Infantswithdevelopmentaldelayoftenexperiencelifelongdifficultiesinmotor,cognitiveand socialskills.Achallengetoprovidingearlyphysicaltherapyintervention,however,isthatitcan bedifficulttoidentifyatypicaldevelopmentwithinthefirstfewmonthsoflifeduetoinfants? limitedmotorskillsandhighlyvariableratesofdevelopmentandmotorskillperformance.
The aim ofthisstudyistouseelectroencephalography(EEG)toobtainaneuralmeasureofthe developmentofinfantmotorcontrolininfantsatriskfordevelopmentaldelay.EEGisaneural imagingtechniquethatnon-invasivelymeasuresbrainactivityandhasgreatpotentialfor measuringbrainfunctionrelatedtoinfantmotorcontrol.CombiningEEGwithobservationof infantmovementswillsupportbetteridentificationofinfantswhowillbenefitfromearlytherapy intervention. Thisisalongitudinal,observationalstudyofinfantsatriskfordevelopmentaldelay3-6months ofage.EEGdatawillbecollectedmonthlyasinfantslearntoreachforobjects.EEGmeasures ofinterestareamountofactivityin(power)andconnections(coherence)betweenpartsofthe braininvolvedinexecutiveattentionandintention(frontalcortex),motorcontrol(motorcortex), andsensoryintegration(parietalcortex).
The firstaim ofthisprojectistodeterminethe developmentaltrajectoryofchangesinEEGmeasuresofneuromotorcontrolasinfantreaching skillsdevelopininfantsatriskfordevelopmentaldelay.
The secondaim ofthisprojectisto relateEEGmeasurestobehavioralandfunctionalmeasuresofinfantneuromotorcontrol. Achievingouroverallobjectivewillprovideamuch-neededneuralbiomarkerofthedevelopment ofinfantneuromotorcontrolininfantsatriskfordevelopmentaldelay.Resultsofthisstudywill providethecrucialfirststepinourefforttoevaluatetheeffectivenessoftherapeuticintervention aimedatimprovingneuromotordevelopmentforinfantswithoratriskfordevelopmentaldelay andotherneuromotorproblems.OptimalearlyinterventionwillsupporttheEuniceKennedy ShriverNationalInstituteofChildHealthandHumanDevelopmentmissionthatallchildrenhave thechancetoachievetheirfullpotentialforhealthyandproductivelives,freefromdiseaseor disability,andtoensurethehealth,productivity,independence,andwell-beingofallpeople throughoptimalrehabilitation.ThisresearchalsofitswiththemissionoftheNationalInstitutes ofNeurologicalDisordersandStroke:toseekfundamentalknowledgeaboutthebrainand nervoussystemandtousethatknowledgetoreducetheburdenofneurologicaldisease.

Public Health Relevance

Astrictly-defined,conservativeestimaterecentlydeterminedthat~9%ofinfantsintheUSareeligibleforearly interventionservices.Thisprojectwillprovideaneuralmeasureofneuromotorcontrolininfantsatriskfor developmentaldelay,afundamentalmissingmeasureforevaluatingearlyinterventionattemptstopromote positiveexperience-dependentneuroplasticchanges.Wewilluseelectroencephalography(EEG)todetermine thedevelopmentaltrajectoryofbrainfunctionchangesacrosstimeasinfantreachingskillsdevelop,relating EEGmeasurestobehavioralmeasuresofqualityofreachingandtostandardizeddevelopmentalassessment ofcognitive,languageandmotordevelopmentininfantsatriskfordevelopmentaldelay.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
1R03HD096137-01
Application #
9582720
Study Section
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Initial Review Group (CHHD)
Program Officer
Marden, Susan F
Project Start
2018-07-15
Project End
2020-06-30
Budget Start
2018-07-15
Budget End
2019-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Dentistry
Type
Schools of Dentistry/Oral Hygn
DUNS #
072933393
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90089