Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5735803 | Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience | 2017 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
Children in low- and middle-income countries are at high risk of cognitive deficits due to environmental deprivation that compromises brain development. Despite the high prevalence of unrealized cognitive potential, very little is known about neural correlates of cognition in this population. We assessed resting EEG power and cognitive ability in 105 highly disadvantaged 48-month-old children in rural Pakistan. An increase in EEG power in gamma frequency bands (21-30Â Hz and 31-45Â Hz) was associated with better executive function. For girls, EEG gamma power also related to higher verbal IQ. This study identifies EEG gamma power as a neural marker of cognitive function in disadvantaged children in low- and middle-income countries. Elevated gamma power may be a particularly important protective factor for girls, who may experience greater deprivation due to gender inequality.
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Authors
Amanda R. Tarullo, Jelena ObradoviÄ, Brandon Keehn, Muneera A. Rasheed, Saima Siyal, Charles A. Nelson, Aisha K. Yousafzai,