Effects of diet on the neurodevelopment of 2- and 6-month-old infants determined by EEG Microstates
Poster No:
1661
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Dylan Gilbreath1,2, Darcy Hagood2, Heather Downs2, Linda Larson-Prior1,2
Institutions:
1University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 2Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR
First Author:
Dylan Gilbreath
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences|Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
Little Rock, AR|Little Rock, AR
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences|Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
Little Rock, AR|Little Rock, AR
Co-Author(s):
Linda Larson-Prior
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences|Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
Little Rock, AR|Little Rock, AR
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences|Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center
Little Rock, AR|Little Rock, AR
Introduction:
Infant diet plays a critical role in shaping the developing nervous system by providing essential nutrients that effect myelination, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and cognitive development. These developing neuronal processes are sensitive to various nutrient deficiencies throughout infancy, and these insults often produce enduring effects. However, little research has been done exploring how different healthy infant diets may effect neuromaturation. While breastmilk is widely regarded as being the optimal source of nutrients, little is known of its actual effect on the function and maturation of the brain.
Recent advances in neuroimaging have expanded our conceptualization of dynamic neuronal function. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive, direct measure of neuronal activity, and can be used to measure microstates – transiently stable scalp potentials that occur on the order of milliseconds. These microstates have distinct topologies referred to as classes, with each class indicating a different pattern of global neuronal activity thought to be necessary for cognitive experiences. Currently, it is unknown the extent to which infant and adult microstates are comparable, and whether these microstates can be used as an indicator of neuronal maturation. We hypothesize that infant microstates will be spatially similar to the adult microstates, and that children fed breastmilk (BF) will demonstrate the most similarity due to a higher degree of neuronal maturation than their dairy (MF) or soy (SF) formula counterparts for each age group.
Recent advances in neuroimaging have expanded our conceptualization of dynamic neuronal function. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive, direct measure of neuronal activity, and can be used to measure microstates – transiently stable scalp potentials that occur on the order of milliseconds. These microstates have distinct topologies referred to as classes, with each class indicating a different pattern of global neuronal activity thought to be necessary for cognitive experiences. Currently, it is unknown the extent to which infant and adult microstates are comparable, and whether these microstates can be used as an indicator of neuronal maturation. We hypothesize that infant microstates will be spatially similar to the adult microstates, and that children fed breastmilk (BF) will demonstrate the most similarity due to a higher degree of neuronal maturation than their dairy (MF) or soy (SF) formula counterparts for each age group.
Methods:
Resting state, eyes open EEGs were collected from infants at 2 months (n = 316; BF = 109, MF = 102, SF = 105) and 6 months (n = 419; BF = 135, MF = 143, SF = 141) using a 128-sensor net. The Harvard Automated Processing Pipeline for EEG was used to preprocess EEG data. Data were band-pass filtered (.5-45 Hz), referenced to a global mean using REST, and Morlet wavelet filtered to remove artifacts. EEGs were then rejected for the following criteria: >70% bad channels or segments, or an R Pre/Post wavelet thresholding value below .2 for frequencies in our range of interest. 10 artifact free, 10 second segments were then averaged for each subject, and this average was used for further analysis. Microstates were calculated for each individual using k-means clustering (k = 5, repetitions = 20), before being calculated for the grand average, sorted by class based upon an adult template, and backfit to the individual. Significance was tested using a TANOVA to determine topographical differences between dietary groups for each age group and microstate class. Microstate analysis and statistical testing was conducted using the MICROSTATELAB toolbox for EEGLAB.
Results:
While significance was not achieved for the dietary groups in 2-month-olds in any microstate class, microstates at this age as well as in the 6-month-olds were found to closely resemble adult microstates, with a high spatial correlation ranging from 85-97% (Fig1). In the 6-month-olds, microstate C was found to be significantly different between groups (p = .014), with topographic differences being largely prefrontal (Fig2). Because of the high fidelity to the adult maps, we believe that these significant differences are due to the subtle changes in neuromaturation between the dietary groups, manifesting in divergent global neuronal activity.
Conclusions:
Despite undergoing massive neuronal changes during infancy, resting state networks and their microstate correlates seem not only present at this early time point, but to also closely resemble the adult microstates. This is one of the first studies demonstrating this similarity between adults and infants, and the first study exploring the effects of diet on these microstates. Future studies will assess more specific metrics of these microstates such as duration and transition probability of each class to gain a better understanding of the subtle changes infant diet has on neuromaturation.
Lifespan Development:
Normal Brain Development: Fetus to Adolescence
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
EEG/MEG Modeling and Analysis 1
Task-Independent and Resting-State Analysis 2
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
EEG
Keywords:
Development
Electroencephaolography (EEG)
PEDIATRIC
Other - Microstates
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
Provide references using author date format
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