Electroencephalographic (EEG) research indicates changes in adults' low frequency bands of frontoparietal brain areas executing different balance tasks with increasing postural demands. However, this issue is unsolved for adolescents when performing the same balance task with increasing difficulty. Therefore, we examined the effects of a progressively increasing balance task difficulty on balance performance and brain activity in adolescents. Thirteen healthy adolescents aged 16-17 year performed tests in bipedal upright stance on a balance board with six progressively increasing levels of task difficulty. Postural sway and cortical activity were recorded simultaneously using a pressure sensitive measuring system and EEG. The power spectrum was analyzed for theta (4-7 Hz) and alpha-2 (10-12 Hz) frequency bands in pre-defined frontal, central, and parietal clusters of electrocortical sources. Repeated measures analysis of variance (rmANOVA) showed a significant main effect of task difficulty for postural sway (p < 0.001; d = 6.36). Concomitantly, the power spectrum changed in frontal, bilateral central, and bilateral parietal clusters. RmANOVAs revealed significant main effects of task difficulty for theta band power in the frontal (p < 0.001, d = 1.80) and both central clusters (left: p < 0.001, d = 1.49; right: p < 0.001, d = 1.42) as well as for alpha-2 band power in both parietal clusters (left: p < 0.001, d = 1.39; right: p < 0.001, d = 1.05) and in the central right cluster (p = 0.005, d = 0.92). Increases in theta band power (frontal, central) and decreases in alpha-2 power (central, parietal) with increasing balance task difficulty may reflect increased attentional processes and/or error monitoring as well as increased sensory information processing due to increasing postural demands. In general, our findings are mostly in agreement with studies conducted in adults. Similar to adult studies, our data with adolescents indicated the involvement of frontoparietal brain areas in the regulation of postural control. In addition, we detected that activity of selected brain areas (e.g., bilateral central) changed with increasing postural demands.

中文翻译：

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平衡任务难度会影响健康青少年的姿势摇摆和皮质活动。

脑电图（EEG）研究表明，成年人的前额顶大脑区域的低频频段随着姿势需求的增加而执行不同的平衡任务。然而，当青少年执行相同的平衡任务而难度越来越大时，这个问题并没有解决。因此，我们研究了逐渐增加的平衡任务难度对青少年平衡表现和大脑活动的影响。十三名16-17岁的健康青少年在平衡板上进行了两足动物直立姿势的测试，其中六项工作难度逐渐增加。使用压敏测量系统和EEG同时记录姿势摇摆和皮质活动。针对预先定义的额叶，中央，和皮质电源的顶簇。重复测量方差分析（rmANOVA）显示，姿势摇摆对任务难度具有重要的主要影响（p <0.001; d = 6.36）。同时，功率谱在额叶，双侧中央和双侧壁簇中改变。RmANOVAs揭示了额叶（p <0.001，d = 1.80）和两个中央簇（左：p <0.001，d = 1.49;右：p <0.001，d = 1.42）的θ带功率任务难度的重大影响以及两个顶簇中的alpha-2波段功率（左：p <0.001，d = 1.39；右：p <0.001，d = 1.05）和中右簇（p = 0.005，d = 0.92）。增加θ带功率（额叶，中央），降低α-2功率（中央，随着身体平衡的增加，任务难度可能反映出注意过程和/或错误监控的增加以及由于姿势需求增加而增加的感官信息处理。总的来说，我们的发现与成人研究基本一致。与成人研究相似，我们的青少年数据表明额叶前额脑区参与了姿势控制。另外，我们检测到选定的大脑区域（例如，双侧中枢）的活动随着姿势需求的增加而改变。我们与青少年的数据表明前额叶大脑区域参与了姿势控制的调节。另外，我们检测到选定的大脑区域（例如，双侧中枢）的活动随着姿势需求的增加而改变。我们与青少年的数据表明前额叶大脑区域参与了姿势控制的调节。另外，我们检测到选定的大脑区域（例如，双侧中枢）的活动随着姿势需求的增加而改变。