AGE FEATURES OF BETA RHYTHMS EEG IN CHILDREN AGED 4-15 IN A STATE OF STABLE VISUAL ATTENTION

One of the reliable parameters for assessing the bioelectrical activity of the brain in children is the relative power (RP) of the EEG. Previous results have shown that EEG RP systematically changes not only depending on age, but also with various developmental disorders. The beta rhythm RP is of particular interest when performing tasks requiring the involvement of cognitive functions. In connection with the above, the purpose of the present study was to identify and analyze the RP of beta1 and beta2 EEG rhythms in a state of stable visual attention (SVА) in children 4–15 years old. The study involved 159 children (82 girls and 77 boys) aged 4–15 years with a normal level of physical and mental development. In the present study, children were required to observe and reproduce the movements of a computer mouse. At the same time, at certain moments, an image of a stationary computer mouse was presented, which was accompanied by a request to look at the computer screen, in connection with which both voluntary and involuntary attention of the subjects was activated. The use of the SVА situation makes it possible to analyze the nature of differences in the EEG pattern of children, taking into account the data on the neurophysiological mechanisms of attention. The greatest increase in the RP of the EEG beta1 rhythm found in the age range of 7–12. For the beta2 rhythm, the greatest increase discovered in the period of 10–15 years. The obtained values of the RP of the beta1 and beta2 rhythms of the EEG, recorded in the state of stable visual attention, in children of different ages can be used as reference data in the relevant research areas, as well as in the development of correction protocols for the cognitive functions and psychoemotional state using EEG biofeedback. The age-related dynamics of the beta rhythm RP can serve as an indicator of the maturation of cortical inhibition processes in children, which underlie the formation of voluntary cognitive functions and conscious purposeful behavior.