A study of 113 children aged 3 to 6 at two preschools in Japan found that more frequent blinking was associated with greater activity in a right prefrontal region and better performance on a mental-flexibility test, even after accounting for age.
During a card-sorting game that required switching between sorting by color and shape, researchers recorded blinking and used a noninvasive, light-based brain-imaging method. Older children did better; their brain activity was more concentrated in the right upper forehead area, while younger children’s activity was spread across several areas.
The researchers said they hope to test the finding in pediatric clinical studies to see whether it could be applied to early detection of neurodevelopmental conditions.
