EEG signatures of motor development in early childhood: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Early identification of motor developmental disorders is limited due to lack of objective neural markers that characterize typical neurodevelopmental patterns. This systematic review interprets and synthesizes existing evidence to propose a framework of EEG signatures associated with motor development in children aged 0-5 years, which may help inform future benchmarks for early assessment and intervention. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched published and gray literature across five databases between 2000 and 2025 (registered protocol). Included studies examined EEG during task-based, resting-state, or sleep studies linked to motor milestones, task performance, or standardized motor assessments. Study quality was assessed using the NIH tool. RESULTS: From 35 studies including 1107 neurotypical children, we identified four study types: action observation, action execution, combined observation/execution, and resting/sleep EEG. Mu rhythm desynchronization (6-13 Hz) emerged as the most common marker of motor maturation, with mu peak increasing from 6-9 Hz in infants to 8.5-10 Hz in preschoolers. Motor experience strengthened neural responses, sleep features (slow-wave activity and spindles) predicted future motor outcomes, and beta oscillations supported action prediction and coordination. CONCLUSION: EEG shows promise as a non-invasive tool for tracking early motor development. However, methodological heterogeneity underscores the need for standardized research before EEG can reliably identify atypical development or monitor intervention response. IMPACT: This review synthesizes EEG signatures in children 0-5 years and shows that mu rhythm desynchronization (6-13 Hz) is the most common correlate of early motor development. First review to combine task-based EEG (watching and doing actions) with resting and sleep EEG in this age group. This review identifies EEG features, including alpha and beta rhythms, slow-wave activity, spindles, and connectivity patterns linked to motor skills, suggesting their potential as early objective correlates of typical motor development.