Longitudinal EEG Research on Typically Developed Populations: A Review

This review provides the first comprehensive summary of longitudinal electroencephalographic (EEG) studies conducted on neurotypical populations. The objective was to identify the key areas of longitudinal EEG studies in neurotypical populations, define the understudied aspects, and summarize the main results in each area. The review revealed four primary research directions: (1) developmental changes in EEG, (2) EEG changes following interventions, (3) EEG predictors of socio-emotional functioning, (3) EEG predictors of cognitive abilities. The key developmental EEG changes included a decrease in aperiodic brain activity during infancy, as well as a reduction in low-frequency activity (delta and theta bands) and an increase in high-frequency activity (alpha and beta bands) during rest and sleep in childhood and adolescence. The studies on post-intervention changes highlighted the impact of meditation and mindfulness training on brain functioning (reduced occurrence and power of microstates) and behavioral characteristics (increased stress resilience and mindfulness). The publications on the socio-emotional domain emphasized the importance of frontal asymmetry (greater activation in the right hemisphere) as a predictor of maladaptive behavioral traits, such as general and social anxiety, shyness, and a preference for avoidance strategies. This correlation was reported as typical of individuals with behavioral predispositions to the abovementioned traits. Cognitive studies demonstrated a greater localization of neural activation in response to tasks in older children, which correlated with improved task performance. The high synchronization of various rhythms was also associated with superior cognitive abilities in both children and adults. The review revealed a gap in longitudinal EEG research focused on the development of cognitive skills in teenagers.