Neural Responsivity to Unexpected Stimuli Moderates a Developmental Pathway to Anxiety: A Community-Sample Replication in Early Infancy and Childhood

The study examined how neural responsivity to unexpected sounds in early infancy influences anxiety development. The research included 147 infants who underwent neural activity measurement at 4 months using EEG during an auditory test. Infant behavior was observed at 14 months and anxiety symptoms were assessed at 30 months and between 4-6 years. Results showed that infants with more negative neural responsivity at 4 months had higher risk of developing anxiety. Anxiety remained stable from 30 months to 4-6 years. The findings confirm that early infancy is a critical period for identifying neurobiological markers of anxiety risk.