Developmental course of the repetition effect and change detection responses from infancy through childhood: a longitudinal study

Abstract Neuronal repetition effect (repetition suppression and repetition enhancement) and change detection responses are fundamental brain responses that have implications in learning and cognitive development in infants and children. Studies have shown altered neuronal repetition and change detection responses in various clinical populations. However, the developmental course of these neuronal responses from infancy through childhood is still unknown. Using an electroencephalography oddball task, we investigate the developmental peculiarities of repetition effect and change detection responses in 43 children that we followed longitudinally from 3 months to 4 years of age. Analyses were conducted on theta (3–5 Hz), alpha (5–10 Hz), and beta (10–30 Hz) time–frequency windows. Results indicated that in the theta time–frequency window, in frontocentral and frontal regions of the brain, repetition and change detection responses followed a U-shaped pattern from 3 months to 4 years of age. Moreover, the change detection response was stronger in young infants compared to older children in frontocentral regions, regardless of the time–frequency window. Our findings add to the evidence of top–down modulation of perceptual systems in infants and children.