Standardized music therapy with and without acclimatization, to improve EEG data acquisition in young children with and without disability

Olena Chorna; Lelia Emery; Ellyn Hamm; Melissa Moore-Clingenpeel; Hemang Shrivastava; Ashley Miller; Céline Richard; Nathalie L Maitre

doi:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.02.013

Standardized music therapy with and without acclimatization, to improve EEG data acquisition in young children with and without disability

J Neurosci Methods. 2019 Jun 1:321:12-19. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.02.013. Epub 2019 Apr 6.

Authors

Olena Chorna¹, Lelia Emery¹, Ellyn Hamm¹, Melissa Moore-Clingenpeel², Hemang Shrivastava¹, Ashley Miller¹, Céline Richard³, Nathalie L Maitre⁴

Affiliations

¹ Center for Perinatal Research at The Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States.
² Biostatistics Core, The Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States.
³ Center for Perinatal Research at The Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States; ENT, Head and Neck Surgery Department and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁴ Center for Perinatal Research at The Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States; Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States. Electronic address: Nathalie.maitre@nationwidechildrens.org.

PMID: 30965072
DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.02.013

Abstract

Introduction: In young children, EEG data acquisition during stimulation tasks is difficult due to anxiety, movement and behaviorally-related interruptions, especially in those with disabilities.

New method: We used standardized music therapy (MT) protocols with and without acclimatization, during and prior to time-locked EEG with a published tactile testing protocol. Our prospective study leveraged a larger trial in children with/without cerebral palsy aged 7-27 months. Group1 received no preparation, Group2 received 15-minute MT prior to the EEG session, Group3 received the same as Group2 plus a rubber cap for home practice. All groups received MT procedural support during the EEG session. Sessions were stopped/started to acquire a full dataset. Trials were reviewed using a two-step artifact detection strategy by specialists masked to group allocation.

Results: 64 patients were included, 20 each in Groups 2 and 3, and 24 in Group1. Average age was 16.08 ± 6.33 months. All (100%) of children had data of sufficient quality and quantity for outcomes measurement without a second testing visit. There were no differences in useable trials by procedural group, disability status, age or stimulus condition. EEG recording time was shorter in Group3 vs. 1 (p = 0.02) and more patients in Group1 required repeat trials compared to Groups2 and 3 (p = 0.04 for both).

Comparison with old method: Our new methods resulted in no attrition from data loss, an improvement compared to published similar studies with data loss 30-55%. Acclimatization had minimal effects.

Conclusion: In children under 3, MT protocols result in high rates of EEG data acquisition, decrease behaviorally-related interruptions and session acquisition time. This method is successful for typically developing children and those with cerebral palsy.

Keywords: Acclimatization; Cerebral palsy; Child; EEG; Event-related potential; Sensory.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Acclimatization*
Acoustic Stimulation
Brain / physiopathology*
Cerebral Palsy / physiopathology
Cerebral Palsy / therapy*
Electroencephalography / instrumentation
Electroencephalography / methods*
Evoked Potentials
Female
Humans
Infant
Male
Music Therapy / instrumentation*
Music Therapy / methods*
Prospective Studies

Grants and funding

R01 HD081120/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States