Age and sex effects in the EEG: development of the normal child.

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated age-related changes and sex differences in the EEGs of normal children.

METHODS

Forty boys and 40 girls, between the ages of 8 and 12 years, participated in this study. The EEG was recorded during an eyes-closed resting condition and Fourier transformed to provide estimates for total power, absolute and relative power in the delta, theta, alpha and beta bands, and for theta/alpha and theta/beta ratios.

RESULTS

Absolute delta activity decreased with age. Relative delta and theta decreased and alpha and beta increased with increasing age. The theta/alpha and theta/beta ratios decreased with increasing age. All of these indicated a developmental reduction in slow wave activity. Maturational differences were found in the rates of change between the midline and the two hemispheres. In the absolute delta and the theta/beta ratio, the midline and the two hemispheres became more equipotential with age. In the beta band, power increased at a greater rate than in the two hemispheres. Sex differences were found, with males having less theta and more alpha than females.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that maturation occurs earlier at the midline than in the two hemispheres. Females were also found to have a developmental lag in the EEG compared with males.