Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reactivity of EEG Sensorimotor Rhythms in Children Aged 4–7 Years in Situations of Helping Behavior

  • Published:
Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

The aim of the present work was to analyze the reactivity of sensorimotor μ- and β EEG rhythms in preschool children requiring tasks providing instrumental, emotional, and altruistic helping behavior. The study included 24 children aged 4–7 years. Analysis of variance of the amplitude of the μ rhythm, which is regarded as an indicator of the activity of mirror neurons in the brain, demonstrated significant decreases in the central and parietal regions on performance of these tasks. Performance of tasks involving instrumental and altruistic helping behavior was associated with increases in β-rhythm amplitude in the frontal, central, and parietal regions. The more the β rhythm grew, the sooner the children provided help in a situation requiring altruistic behavior.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arnett, K., Roach, A., Elzy, M., and Jelsone-Swain, L., “Childhood emotional invalidation and right hemispheric mu suppression during a pain empathy task: An EEG study,” Soc. Neurosci., 14, No. 2, 236–250 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Babiloni, C., Del Percio, C., Vecchio, F., et al., “Alpha, beta and gamma electrocorticographic rhythms in somatosensory, motor, premotor and prefrontal cortical areas differ in movement execution and observation in humans,” Clin. Neurophysiol., 127, No. 1, 641–654 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bekkali, S., Youssef, G. J., Donaldson, P. H., et al., “Is the putative mirror neuron system associated with empathy? A systematic review and meta-analysis,” Neuropsychol. Rev., 31, No. 1, 14–57 (2021).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bocharov, A. V., Savostyanov, A. N., Slobodskaya, H. R., et al., “Associations of hyperactivity and inattention scores with theta and beta oscillatory dynamics of EEG in Stop-Signal task in healthy children 7–10 years old,” Biology (Basel), 10, No. 10, 946 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowman, L. C., Thorpe, S. G., Cannon, E. N., and Fox, N. A., “Action mechanisms for social cognition: behavioral and neural correlates of developing Theory of Mind,” Dev. Sci., 20, No. 5 (2017), https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12447.

  • Debnath, R., Salo, V. C., et al., “Mu rhythm desynchronization is specific to action execution and observation: Evidence from time-frequency and connectivity analysis,” NeuroImage, 184, 496–507 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Decety, J. and Holvoet, C., “The emergence of empathy: A developmental neuroscience perspective,” Dev. Rev., 62, 100999 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Decety, J., Meidenbauer, K. L., and Cowell, J. M., “The development of cognitive empathy and concern in preschool children: A behavioral neuroscience investigation,” Dev. Sci., 21, No. 3, e12570 (2018).

  • Dunfield, K. A., Best, L. J., Kelley, E. A., and Kuhlmeier, V. A., “Motivating moral behavior: helping, sharing, and comforting in young children with autism spectrum disorder,” Front. Psychol., 10, 25 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dunfield, K., Kuhlmeier, V. A., O’Connell, L., and Kelley, E., “Examining the diversity of prosocial behavior: Helping, sharing, and comforting in infancy,” Infancy, 16, No. 3, 227–247 (2011).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Engel, A. K. and Fries, P., “Beta-band oscillations – signalling the status quo?” Curr. Opin. Neurobiol., 20, No. 2, 156–165 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fox, N. A., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., Yoo, K. H., et al., “Assessing human mirror activity with EEG mu rhythm: A meta-analysis,” Psychol. Bull., 142, No. 3, 291–313 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gao, C., Xie, W., Green, J. J., et al., “Evoked and induced power oscillations linked to audiovisual integration of affect,” Biol. Psychol., 158, 108006 (2021).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Genzer, S., Ong, D. C., Zaki, J., and Perry, A., “Mu rhythm suppression over sensorimotor regions is associated with greater empathic accuracy,” Soc. Cogn. Affect. Neurosci., 17, No. 9, 788–801 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gui, D. Y., Yu, T., Hu, Z., et al., “Dissociable functional activities of cortical theta and beta oscillations in the lateral prefrontal cortex during intertemporal choice,” Sci. Rep., 8, No. 1, 11233 (2018).

  • Güntekin, B. and Başar, E., “A review of brain oscillations in perception of faces and emotional pictures,” Neuropsychologia, 58, 33–51 (2014).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kärtner, J., Schuhmacher, N., and Collard, J., “Socio-cognitive influences on the domain-specificity of prosocial behavior in the second year,” Infant Behav. Dev., 7, No. 4, 665–675 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kochukhova, O., Dyagileva, Yu., Mikhailova, A., et al., “Better language – faster helper: the relation between spontaneous instrumental helping action and language ability in family-reared and institutionalized toddlers,” Psychol. Russ., 14, No. 4, 79–94 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  • Köster, M., and Kärtner, J., “Why do infants help? A simple action reveals a complex phenomenon,” Dev. Rev., 51, 175–187 (2019).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larionova, E. V., Garakh, Zh. V., and Zaitseva, Yu. S., “The mu rhythm in modern research: theoretical and methodological aspects,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 72, No. 1, 11–35 (2022).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lebedeva, N. N., Burkitbaev, S. E., and Karimova, E. D., “Activation of the mirror system of the brain depends on the method of presenting stimuli: directly by the experimenter or as a video,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 70, No. 4, 460–472 (2020).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lebedeva, N. N., Karimova, E. D., Karpychev, V. V., and Mal’tsev, V. Yu., “The mirror system of the brain on observation, performance, and imagery of motor tasks is a neurophysiological reflection of the perception of someone else’s consciousness,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 2, 204–215 (2018).

  • Lebedeva, N. N., Zufman, A. I., and Mal’tsev, V. Yu., “The brain’s mirror neuron system: The key to learning, personality, and understanding the mind of others,” Usp. Fiziol. Nauk., 48, No. 4, 16–28 (2017).

  • Lee, S., Lee, T., Yang, T., et al., “Neural correlates of anxiety induced by environmental events during driving,” in: TENCON 2018 – 2018 IEEE Region 10 Conference, 0446–0450 (2018).

  • Liao, Y., Acar, Z. A., Makeig, S., and Deak, G., “EEG imaging of toddlers during dyadic turn-taking: Mu-rhythm modulation while producing or observing social actions,” NeuroImage, 112, 52–60 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, P. J., Young, T., and Meltzoff, A. N., “Neural correlates of action observation and execution in 14-month-old infants: An event-related EEG desynchronization study,” Dev. Sci., 14, No. 3, 474–480 (2011).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, M., Endedijk, H. M., and Hunnius, S., “Intention to imitate: Topdown effects on 4-year-olds’ neural processing of others’ actions,” Dev. Cogn. Neurosci., 45, 100851 (2020).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mikhailova, A. A., Orekhova, L. S., Dyagileva, Yu. O., et al., “Reactivity of the EEG mu rhythm in observation and performance of actions in young children with different levels of receptive speech development,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 70, No. 3, 422–432 (2020).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mikhailova, A. A., Orekhova, L. S., Makhin, S. A., and Pavlenko, V. B., “Reactivity of sensorimotor EEG rhythms on observation of proand antisocial actions in children at an early age,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 72, No. 2, 217–226 (2022).

    Google Scholar 

  • Milston, S., Vanman, E., and Cunnington, R., “Cognitive empathy and motor activity during observed actions,” Neuropsychologia, 51, 1103–1108 (2013).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Montirosso, R., Piazza, C., Giusti, L., et al., “Exploring the EEG mu rhythm associated with observation and execution of a goal-directed action in 14-month-old preterm infants,” Sci. Rep., 9, No. 1, 8975 (2019).

  • Muralidharan, V. and Aron, A. R., “Behavioral induction of a high beta state in sensorimotor cortex leads to movement slowing,” J. Cogn. Neurosci., 33, No. 7, 1311–1328 (2021).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Orekhova, L. S., Makhin, S. A., Mikhailova, A. A., and Pavlenko, V. B., “EEG patterns in early childhood differ between children prone to reward ‘Bad’ or ‘Good’ actors,” Psychol. Russ., 13, No. 2, 84–95 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paulus, M., “The multidimensional nature of early prosocial behavior: a motivational perspective,” Curr. Opin. Psychol., 20, 111–116 (2018).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paulus, M., Kühn-Popp, N., Licata, M., et al., “Neural correlates of prosocial behavior in infancy: different neurophysiological mechanisms support the emergence of helping and comforting,” NeuroImage, 66, 522–530 (2013).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peled-Avron, L., Goldstein, P., Yellinek, S., et al., “Empathy during consoling touch is modulated by mu-rhythm: An EEG study,” Neuropsychologia, 116, Pt A, 68–74 (2018).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pineda, J. A., “The functional significance of mu rhythms: translating ‘seeing’ and ‘hearing’ into ‘doing,’” Brain Res. Brain Res. Rev., 50, No. 1, 57–68 (2005).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pratt, M., Goldstein, A., and Feldman, R., “Child brain exhibits a multirhythmic response to attachment cues,” Soc. Cogn. Affect. Neurosci., 13, No. 9, 957–966 (2018).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Raymaekers, R., Wiersema, J. R., and Roeyers, H., “EEG study of the mirror neuron system in children with high functioning autism,” Brain Res., 1304, 113–121 (2009).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salo, V. C., Ferrari, P. F., and Fox, N. A., “The role of the motor system in action understanding and communication: Evidence from human infants and non-human primates,” Dev. Psychobiol., 61, No. 3, 390–401 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sergienko, E. A., Ulanova, A. Yu., and Lebedeva, E. I., A Model of the Mind: Structure and Dynamics, Institute of Psychology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (2020).

  • Simon, S. and Mukamel, R., “Power modulation of electroencephalogram mu and beta frequency depends on perceived level of observed actions,” Brain Behav., 6, No. 8, e00494 (2016).

  • Siqi-Liu, A., Harris, A. M., Atkinson, A. P., and Reed, C. L., “Dissociable processing of emotional and neutral body movements revealed by μ-alpha and beta rhythms,” Soc. Cogn. Affect. Neurosci., 13, No. 12, 1269–1279 (2018).

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Spitzer, B. and Haegens, S., “Beyond the status quo: A role for beta oscillations in endogenous content (Re) activation,” eNeuro, 4, No. 4, 0170–17 (2017).

  • Svetlova, M., Nichols, S. R., and Brownel, C. A., “Toddlers’ prosocial behavior: from instrumental to empathic to altruistic helping,” Child Dev., 81, No. 6, 1814–1827 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Tomasello, M., “The adaptive origins of uniquely human sociality,” Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci., 375, No. 1803, 20190493 (2020).

  • Warneken, F. and Tomasello, M., “Altruistic helping in human infants and young chimpanzees,” Science, 311, No. 5765, 1301–1303 (2006).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woodruff, C. C., Barbera, D., and Von Oepen, R., “Task-related dissociation of EEG β enhancement and suppression,” Int. J. Psychophysiol., 99, 18–23 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yudina, T. O. and Kotova, T. N., “Development of prosocial behavior in young children,” Shagi/Steps, 1, No. 1, 108–121 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Russia

    A. I. Kaida, A. A. Mikhailova, A. A. Portugalskaya & V. B. Pavlenko

Authors
  1. A. I. Kaida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. A. Mikhailova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. A. Portugalskaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. V. B. Pavlenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. B. Pavlenko.

Additional information

Translated from Zhurnal Vysshei Nervnoi Deyatel’nosti imeni I. P. Pavlova, Vol. 73, No. 3, pp. 384–397, May–June, 2023.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kaida, A.I., Mikhailova, A.A., Portugalskaya, A.A. et al. Reactivity of EEG Sensorimotor Rhythms in Children Aged 4–7 Years in Situations of Helping Behavior. Neurosci Behav Physi 53, 1459–1468 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-023-01539-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-023-01539-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation