title: Desynchronization in EEG during perception of means-end actions and relations with infants' grasping skill.
abstract: The current study examined age-related differences in electroencephalogram (EEG) activity during perception of means-end actions and production of grasps, and how EEG activity may relate to infants' motor competence. We collected data from 9- and 12-month-old infants during perception of means-end actions made with a tool and during execution of their own grasps. We computed event-related desynchronization (ERD) during perception and production events and assessed infants' reach-grasp competence by looking at their latency to complete grasps. Although we found greater ERD during perception of means-end actions in 9-month-olds compared with 12-month-olds, we found the relation between ERD during perception and emerging reach-grasp competence to be specific for 12-month-olds and not for 9-month-olds. These results provide evidence for an emerging neural system that supports the coupling of action and perception with infants' emerging motor competence in the first year of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Erin N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Cannon
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Samuel G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Thorpe
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D058407:Electroencephalography Phase Synchronization / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D053001:Tool Use Behavior; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: action-perception coupling; electroencephalogram; infants; motor experience; sensorimotor