Multimodal neurophysiological responses during a counteractive motion task in preschool children

Area of Science:

• Developmental neuroscience
• Cognitive psychology
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Cognitive control develops rapidly in preschoolers.
• Multimodal neurophysiological correlates of cognitive control are not fully understood.
• This study investigates age-related neural, facial, and physiological responses during a counteractive motion task.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine age-related differences in cognitive control.
• To explore neural, facial, and physiological responses in preschool children.
• To understand the neurodevelopment of inhibitory control.

Main Methods:

• 45 preschool children (<5 years vs. ≥5 years) performed a counteractive motion task.
• Cerebral hemodynamic responses measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
• Facial expressions and vital signs were simultaneously collected.

Main Results:

• Behavioral performance was similar between age groups.
• Younger children showed higher oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) in specific brain regions (MTG, PM, SMC, DPC).
• Differences observed in functional connectivity (FC), facial expressions, and cardiovascular indicators.

Conclusions:

• Similar behavioral performance in preschoolers may rely on different neural and physiological patterns.
• Preliminary evidence for age-related variations in multimodal neurophysiological processes.
• Findings suggest developmental changes in inhibitory control and task-control mechanisms.