Beaugrand Matthieu, Jaramillo Valeria, Markovic Andjela, Huber Reto, Kohler Malcolm, Schoch Sarah F, Kurth Salome
University of Fribourg, Department of Psychology, Fribourg, Switzerland.
University of Surrey, School of Psychology, Guildford, United Kingdom.
Neurobiol Sleep Circadian Rhythms. 2023 Jun 19;15:100098. doi: 10.1016/j.nbscr.2023.100098. eCollection 2023 Nov.
The sleep EEG mirrors neuronal connectivity, especially during development when the brain undergoes substantial rewiring. As children grow, the slow-wave activity (SWA; 0.75-4.25 Hz) spatial distribution in their sleep EEG changes along a posterior-to-anterior gradient. Topographical SWA markers have been linked to critical neurobehavioral functions, such as motor skills, in school-aged children. However, the relationship between topographical markers in infancy and later behavioral outcomes is still unclear. This study aims to explore reliable indicators of neurodevelopment in infants by analyzing their sleep EEG patterns. Thirty-one 6-month-old infants (15 female) underwent high-density EEG recordings during nighttime sleep. We defined markers based on the topographical distribution of SWA and theta activity, including central/occipital and frontal/occipital ratios and an index derived from local EEG power variability. Linear models were applied to test whether markers relate to concurrent, later, or retrospective behavioral scores, assessed by the parent-reported Ages & Stages Questionnaire at ages 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Results indicate that the topographical markers of the sleep EEG power in infants were not significantly linked to behavioral development at any age. Further research, such as longitudinal sleep EEG in newborns, is needed to better understand the relationship between these markers and behavioral development and assess their predictive value for individual differences.
睡眠脑电图反映了神经元的连接性，尤其是在大脑经历大量重新布线的发育过程中。随着儿童的成长，他们睡眠脑电图中的慢波活动（SWA；0.75 - 4.25赫兹）空间分布沿后向前梯度变化。地形学上的SWA标记已与学龄儿童的关键神经行为功能（如运动技能）相关联。然而，婴儿期的地形学标记与后期行为结果之间的关系仍不明确。本研究旨在通过分析婴儿的睡眠脑电图模式来探索神经发育的可靠指标。31名6个月大的婴儿（15名女性）在夜间睡眠期间接受了高密度脑电图记录。我们根据SWA和θ活动的地形分布定义了标记，包括中央/枕叶和额叶/枕叶比率以及从局部脑电图功率变异性得出的一个指数。应用线性模型来测试这些标记是否与同时期、后期或回顾性的行为评分相关，这些评分由家长报告的3、6、12和24个月龄的年龄与发育阶段问卷进行评估。结果表明，婴儿睡眠脑电图功率的地形学标记在任何年龄都与行为发育没有显著关联。需要进一步的研究，如对新生儿进行纵向睡眠脑电图研究，以更好地理解这些标记与行为发育之间的关系，并评估它们对个体差异的预测价值。
