Inter-brain synchrony in mother-child dyads during cooperation: An fNIRS hyperscanning study

Neuropsychologia. 2019 Feb 18:124:117-124. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.12.021. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Abstract

Coordinated brain activity between individuals, or inter-brain synchrony, has been shown to increase during cooperation and correlate with cooperation success. However, few studies have examined parent-child inter-brain synchrony and whether it is associated with meaningful aspects of the parent-child relationship. Here, we measured inter-brain synchrony in the right prefrontal (PFC) and temporal cortices in mother-child dyads while they engaged in a cooperative and independent task. We tested whether inter-brain synchrony in mother-child dyads (1) increases during cooperation, (2) differs in mother-son versus mother-daughter dyads, and (3) is related to cooperation performance and the attachment relationship. Overall inter-brain synchrony in the right hemisphere, and the right dorsolateral and frontopolar PFC in particular, was higher during cooperation. Mother-son dyads showed less inter-brain synchrony during the independent task and a stronger increase in synchrony in response to cooperation than mother-daughter dyads. Lastly, we did not find strong evidence for links between inter-brain synchrony and child attachment. Mother-child cooperation may increase overall inter-brain synchrony, although differently for mother-son versus mother-daughter dyads. More research is needed to better understand the potential role of overall inter-brain synchrony in mother-child cooperation, and the potential link between inter-brain synchrony and attachment.

Keywords: Cooperation; Inter-brain synchrony; Mother-child attachment; fNIRS hyperscanning.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping
  • Child
  • Cooperative Behavior*
  • Cortical Synchronization*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mother-Child Relations*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiology*
  • Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
  • Temporal Lobe / physiology*