Correlations between development of cognitive/behavioral skills and spontaneous MEG for 3-4-year-old healthy children

Objective: This study examined the correlations between the development of cognitive/behavioral skills, and spontaneous magnetoencephalogram (MEG) in 3-4-year-old healthy children. Although MEG is non-invasive and easier for applying to infants, there has been no previous study relating cognitive/behavioral development of preschool children with MEG data. Methods: The cognitive skills were evaluated by the Japanese adaptation of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC). The behavioral skills were assessed by Pervasive Developmental Disorders Autism Society Japan Rating Scale (PARS). Spontaneous brain activity was measured from 52 children (23 male subjects and 29 female subjects) in an eye-closed condition. Results: The power spectral densities were calculated from the MEG data. We found frequency-band correlations between the power spectral densities and some cognitive/behavioral scores for the eye-closed condition. In female subjects, there was a significant negative relationship between cognitive skill scores and the theta power spectral density of the frontal/temporal area. In male subjects, there was a significant negative relationship between the maladaptive behavior score and the beta power spectral density of the frontal/central area. Conclusions: These results demonstrate interesting differences in the cognitive/behavioral development between 3-4-year-old males and females. We are continuing further research especially focused on maladaptive behaviors, including Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) symptoms, and related gender differences.