Recording ERP with geodesic sensor net elicited by moving pattern stimuli: a study of adults and 4-month old infants.

Abstract

Numerous physiological studies in primates and humans have related the temporal areas MT and MST to early processing of visual motion (stimuli). Activation is observed for both large and small motion fields and this cortical processing of visual motion is assumed to be a prerequisite for smooth pursuit of small moving objects. The purpose of the experiment was to understand the pattern of activation in early development and how it is related to adult functioning. Smooth pursuit is well developed in 4-month-old infants and, consequently, it could be assumed that cortical processing of visual motion should be present in infants at that age. A group of 4–5 month old infants and a group of adults was measured with a high-density 128 sensor net (EGI) when they looked at a rotating stimuli consisting of two concentric motion patterns that rotated opposite to each other. Stationary patterns were shown as controls. The design was done in E-prime. Data was analyzed in the EEGLAB toolbox (Delorme & Makeig, in press) in accordance with Johnson et al. (2001) and Picton et al. (2000). In the adult group, a well defined ERP with respect to the moving but not static stimuli was found at 160 to 180 ms in the MT-MST area. Corresponding activations for the infant group was seen at 300 to 500 ms. The activation peaks were lateralized.