A novel method to study resting-state and functional connectivity in infants using coherence analysis of EEG

Abstract

In this study, our goal was to study functional connectivity in infants using event-related potentials (ERPs) of electroencephalography (EEG). We hypothesised that coherence analysis of the power spectral density of tactile stimuli responses would differentiate preterm from full-term infants. In our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating differences between resting state and tactile functional connectivity using touch stimuli, in preterm infants. We concluded that tactile brain connectivity in full-term infants is more efficient than preterm infants. No statistically significant differences were found in resting-state connectivity for full-term and preterm infants.