Development of Brain EEG Connectivity across Early Childhood: Does Sleep Play a Role?

ABSTRACT: Sleep has beneficial effects on brain function and learning, which are reflected in plastic changes in the cortex. Early childhood is a time of rapid maturation in fundamental skills-e.g., language, cognitive control, working memory-that are predictive of future functioning. Little is currently known about the interactions between sleep and brain maturation during this developmental period. We propose coherent electroencephalogram (EEG) activity during sleep may provide unique insight into maturational processes of functional brain connectivity. Longitudinal sleep EEG assessments were performed in eight healthy subjects at ages 2, 3 and 5 years. Sleep EEG coherence increased across development in a region- and frequency-specific manner. Moreover, although connectivity primarily decreased i

SUBMITTER: Kurth S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3925344 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature