How a child’s mind hums at rest may predict their intelligence in later life.
Researchers from the United States and Germany followed up on an earlier study conducted in Romania, to demonstrate, for the very first time, the impact of a child’s childhood on their brainpower years later.
The study is called the Bucharest Early Intervention ProjectBEIP began in early 2000s, and tracks the cognitive development of children abandoned in Romania.
Researchers found that institutionalized kids also had lower IQs when compared to children who were raised in their homes.
Researchers have discovered a link between brain waves and IQ in the same data.
“These findings demonstrate that experientially-induced changes in brain activity early in life have a profound impact on long-term cognitive development, highlighting the importance of early intervention for promoting healthy development among children living in disadvantaged environments,” the researchers You can also write.
Currently, it is believed that the way in which a brain behaves while at rest can be used to predict a person’s future behavior. During adulthood, the body’s metabolism remains relatively constantThe brain’s ability to function is not affected by age.
It is not well understood how this resting, stable activity develops in the early years of life.
Resting brain activity increases as a child grows, from a toddler up to 10 years old. MarkedThe brain is characterized by less low-frequency or slow brainwaves and greater high frequency or fast brainwaves.
The slow waves when resting AssociativeThe brain becomes more efficient at tackling mental tasks when it is able to prune unnecessary neural connections.
It is important to refine a child’s cognition, but too much of it or too long can be detrimental.
There is evidence that suggests a young child may not receive enough cognitive stimulation or emotional support. Neurocognitive development can be affected by a variety of factors, This could be by affecting neural pruning.
This is the conclusion of a new study conducted by researchers at University of Maryland.
A 202-year-old IQ test of those who were enrolled in Bucharest’s study showed that those with lower scores tended towards more slow-wave activity when they were toddlers.
The results indicate that the slow-wave brain activity of a child at rest may somehow mediate both the effects and time of foster placement.
The Authors You can also say:The “significant correlation” that they have identified is “particularly striking”, given the time interval between measurements, and the many personal and environmental variables that can affect cognitive development during the early stages of life.
Past studiesAlso, we found that the slower brainwaves are more sensitive to socio-cultural or environmental factors. This research is the only one to have linked slow brainwaves in childhood to cognitive impact in young adulthood.
This correlation will require further studies in larger cohorts and the scientists will have to investigate whether slow brain waves can lead to long-term changes in cognition.
Although there is much more work to be completed, neuroscientists are optimistic about the future. HopeBrain waves can one day help us to “rapidly” identify children who are at risk of poor cognitive development. They can also help predict the areas where early intervention could help children with learning disabilities so that they achieve better outcomes in their later lives.
The study has been published in the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience.
