The neurodevelopmental trajectory of beta band oscillations: an OPM-MEG study

Abstract Neural oscillations mediate coordination of activity within and between brain networks, supporting cognition and behaviour. How these processes develop throughout childhood is not only a critical neuroscientific question but could also shed light on the mechanisms underlying neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, measuring the neurodevelopmental trajectory of oscillations has been hampered by confounds from instrumentation. In this paper, we investigate the suitability of a disruptive new imaging platform – Optically Pumped Magnetometer-based magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG) – to study oscillations during brain development. We show how a unique 192-channel OPM-MEG device, which is adaptable to head size and robust to participant movement, can be used to collect high-fidelity electrophysiological data in individuals aged between 2 and 34 years. Data were collected during a somatosensory task, and we measured both stimulus-induced modulation of beta oscillations in sensory cortex, and whole-brain connectivity, showing that both modulate significantly with age. Moreover, we show that pan-spectral bursts of electrophysiological activity drive beta oscillations throughout neurodevelopment, and how their probability of occurrence and spectral content changes with age. Our results offer new insights into the developmental trajectory of oscillations and provide the first clear evidence that OPM-MEG is an ideal platform for studying electrophysiology in children.