Timing and Brain Activity: Exploring Responses to Occluded Objects in Preterm and Full-Term Children

In this study, researchers used electroencephalogram (EEG) to investigate how preterm and full-term children at 6 years of age perceive and respond to temporarily occluded objects. The experiment involved a moving car that was momentarily hidden by tunnels, and the children were asked to stop the car precisely between the tunnels by pressing a response pad. The researchers analyzed brain activities using temporal spectral evolution (TSE) and coherence connectivity analysis. Both preterm and full-term children showed gamma activity in their brain responses during different stages of the task. However, there were differences in the nature of this activity. Preterm children exhibited desynchronized gamma-band activity, while full-term children displayed synchronized gamma-band activity. Furthermore, theta-band activity was observed in full-term children during both correct and incorrect responses, but only during incorrect responses for preterm children. The coherence connectivity analysis revealed that the connectivity networks in the brains of preterm children were functionally reorganized compared to those of their full-term peers. Interestingly, at the behavioral level, there were no significant differences in timing errors or scores on the Movement-ABC assessment between the two groups. These findings suggest that preterm children rely on different neural systems and oscillatory mechanisms when perceiving visual motion and timing their responses to occluded objects compared to full-term children. The observed differences in brain activity may serve as a compensatory mechanism for preterm children, enabling them to perform at similar levels to their full-term peers in terms of prospective responses and perceptuo-motor abilities. In summary, this study highlights the distinct neural processes and brain activity patterns involved in how preterm and full-term children perceive and time their responses to occluded objects. Understanding these differences contributes to our knowledge of child development and provides insights into potential compensatory mechanisms in preterm children.

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