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Complexity analysis of functional network development in endogenous high-density EEG of premature neonates

Poster Session E - Monday, March 9, 2026, 2:30 – 4:30 pm PDT, Fairview/Kitsilano Ballroom

Sarah Mashmoushi¹ (), Olivier David², Fabrice Wallois¹; ¹Inserm UMR1105, Groupe de Recherches sur l’Analyse Multimodale de la Fonction Cérébrale, Université de Picardie, Amiens, France, ²Inserm UMR1106, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France

The early development of sensory and functional networks in premature neonates is crucial for brain maturation. Before 28 weeks of gestational age (wGA), neural activity is mainly driven by spontaneous endogenous generators. One such generator, theta temporal activity coalescent with a slow wave (TTA-SW), emerges between 24–26 wGA, peaks at 27–30 wGA, and declines by 32–36 wGA. These oscillations likely shape early cortical connectivity. We investigated how TTA-SW modulates brain functional integration across gestational ages by assessing brain complexity during and after their generation. EEG was recorded from 46 preterm neonates (64 channels) at Amiens University Hospital, grouped by age: 26–28 wGA (n=19), 29–30 wGA (n=14), and 31–32 wGA (n=13). TTA-SW events were manually marked. A 2-second baseline of minimal power within 10 seconds before each event was compared to two response windows: the event itself and a 2-second post-event segment starting 0.5 seconds after offset. Complexity was calculated using the PCIST (Perturbational Complexity Index–State Transitions) framework (Comolatti et al., 2019). Complexity increased significantly between the youngest and older groups, reflecting maturation of cortical circuits, but showed no significant difference between 29–30 and 31–32 wGA, suggesting stabilization around 30 wGA. Post-event activity exhibited higher complexity in the oldest group, indicating a transition from discontinuous to more organized cortical activity, with mature background networks by 31–32 wGA capable of generating complex activity after TTA-SW. TTA-SW thus emerges as both a marker and potential driver of early brain development highlighting the importance of endogenous oscillations in the earliest stages of human neurodevelopment.

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