Longitudinal Analysis of Resting-State EEG Theta/Beta Ratio During Infancy

• In Event: Poster Session 05
  In Poster Session: PS 05 Topic - Biological Processes: Neuroscience and Genetics

Abstract

Co-occurring oscillatory brain rhythms (e.g., theta, alpha, beta) underlie neural communication and computation (Lopes da Silva, 2013). Resting-state (or baseline) electroencephalogram (EEG) measures neural oscillations and their intrinsic dynamics when individuals are awake, calm, and not involved in active processing. An important consideration for developmental research is the context of resting-state activity, as there are a wide variety of developmentally-appropriate baseline procedures.

Interactions among neural rhythms are critical for the coordination of cognitive and affective processes (Jensen & Colgin, 2007). The theta/beta ratio is hypothesized to reflect balancing of the brain’s cognitive and motivational systems, including bottom-up subcortical excitatory input (resting-state theta activity) and top-down regulation and attentional control via cortical inhibitory input (resting-state beta; Schutter et al., 2017). Although much of the developmental literature on resting-state theta/beta ratio has examined ADHD (Clarke et al., 2020), recent cross-sectional work indicates that resting-state frontal theta/beta ratio is associated with executive function in typically developing 3- to 9-year-olds (Perone et al., 2018). Despite its potential behavioral correlates and corresponding anticipated ontogenetic changes in “slower” (theta) versus “faster” (beta) rhythms, the theta/beta ratio has not been systematically examined during infancy.

The aim of the present study is to examine the cross-context stability of the theta-beta ratio during infancy, including characterization the theta/beta ratio’s developmental growth trajectory. A sample of 410 typically developing infants were recruited at 5 months of age with follow-up assessments at 10 and 24 months. Resting-state activity was collected for 60 s during two commonly used baseline contexts: (a) a cartoon video clip (5-24 months) and (b) a “live” event with an experimenter manipulating an object (spinning balls: 5-10 months). We calculated the ratio between theta (3-5 Hz) and beta (10-13 Hz) power at frontal (F3/F4) and posterior (O1/O2) sites.

Preliminary correlation analyses indicate that theta-beta ratios were highly correlated across baseline contexts at both 5 and 10 months (frontal: rs = .67-.69; posterior rs = .64-.70; ps < .001). Cross-age correlations from 5 to 24 months were low to moderate (F3/F4: rs = .26-.39; ps < .001; O1/O2 rs = .10-.36; see Table 1). Within-subject analyses indicate age-related differences in theta/beta ratio vary as a function of context. From 5 to 10 month there were decreases in frontal and posterior theta/beta ratio for the “live” visual baseline (ts > 2.5, ps <.013); however, there were no age-related changes in the video clip context during this same developmental period.

As outlined in Figure 1, Latent Growth Modeling will be used to characterize the developmental trajectory of the theta/beta ratio. The means of the growth terms parameterize the average change pattern whereas the variances of the growth terms parameterize individual differences in the change pattern. After initial modeling we will determine whether sex or parental education are predictors of growth-curve intercept or slope (e.g., Gartstein et al., 2020). Together, these findings will have implications for developmental resting-state EEG methodology as well as current understanding of the ontogeny of the theta/beta ratio; thus, providing a strong foundation for future developmental brain-behavior analyses.

Authors

• Kimberly Cuevas, University of Connecticut
  Presenting Author

• Zhe Wang, Texas A&M University - College Station
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kelsey Davinson, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author

• Martha Ann Bell, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  Non-Presenting Author