Frank H. Duffy, MD
Associate Professor of Neurology
Harvard Medical School/Children's Hospital

MRRC Project(s)

P50 HD33803-06
Neurodevelopmental Bases of Learning Disabilities
PI, Project 4

Our work focuses on the study of brain-behavior relationships employing the techniques of quantitative EEG (qEEG). Topographic mapping of scalp recorded brain electrical activity allows better understanding of complex spatial relationships and was pioneered in this laboratory. To these techniques we have recently added the methods of brain electrical source analysis where signals recorded on the 2-dimensional scalp can be decomposed into their source potentials within the 3-dimensional brain to answer the question of what brain regions give rise to signals recorded upon the scalp. Sources can now be localized within 3-dimensional reconstructions from the MRI of each individual subject. In addition we have focused upon the EEG spectral coherence measure, which provides a measure of the magnitude of connectivity between brain regions. This approach provides a very useful measure to probe brain maturation and function. These qEEG-derived data can be correlated with parallel information to provide critical insights into the functional/anatomical characteristics of learning and behavior during infancy and childhood.