The temporal relationship between reduction of early imitative responses and the development of attention mechanisms

• Main Authors: Benga Oana, Sukigara Masune, Nakagawa Atsuko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2003-12-01
• Series: BMC Neuroscience
• Online Access: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2202/4/33

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To determine whether early imitative responses fade out following the maturation of attentional mechanisms, the relationship between primitive imitation behaviors and the development of attention was examined in 4-month-old infants. They were divided into high and low imitators, based on an index of imitation. The status of attention was assessed by studying inhibition of return (IOR). Nine-month-old infants were also tested to confirm the hypothesis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The IOR latency data replicate previous results that infants get faster to produce a covert shift of attention with increasing age. However, those 4-month-olds who showed less imitation had more rapid saccades to the cue before target presentation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The cortical control of saccade planning appears to be related to an apparent drop in early imitation. We interpret the results as suggesting a relationship between the status of imitation and the neural development of attention-related eye movement.</p>