<\/p>\n
Annie Bernier<\/a> at the University of Montreal and colleagues observed mothers playing with their 5-month-old babies for two minutes and coded the interactions. Then they ran an electroencephalogram (EEG) test on the baby there and then, and did so again when the baby was 10 months old and 24 months old.<\/p>\n The EEG reading looked at \u201cfrontal resting EEG power\u201d, which increases during an infant\u2019s development<\/a> and is associated with things like working memory.<\/p>\n They found that babies of mothers who behaved positively towards their infants (tone of voice, facial expressions) and who did not overly physically stimulate them showed a slightly but statistically significantly higher rate of increase in the measure from 5 to 10 to 24 months. They controlled for some other things that also influence these measures, such as the mother<\/a>\u2019s age and education and the infant\u2019s gender.<\/p>\n They did not find any correlation, however, with mothers\u2019 intrusive behaviour in children\u2019s play or mothers\u2019 sensitivity to children\u2019s signals. It is difficult to understand why such closely related factors are correlated differently. The researchers speculate whether this has something to do with the imperfect method of coding the mother\u2019s behaviour.<\/p>\n The study does not prove a causative link between a mother\u2019s behaviour and the brain changes, but other studies have demonstrated causative effects from maternal behaviour, albeit in experiments with much more extreme cases than the normal parenting<\/a> patterns looked at in this study.<\/p>\n The authors conclude, \u201cEvidence is beginning to support the long-standing suggestion that normal variations in maternal care can influence a young child\u2019s brain development.\u201d<\/p>\n The authors recommend further studies that take into account other family members\u2019 interactions with an infant \u2013 fathers\u2019, grandparents\u2019 and others\u2019.<\/p>\n