Children (and some non-human primates) who are anxious or who are provoked by highly emotional stimuli show distinctive lateralization of EEG activity in the frontal cortex (that is, there appears to be greater activity on one side of the frontal cortex than the other). This study seeks to determine the brain structures that contribute to this distinctive EEG pattern.
EEG: An electroencephalogram is a record of the activity of large numbers of neurons within the brain region closest to electrodes placed on the surface of the scalp.
FRONTAL EEG ASYMMETRY
Previous EEG (electroencephalogram) studies of behaviorally inhibited children have revealed that these childrens brain activation differs from that of normal, non-inhibited children. Specifically, their right frontal lobes are significantly more active than their left frontal lobes. This study seeks to determine if the activity measured by these EEG studies originates in the frontal lobes, or in other structures involved in fear and emotion regulation, such as the amygdala.