brain development in 12-month-old Bangladeshi infants (N = 140; 80 males, 60 females) using EEG. Growth faltering was associated with reduced theta and alpha power, which related to cognitive delays. Power mediated the malnutrition-behavior associations. These findings underscore the potential of early nutritional and psychosocial interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of an inadequate growth environment on neurocognitive development.
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