Network analysis of perception-action coupling in infants
The functional networks that support action observation are of great interest in understanding the development of social cognition and motor learning. How infants learn to represent and understand the world around them remains one of the most intriguing questions in developmental cognitive neuroscie...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2014-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00209/full |
| _version_ | 1819082628652859392 |
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| author | Naama eRotem-Kohavi Courtney G E Hilderman Aiping eLiu Nadia eMakan Jane Z Wang Naznin eVirji-Babul Naznin eVirji-Babul |
| author_facet | Naama eRotem-Kohavi Courtney G E Hilderman Aiping eLiu Nadia eMakan Jane Z Wang Naznin eVirji-Babul Naznin eVirji-Babul |
| author_sort | Naama eRotem-Kohavi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The functional networks that support action observation are of great interest in understanding the development of social cognition and motor learning. How infants learn to represent and understand the world around them remains one of the most intriguing questions in developmental cognitive neuroscience. Recently, mathematical measures derived from graph theory have been used to study connectivity networks in the developing brain. Thus far, this type of analysis in infancy has only been applied to the resting state. In this study, we recorded electroencephalography (EEG) from infants (ages 4-11 months of age) and adults while they observed three types of actions: a) reaching for an object, b) walking and c) object motion. Graph theory based analysis was applied to these data to evaluate changes in brain networks. Global metrics that provide measures of the structural properties of the network (characteristic path, density, global efficiency, and modularity) were calculated for each group and for each condition. We found statistically significant differences in measures for the observation of walking condition only. Specifically, in comparison to adults, infants showed increased density and global efficiency in combination with decreased modularity during observation of an action that is not within their motor repertoire (i.e. independent walking), suggesting a less structured organization. There were no group differences in global metric measures for observation of object motion or for observation of actions that are within the repertoire of infants (i.e. reaching). These preliminary results suggest that infants and adults may share a basic functional network for action observation that is sculpted by experience. Motor experience may lead to a shift towards a more efficient functional network. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T20:19:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8f95f3d533df407b863b6fed5a169ebd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5161 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T20:19:42Z |
| publishDate | 2014-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-8f95f3d533df407b863b6fed5a169ebd2022-12-21T18:51:31ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612014-04-01810.3389/fnhum.2014.0020972727Network analysis of perception-action coupling in infantsNaama eRotem-Kohavi0Courtney G E Hilderman1Aiping eLiu2Nadia eMakan3Jane Z Wang4Naznin eVirji-Babul5Naznin eVirji-Babul6University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaChild and Family Research InstituteThe functional networks that support action observation are of great interest in understanding the development of social cognition and motor learning. How infants learn to represent and understand the world around them remains one of the most intriguing questions in developmental cognitive neuroscience. Recently, mathematical measures derived from graph theory have been used to study connectivity networks in the developing brain. Thus far, this type of analysis in infancy has only been applied to the resting state. In this study, we recorded electroencephalography (EEG) from infants (ages 4-11 months of age) and adults while they observed three types of actions: a) reaching for an object, b) walking and c) object motion. Graph theory based analysis was applied to these data to evaluate changes in brain networks. Global metrics that provide measures of the structural properties of the network (characteristic path, density, global efficiency, and modularity) were calculated for each group and for each condition. We found statistically significant differences in measures for the observation of walking condition only. Specifically, in comparison to adults, infants showed increased density and global efficiency in combination with decreased modularity during observation of an action that is not within their motor repertoire (i.e. independent walking), suggesting a less structured organization. There were no group differences in global metric measures for observation of object motion or for observation of actions that are within the repertoire of infants (i.e. reaching). These preliminary results suggest that infants and adults may share a basic functional network for action observation that is sculpted by experience. Motor experience may lead to a shift towards a more efficient functional network.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00209/fullEEGfunctional connectivityInfantmirror neuron systemaction perceptiongraph theory |
| spellingShingle | Naama eRotem-Kohavi Courtney G E Hilderman Aiping eLiu Nadia eMakan Jane Z Wang Naznin eVirji-Babul Naznin eVirji-Babul Network analysis of perception-action coupling in infants Frontiers in Human Neuroscience EEG functional connectivity Infant mirror neuron system action perception graph theory |
| title | Network analysis of perception-action coupling in infants |
| title_full | Network analysis of perception-action coupling in infants |
| title_fullStr | Network analysis of perception-action coupling in infants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Network analysis of perception-action coupling in infants |
| title_short | Network analysis of perception-action coupling in infants |
| title_sort | network analysis of perception action coupling in infants |
| topic | EEG functional connectivity Infant mirror neuron system action perception graph theory |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00209/full |
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