Note on the EEG Orienting Response in Children

Abstract

Time durations of “alpha bursts” and of “alpha blocking” (no-alpha) intervals, which was the index of the orienting response, were measured by the EEG for 61 children, ages 5–6 and 9–10 yr. Three conditions were examined: (1) eyes closed in the dark (EC), (2) eyes open in the dark (EO), and (3) feedback visual stimulation (VS). Alpha durations were progressively briefer, while no-alpha durations were progressively longer, from EC to EO to VS. Older children had longer no-alpha durations. The differences among the three conditions were greater for older than for younger children with regard to no-alpha durations. The results suggest that the alpha-blocking response is changing between the ages of 5 and 10 yr.