title: Different Resting State EEG Features in Children from Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Background: Cultural neuroscience is an emerging research field concerned with studying the influences of different cultures on brain anatomy and function. In this study, we examined whether different cultural or genetic influences might influence the resting state electroencephalogram (EEG) in young children (mean age 10 years) from Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.Methods: Resting state EEG recordings were obtained from relatively large groups of healthy children (95 healthy Swiss children and 102 Saudi Arabian children). These EEG data were analyzed using group independent components analyses (gICA) and conventional analyses of spectral data, together with estimations of the underlying intracortical sources, using LORETA software.Results: We identified many similarities, but also some substantial differences with respect to the resting state EEG data. For Swiss children, we found stronger delta band power values in mesial frontal areas and stronger power values in three out of four frequency bands in occipital areas. For Saudi Arabian children, we uncovered stronger alpha band power over the sensorimotor cortex. The additionally measured theta/beta ratio (TBR) was similar for Swiss and Saudi Arabian children.Conclusions: The different EEG resting state features identified, are discussed in the context of different cultural experiences and possible genetic influences. In addition, we emphasize the importance of using appropriate EEG databases when comparing resting state EEG features between groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, Institute of Higher Education Studies, King Abdulaziz University Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nsreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alahmadi
authors.affiliation: N.P. Bechtereva Institute of the Human Brain, Russian Academy of Sciences St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Sergey A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Evdokimov
authors.affiliation: N.P. Bechtereva Institute of the Human Brain, Russian Academy of Sciences St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Yury Juri
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kropotov
authors.affiliation: Brain and Trauma Foundation Grisons Chur, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education, Institute of Higher Education Studies, King Abdulaziz UniversityJeddah, Saudi Arabia; Department of Neuropsychology, Psychological Institute, University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jäncke
keywords: EEG; LORETA; children; group independent component analysis; intercultural neuroscience; resting state EEG