Researchers from a Canadian institution studied how brain activity scanned with electroencephalography (EEG) could identify early signs of developmental challenges in newborns. The work explored whether EEG patterns in infancy can forecast later cognitive and behavioral outcomes, with a focus on how these signals relate to intellectual development and autism-spectrum characteristics by age four. The findings were shared in materials published by the University of Montreal, highlighting potential for earlier understanding of neurodevelopmental trajectories.
In the study, 120 newborns and their families participated. When the babies reached six months, clinicians assessed motor milestones and early communication skills, including speech impressions and responses to social cues. During these sessions, each child wore a lightweight helmet embedded with EEG sensors to capture the brain’s electrical activity while researchers observed specific behavioral tasks. EEG is a branch of electrophysiology that records the brain’s broad electrical patterns, offering a noninvasive window into neural processing as it unfolds in real time.
Throughout the protocol, infants watched video sequences in which a single vowel was repeated, occasionally interrupted by a different sound. This setup allowed scientists to measure how the infant brain responds to repetition and disruption. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 18 months, two years, and again at four years, providing a longitudinal view of developmental progress and brain function.
Results indicated that how a child’s brain reacts to repetition and interruption during the first year of life can serve as a strong predictor of later cognitive and behavioral outcomes at age four. The researchers observed notable spikes in neural activity in infancy when a rare or altered vowel was heard, but similar stimuli elicited progressively less engagement as children aged toward two years, suggesting that the brain’s response evolves with developmental stage and task complexity.
Another important finding was that atypical patterns in EEG signals were linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. In particular, certain EEG signatures correlated with indicators compatible with intellectual disability and autism risk. These signal patterns may help clinicians identify atypical development earlier than traditional behavioral markers allow.
The investigators emphasize that these brain-based markers could enable earlier screening for nervous system development issues, potentially guiding earlier interventions and support strategies well before the age at which standard clinical diagnoses are typically made. The work contributes to a growing interest in leveraging neurophysiological tools to map early development, complementing behavioral observations and parental reports.
Overall, the study suggests that routine EEG-based assessments in infancy might become part of a broader approach to tracking neurodevelopment, helping families and healthcare providers plan timely and targeted supports. While further research is needed to validate these predictive patterns across diverse populations, the findings open a pathway toward more proactive management of developmental trajectories in early childhood. .