We present here a comparative analysis of spectral power and mean coherence of the theta and gamma rhythms in healthy boys and boys with early childhood autism aged 5–7 years (mean age 6 years 1 month) in the state of rest and on cognitive loading (counting). In contrast to the situation in patients, the background theta rhythm in healthy children showed a marked fronto-occipital gradient. In early childhood autism, the spectral power of the theta rhythm in baseline conditions had lower values than in healthy children, while baseline gamma rhythm power was greater. In healthy children, cognitive loading led to decreases in spectral power and mean coherence in the theta rhythm and increases in these measures of the gamma rhythm. In patients with early childhood autism, cognitive loading produced no marked changes from baseline in either rhythm. In healthy children, counting shifted the focus of theta-rhythm activity to the right occipital area, which did not occur in patients with early childhood autism.
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Translated from Zhurnal Vysshei Nervnoi Deyatel’nosti imeni I. P. Pavlova, Vol. 63, No. 4, pp. 451–459, July–August, 2013.
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Lushchekina, E.A., Podreznaya, E.D., Lushchekin, V.S. et al. Comparative Studies of EEG Theta and Gamma Rhythms in Normal Children and Children with Early Childhood Autism. Neurosci Behav Physi 44, 902–908 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-014-9999-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-014-9999-x