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Hutton JS, Dudley J, DeWitt T, Horowitz-Kraus T. Neural Signature of Rhyming Ability During Story Listening in Preschool-Age Children. Brain Connect 2024; 14:294-303. [PMID: 38756082 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2023.0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Rhyming is a phonological skill that typically emerges in the preschool-age range. Prosody/rhythm processing involves right-lateralized temporal cortex, yet the neural basis of rhyming ability in young children is unclear. The study objective was to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to quantify neural correlates of rhyming abilities in preschool-age children. Method: Healthy pre-kindergarten child-parent dyads were recruited for a study visit including MRI and the Preschool and Primary Inventory of Phonological Awareness (PIPA) rhyme subtest. MRI included an fMRI task where the child listened to a rhymed and unrhymed story without visual stimuli. fMRI data were processed using the CONN functional connectivity (FC) toolbox, with FC computed between 132 regions of interest (ROI) across the brain. Associations between PIPA score and FC during the rhymed versus unrhymed story were compared accounting for age, sex, and maternal education. Results: In total, 45 children completed MRI (age 54 ± 8 months, 37-63; 19M 26F). Median maternal education was college graduate. FC between ROIs in posterior default mode (imagery) and right fronto-parietal (executive function) networks was more strongly positively associated with PIPA score during the rhymed compared with the unrhymed story [F(2,39) = 10.95, p-FDR = 0.043], as was FC between ROIs in right-sided language (prosody) and dorsal attention networks [F(2,39) = 9.85, p-FDR = 0.044]. Conclusions: Preschool-age children with better rhyming abilities had stronger FC between ROIs supporting attention and prosody and also between ROIs supporting executive function and imagery, suggesting rhyme as a catalyst for attention, visualization, and comprehension. These represent novel neural biomarkers of nascent phonological skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Hutton
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jonathan Dudley
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Thomas DeWitt
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Educational Neuroimaging Group, Education in Science and Technology, Biomedical Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Appel M, Hasin D, Farah R, Horowitz-Kraus T. Greater utilization of executive functions networks when listening to stories with visual stimulation is related to lower reading abilities in children. Brain Cogn 2024; 177:106161. [PMID: 38696928 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2024.106161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Narrative comprehension relies on basic sensory processing abilities, such as visual and auditory processing, with recent evidence for utilizing executive functions (EF), which are also engaged during reading. EF was previously related to the "supporter" of engaging the auditory and visual modalities in different cognitive tasks, with evidence of lower efficiency in this process among those with reading difficulties in the absence of a visual stimulus (i.e. while listening to stories). The current study aims to fill out the gap related to the level of reliance on these neural circuits while visual aids (pictures) are involved during story listening in relation to reading skills. Functional MRI data were collected from 44 Hebrew-speaking children aged 8-12 years while listening to stories with vs without visual stimuli (i.e., pictures). Functional connectivity of networks supporting reading was defined in each condition and compared between the conditions against behavioral reading measures. Lower reading skills were related to greater functional connectivity values between EF networks (default mode and memory networks), and between the auditory and memory networks for the stories with vs without the visual stimulation. A greater difference in functional connectivity between the conditions was related to lower reading scores. We conclude that lower reading skills in children may be related to a need for greater scaffolding, i.e., visual stimulation such as pictures describing the narratives when listening to stories, which may guide future intervention approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Appel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion - IIT, Haifa, Israel
| | - Daria Hasin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion - IIT, Haifa, Israel
| | - Rola Farah
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion - IIT, Haifa, Israel; Educational Neuroimaging Group, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion - IIT, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Technion - IIT, Haifa, Israel; Educational Neuroimaging Group, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion - IIT, Haifa, Israel.
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Hutton JS, Piotrowski JT, Bagot K, Blumberg F, Canli T, Chein J, Christakis DA, Grafman J, Griffin JA, Hummer T, Kuss DJ, Lerner M, Marcovitch S, Paulus MP, Perlman G, Romeo R, Thomason ME, Turel O, Weinstein A, West G, Pietra PHD, Potenza MN. Digital Media and Developing Brains: Concerns and Opportunities. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2024; 11:287-298. [PMID: 38606363 PMCID: PMC11003891 DOI: 10.1007/s40429-024-00545-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The incorporation of digital technologies and their use in youth's everyday lives has been increasing rapidly over the past several decades with possible impacts on youth development and mental health. This narrative review aimed to consider how the use of digital technologies may be influencing brain development underlying adaptive and maladaptive screen-related behaviors. Recent Findings To explore and provide direction for further scientific inquiry, an international group of experts considered what is known, important gaps in knowledge, and how a research agenda might be pursued regarding relationships between screen media activity and neurodevelopment from infancy through childhood and adolescence. While an understanding of brain-behavior relationships involving screen media activity has been emerging, significant gaps exist that have important implications for the health of developing youth. Summary Specific considerations regarding brain-behavior relationships involving screen media activity exist for infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood; middle childhood; and adolescence. Transdiagnostic frameworks may provide a foundation for guiding future research efforts. Translating knowledge gained into better interventions and policy to promote healthy development is important in a rapidly changing digital technology environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S. Hutton
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA and Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA
| | | | - Kara Bagot
- Departments of Psychiatry & Pediatrics, Addiction Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Fran Blumberg
- Division of Psychological and Educational Services, Fordham University, New York, NY USA
| | - Turhan Canli
- Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY USA
| | - Jason Chein
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Dimitri A. Christakis
- Center for Child Health Behaviour and Development, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Jordan Grafman
- The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab & Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA
| | - James A. Griffin
- The National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, USA
| | - Tom Hummer
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN USA
| | - Daria J. Kuss
- International Gaming Research Unit and Cyberpsychology Group, NTU Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
| | - Matthew Lerner
- Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry & Pediatrics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA and AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Stuart Marcovitch
- Department Of Psychology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC USA
| | | | - Greg Perlman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony, Brook University, Stony Brook, NY USA
| | - Rachel Romeo
- Departments of Human Development & Quantitative Methodology, Hearing & Speech Sciences, and Neuroscience & Cognitive Sciences, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD USA
| | - Moriah E. Thomason
- Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Population Health, New York University, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Ofir Turel
- College of Business and Economics, California State University, Fullerton, CA USA
- Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Aviv Weinstein
- The Isadore and Ruth Kastin Chair for Brain Research, Department of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| | - Gregory West
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra
- Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, Jericho, NY USA
- Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook, NY USA
| | - Marc N. Potenza
- Departments of Psychiatry, Child Study and Neuroscience, Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale School of Medicine, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06517 USA
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Horowitz-Kraus T, Meri R, Holland SK, Farah R, Rohana T, Haj N. Language First, Cognition Later: Different Trajectories of Subcomponents of the Future-Reading Network in Processing Narratives from Kindergarten to Adolescence. Brain Connect 2024; 14:60-69. [PMID: 38265789 PMCID: PMC10890959 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2023.0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Narrative comprehension is a linguistic ability that emerges early in life and has a critical role in language development, reading acquisition, and comprehension. According to the Simple View of Reading model, reading is acquired through word decoding and linguistic comprehension. Here, within and between networks, functional connectivity in several brain networks supporting both language and reading abilities was examined from prereading to proficient reading age in 32 healthy children, ages 5-18 years, scanned annually while listening to stories over 12 years. Functional connectivity changes within and between the networks were assessed and compared between the years using hierarchical linear regression and were related to reading abilities. At prereading age, the networks related to basic language processing accounted for 32.5% of the variation of reading ability at reading age (at 12-14 years) (R2 = 0.325, p = 0.05). At age 17, more complex cognitive networks were involved and accounted for 97.4% of the variation in reading ability (R2 = 0.974, p = 0.022). Overall, networks composing the future-reading network are highly involved in processing narratives along development; however, networks related to semantic, phonological, and syntactic processing predict reading ability earlier in life, and more complex networks predict reading proficiency later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Educational Neuroimaging Group, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Raya Meri
- Educational Neuroimaging Group, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Rola Farah
- Educational Neuroimaging Group, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tamara Rohana
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Narmeen Haj
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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Law EC, Han MX, Lai Z, Lim S, Ong ZY, Ng V, Gabard-Durnam LJ, Wilkinson CL, Levin AR, Rifkin-Graboi A, Daniel LM, Gluckman PD, Chong YS, Meaney MJ, Nelson CA. Associations Between Infant Screen Use, Electroencephalography Markers, and Cognitive Outcomes. JAMA Pediatr 2023; 177:311-318. [PMID: 36716016 PMCID: PMC9887532 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Importance Research evidence is mounting for the association between infant screen use and negative cognitive outcomes related to attention and executive functions. The nature, timing, and persistence of screen time exposure on neural functions are currently unknown. Electroencephalography (EEG) permits elucidation of the neural correlates associated with cognitive impairments. Objective To examine the associations between infant screen time, EEG markers, and school-age cognitive outcomes using mediation analysis with structural equation modeling. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective maternal-child dyad cohort study included participants from the population-based study Growing Up in Singapore Toward Healthy Outcomes (GUSTO). Pregnant mothers were enrolled in their first trimester from June 2009 through December 2010. A subset of children who completed neurodevelopmental visits at ages 12 months and 9 years had EEG performed at age 18 months. Data were reported from 3 time points at ages 12 months, 18 months, and 9 years. Mediation analyses were used to investigate how neural correlates were involved in the paths from infant screen time to the latent construct of attention and executive functioning. Data for this study were collected from November 2010 to March 2020 and were analyzed between October 2021 and May 2022. Exposures Parent-reported screen time at age 12 months. Main Outcomes and Measures Power spectral density from EEG was collected at age 18 months. Child attention and executive functions were measured with teacher-reported questionnaires and objective laboratory-based tasks at age 9 years. Results In this sample of 437 children, the mean (SD) age at follow-up was 8.84 (0.07) years, and 227 children (51.9%) were male. The mean (SD) amount of daily screen time at age 12 months was 2.01 (1.86) hours. Screen time at age 12 months contributed to multiple 9-year attention and executive functioning measures (η2, 0.03-0.16; Cohen d, 0.35-0.87). A subset of 157 children had EEG performed at age 18 months; EEG relative theta power and theta/beta ratio at the frontocentral and parietal regions showed a graded correlation with 12-month screen use (r = 0.35-0.37). In the structural equation model accounting for household income, frontocentral and parietal theta/beta ratios partially mediated the association between infant screen time and executive functioning at school age (exposure-mediator β, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.59; mediator-outcome β, -0.38; 95% CI, -0.64 to -0.11), forming an indirect path that accounted for 39.4% of the association. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, infant screen use was associated with altered cortical EEG activity before age 2 years; the identified EEG markers mediated the association between infant screen time and executive functions. Further efforts are urgently needed to distinguish the direct association of infant screen use compared with family factors that predispose early screen use on executive function impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn C. Law
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Khoo Teck Puat–National University Children’s Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Meredith X. Han
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhuoyuan Lai
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Shuping Lim
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zi Yan Ong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Valerie Ng
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Laurel J. Gabard-Durnam
- Center for Cognitive and Brain Health, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Carol L. Wilkinson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - April R. Levin
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anne Rifkin-Graboi
- Centre for Research in Child Development, National Institute of Education, Singapore
| | - L. Mary Daniel
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Child Development, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore
- Academic Medicine Department, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Peter D. Gluckman
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Yap Seng Chong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Health System and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michael J. Meaney
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill University and Douglas Mental Health University Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Charles A. Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Zivan M, Vaknin S, Peleg N, Ackerman R, Horowitz-Kraus T. Higher theta-beta ratio during screen-based vs. printed paper is related to lower attention in children: An EEG study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0283863. [PMID: 37200288 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Reading is considered a non-intuitive, cognitively demanding ability requiring synchronization between several neural networks supporting visual, language processing and higher-order abilities. With the involvement of technology in our everyday life, reading from a screen has become widely used. Several studies point to challenges in processing written materials from the screen due to changes in attention allocation when reading from a screen compared to reading from a printed paper. The current study examined the differences in brain activation when reading from a screen compared to reading from a printed paper focusing on spectral power related to attention in fifteen 6-8-year-old children. Using an electroencephalogram, children read two different age-appropriate texts, without illustrations, presented randomly on the screen and on a printed paper. Data were analyzed using spectral analyses in brain regions related to language, visual processing, and cognitive control, focusing on theta vs. beta waveforms. Results indicated that while reading from a printed paper was accompanied by higher energy in high-frequency bands (beta, gamma), reading from the screen was manifested by a higher power in the lower frequency bands (alpha, theta). Higher theta compared to the beta ratio, representing challenges in allocating attention to a given task, was found for the screen reading compared to the printed paper reading condition. Also, a significant negative correlation was found between differences in theta/beta ratio for screen vs paper reading and accuracy level in the age-normalized Sky-Search task measuring attention and a positive correlation with performance time. These results provide neurobiological support for the greater cognitive load and reduced focused attention during screen-based compared to print-based reading and suggest a different reliance on attention resources for the two conditions in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Zivan
- Educational Neuroimaging Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Haifa, Israel
- Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sasson Vaknin
- Signal and Image Processing Lab, Faculty of electrical engineering, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nimrod Peleg
- Signal and Image Processing Lab, Faculty of electrical engineering, Haifa, Israel
| | - Rakefet Ackerman
- Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Educational Neuroimaging Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Haifa, Israel
- Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Haifa, Israel
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Associations between digital media use and brain surface structural measures in preschool-aged children. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19095. [PMID: 36351968 PMCID: PMC9645312 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20922-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limits on digital media use ("screen time"), citing cognitive-behavioral risks. Media use in early childhood is ubiquitous, though few imaging-based studies have been conducted to quantify impacts on brain development. Cortical morphology changes dynamically from infancy through adulthood and is associated with cognitive-behavioral abilities. The current study involved 52 children who completed MRI and cognitive testing at a single visit. The MRI protocol included a high-resolution T1-weighted anatomical scan. The child's parent completed the ScreenQ composite measure of media use. MRI measures included cortical thickness (CT) and sulcal depth (SD) across the cerebrum. ScreenQ was applied as a predictor of CT and SD first in whole-brain regression analyses and then for regions of interest (ROIs) identified in a prior study of screen time involving adolescents, controlling for sex, age and maternal education. Higher ScreenQ scores were correlated with lower CT in right-lateralized occipital, parietal, temporal and fusiform areas, and also lower SD in right-lateralized inferior temporal/fusiform areas, with substantially greater statistical significance in ROI-based analyses. These areas support primary visual and higher-order processing and align with prior findings in adolescents. While differences in visual areas likely reflect maturation, those in higher-order areas may suggest under-development, though further studies are needed.
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Sanchez-Alonso S, Aslin RN. Towards a model of language neurobiology in early development. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2022; 224:105047. [PMID: 34894429 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding language neurobiology in early childhood is essential for characterizing the developmental structural and functional changes that lead to the mature adult language network. In the last two decades, the field of language neurodevelopment has received increasing attention, particularly given the rapid advances in the implementation of neuroimaging techniques and analytic approaches that allow detailed investigations into the developing brain across a variety of cognitive domains. These methodological and analytical advances hold the promise of developing early markers of language outcomes that allow diagnosis and clinical interventions at the earliest stages of development. Here, we argue that findings in language neurobiology need to be integrated within an approach that captures the dynamic nature and inherent variability that characterizes the developing brain and the interplay between behavior and (structural and functional) neural patterns. Accordingly, we describe a framework for understanding language neurobiology in early development, which minimally requires an explicit characterization of the following core domains: i) computations underlying language learning mechanisms, ii) developmental patterns of change across neural and behavioral measures, iii) environmental variables that reinforce language learning (e.g., the social context), and iv) brain maturational constraints for optimal neural plasticity, which determine the infant's sensitivity to learning from the environment. We discuss each of these domains in the context of recent behavioral and neuroimaging findings and consider the need for quantitatively modeling two main sources of variation: individual differences or trait-like patterns of variation and within-subject differences or state-like patterns of variation. The goal is to enable models that allow prediction of language outcomes from neural measures that take into account these two types of variation. Finally, we examine how future methodological approaches would benefit from the inclusion of more ecologically valid paradigms that complement and allow generalization of traditional controlled laboratory methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard N Aslin
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Clemens B, Emri M, Csaba Aranyi S, Fekete I, Fekete K. Resting-state EEG theta activity reflects degree of genetic determination of the major epilepsy syndromes. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:2232-2239. [PMID: 34315064 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore relationship between EEG theta activity and clinical data that imply the degree of genetic determination of epilepsy. METHODS Clinical data of interest were epilepsy diagnosis and positive / negative family history of epilepsy. Study groups were: idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), focal epilepsy (FE); FE of unknown etiology (FEUNK), FE of postnatal-acquired etiology (FEPA); all patients with positive / negative family history of epilepsy (FAPALL, FANALL, respectively), disregarding of the syndrome; FAP patients with 1st degree affected relative (FAP1) and those with 2nd degree epileptic relative only (FAP2). Quantitative EEG analysis assessed amount of theta (3.5-7.0 Hz) activity in 180 seconds of artifact-free waking EEG background activity for each patient and group. Group comparison was carried out by nonparametric statistics. RESULTS Differences of theta activity were: FAPALL > FANALL (p = 0.01); FAP1 > FAP2 (p = 0.2752). IGE > FE (p = 0.02); FEUNK > FEPA (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS This was the first attempt to explore and quantitatively ascertain relationship between an EEG variable and clinical data that imply greater or lesser degree of genetic determination in epilepsy. SIGNIFICANCE Theta activity is endophenotype that bridges the gap between epilepsy susceptibility genes and clinical phenotypes. Amount of theta activity is indicative of degree of genetic determination of the epilepsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Béla Clemens
- Kenézy Gyula University Hospital, Neurology Division, University of Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Miklós Emri
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Translational Imaging, Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Sándor Csaba Aranyi
- Division of Nuclear Medicine and Translational Imaging, Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Hungary
| | - István Fekete
- University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Hungary
| | - Klára Fekete
- University of Debrecen, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Hungary
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10
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Hutton JS, DeWitt T, Hoffman L, Horowitz-Kraus T, Klass P. Development of an Eco-Biodevelopmental Model of Emergent Literacy Before Kindergarten: A Review. JAMA Pediatr 2021; 175:730-741. [PMID: 33720328 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.6709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Literacy has been described as an important social determinant of health. Its components emerge in infancy and are dependent on genetic, medical, and environmental factors. The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates a substantial role for pediatricians in literacy promotion, developmental surveillance, and school readiness to promote cognitive, relational, and brain development. Many children, especially those from minority and underserved households, enter kindergarten unprepared to learn to read and subsequently have difficulty in school. OBSERVATIONS Emergent literacy is a developmental process beginning in infancy. Component skills are supported by brain regions that must be adequately stimulated and integrated to form a functional reading network. Trajectories are associated with genetic, medical, and environmental factors, notably the home literacy environment, which is defined as resources, motivation, and stimulation that encourage the literacy development process. Eco-biodevelopmental models are advocated by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and these models offer insights into the neurobiological processes associated with environmental factors and the ways in which these processes may be addressed to improve outcomes. Emergent literacy is well suited for such a model, particularly because the mechanisms underlying component skills are elucidated. In addition to cognitive-behavioral benefits, the association of home literacy environment with the developing brain before kindergarten has recently been described via neuroimaging. Rather than a passive approach, which may subject the child to stress and engender negative attitudes, early literacy screening and interventions that are administered by pediatric practitioners can help identify potential reading difficulties, address risk factors during a period when neural plasticity is high, and improve outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Neuroimaging and behavioral evidence inform an eco-biodevelopmental model of emergent literacy that is associated with genetic, medical, and home literacy environmental factors before kindergarten, a time of rapid brain development. This framework is consistent with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and provides insights to help identify risk factors and signs of potential reading difficulties, tailor guidance, and provide direction for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Hutton
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.,Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Thomas DeWitt
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.,Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Lauren Hoffman
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.,Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.,Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.,Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion, Haifa, Israel.,Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Perri Klass
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York
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11
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Movies and narratives as naturalistic stimuli in neuroimaging. Neuroimage 2020; 224:117445. [PMID: 33059053 PMCID: PMC7805386 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Using movies and narratives as naturalistic stimuli in human neuroimaging studies has yielded significant advances in understanding of cognitive and emotional functions. The relevant literature was reviewed, with emphasis on how the use of naturalistic stimuli has helped advance scientific understanding of human memory, attention, language, emotions, and social cognition in ways that would have been difficult otherwise. These advances include discovering a cortical hierarchy of temporal receptive windows, which supports processing of dynamic information that accumulates over several time scales, such as immediate reactions vs. slowly emerging patterns in social interactions. Naturalistic stimuli have also helped elucidate how the hippocampus supports segmentation and memorization of events in day-to-day life and have afforded insights into attentional brain mechanisms underlying our ability to adopt specific perspectives during natural viewing. Further, neuroimaging studies with naturalistic stimuli have revealed the role of the default-mode network in narrative-processing and in social cognition. Finally, by robustly eliciting genuine emotions, these stimuli have helped elucidate the brain basis of both basic and social emotions apparently manifested as highly overlapping yet distinguishable patterns of brain activity.
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12
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Li C, Ding K, Zhang M, Zhang L, Zhou J, Yu D. Effect of Picture-Book Reading With Additive Audio on Bilingual Preschoolers' Prefrontal Activation: A Naturalistic Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1939. [PMID: 32849138 PMCID: PMC7419625 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquiring a second language (L2) has the power to shape cognition and even the function and structure of the brain. Picture-book reading with additive audio (PRA) is a popular and convenient means of providing L2 exposure for non-balanced bilingual children; however, its contribution to bilingual children’s brain activity is unclear. This study conducted a rigorous bilingual word comprehension experiment and a naturalistic PRA task to explore the effect of L2 processing on brain activation among English as a foreign language (EFL) preschoolers, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We found that the two contexts of comprehending English words and bilingual switching (BS), which impose more cognitive control demands, activated the prefrontal cortex (PFC) more than did the condition of comprehending Chinese words. Furthermore, the effect of PFC activity in the condition of picture-book reading with additive English audio (English PRA) was also found to be greater than in the condition of picture-book reading with additive Chinese audio (Chinese PRA); moreover, the effect was modulated by story difficulty. Finally, a positive correlation was shown between EFL children’s English competence and PFC activation through English PRA. This study indicates that the experiences of hearing L2 auditory stories in a picture-book reading activity yielded significant changes to early bilinguals’ PFC functional for cognitive control and language processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanjiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Keya Ding
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingming Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongchuan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Research Center for Learning Science, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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13
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Korte M. The impact of the digital revolution
on human brain and behavior: where
do we stand?
. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 22:101-111. [PMID: 32699510 PMCID: PMC7366944 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2020.22.2/mkorte] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This overview will outline the current results of neuroscience research on the possible effects of digital media use on the human brain, cognition, and behavior. This is of importance due to the significant amount of time that individuals spend using digital media. Despite several positive aspects of digital media, which include the capability to effortlessly communicate with peers, even over a long distance, and their being used as training tools for students and the elderly, detrimental effects on our brains and minds have also been suggested. Neurological consequences have been observed related to internet/gaming addiction, language development, and processing of emotional signals. However, given that much of the neuroscientific research conducted up to now relies solely on self-reported parameters to assess social media usage, it is argued that neuroscientists need to include datasets with higher precision in terms of what is done on screens, for how long, and at what age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Korte
- Department of Cellular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, Germany; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Group, Braunschweig, Germany
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14
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A novel, composite measure of screen-based media use in young children (ScreenQ) and associations with parenting practices and cognitive abilities. Pediatr Res 2020; 87:1211-1218. [PMID: 32050256 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-020-0765-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Screen-based media use is prevalent in children and is associated with health risks. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations involve access to screens, frequency, content, and co-viewing. The aim of this study was to test the ScreenQ, a composite measure of screen-based media use. METHODS ScreenQ is a 15-item parent report measure reflecting AAP recommendations. Range is 0-26, higher scores reflecting greater non-adherence. With no "gold standard" available, four validated measures of skills and parenting practices cited as influenced by overuse were applied as the external criteria, including expressive language, speed of processing, emergent literacy, and cognitive stimulation at home. Psychometric analyses involved Rasch methods and Spearman's ρ correlations. RESULTS Sixty-nine families were administered ScreenQ. Child age ranged from 36 to 63 months old (52 ± 8; 35 girls). Mean ScreenQ score was 9.6 (±5.0; 1-22). Psychometric properties were strong (rCo-α = 0.74). ScreenQ scores were negatively correlated with CTOPP-2 (Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, Second Edition) (rρ = -0.57), EVT-2 (Expressive Vocabulary Test, Second Edition) (rρ = -0.45), GRTR (Get Ready to Read!) (rρ = -0.30) and StimQ-P (rρ = -0.42) scores (all p ≤ 0.01). CONCLUSIONS ScreenQ shows potential as a composite measure of screen-based media use in young children in the context of AAP recommendations. ScreenQ scores were correlated with lower executive, language and literacy skills, and less stimulating home cognitive environment.
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15
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Farah R, Greenwood P, Dudley J, Hutton J, Ammerman RT, Phelan K, Holland S, Horowitz-Kraus T. Maternal depression is associated with altered functional connectivity between neural circuits related to visual, auditory, and cognitive processing during stories listening in preschoolers. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2020; 16:5. [PMID: 32340619 PMCID: PMC7187503 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-020-00167-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal depression can influence the early activity of a mother reading stories to a young child, as depressed mothers are less likely to read to their children. Here, maternal depression association to neurobiological circuitry of narrative comprehension, visualization, and executive functions during stories listening was examined in 21 4-year-old girls and their mothers. Maternal depression scores were collected from the mothers, and functional MRI during stories listening was collected from the children. RESULTS Increased maternal depression was related to decreased functional connectivity between visualization and auditory regions and increased connectivity between the right visual cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the children. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the need to monitor maternal depression and provide interventions to ensure positive linguistic outcomes in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rola Farah
- Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Paige Greenwood
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Johnathan Dudley
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - John Hutton
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Robert T Ammerman
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kieran Phelan
- The Permanente Medical Group, San Rafael Pediatrics, San Rafael, CA, USA
| | - Scott Holland
- Department of Physics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel.
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229-3039, USA.
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16
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Freedman L, Zivan M, Farah R, Horowitz-Kraus T. Greater functional connectivity within the cingulo-opercular and ventral attention networks is related to better fluent reading: A resting-state functional connectivity study. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 26:102214. [PMID: 32092682 PMCID: PMC7038585 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Executive functions are higher-order cognitive abilities that affect many of our daily actions, including reading. A two-system model for cognitive control comprises a bottom-up system composed of the dorsal and ventral attention networks and a more evolved top-down system involving the frontoparietal and cingulo-opercular networks. We examined both within- and between-network functional connectivity of these four networks in 26 8-12-year-old children with readong difficulties and 30 age-matched typical readers using resting-state functional MRI. Fluency and nonfluency behavioral reading measures were collected, and the scores were analyzed together with the functional data. Children with reading difficulties did not differ in functional connectivity for the four networks compared to typical readers. Grouping the entire cohort into low vs. high fluency-level reading groups, however, revealed significantly higher functional connectivity values within the cingulo-opercular and ventral attention cognitive-control networks for the high fluency group. Higher functional connectivity Trends between the cognitive-control networks were also observed in the high fluency group compared to the low fluency group. A similar analysis using a nonfluency word-reading task grouping did not uncover differences between the two groups. The results emphasize the complexity of the fluency task, as a test that relies on cognitive-control abilities, at both the bottom-up and top-down levels. Therefore, it may be posited that the fluency task may also be a challenge for typical readers despite their intact performance. The results reinforce the relationship between fluent reading and functional connectivity of the cognitive-control networks, emphasizing the various cognitive-control abilities that underlie this complex reading ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidan Freedman
- Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Michal Zivan
- Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Rola Farah
- Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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17
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Hutton JS, Dudley J, Horowitz-Kraus T, DeWitt T, Holland SK. Associations Between Screen-Based Media Use and Brain White Matter Integrity in Preschool-Aged Children. JAMA Pediatr 2020; 174:e193869. [PMID: 31682712 PMCID: PMC6830442 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.3869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends limits on screen-based media use, citing its cognitive-behavioral risks. Screen use by young children is prevalent and increasing, although its implications for brain development are unknown. OBJECTIVE To explore the associations between screen-based media use and integrity of brain white matter tracts supporting language and literacy skills in preschool-aged children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study of healthy children aged 3 to 5 years (n = 47) was conducted from August 2017 to November 2018. Participants were recruited at a US children's hospital and community primary care clinics. EXPOSURES Children completed cognitive testing followed by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and their parent completed a ScreenQ survey. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES ScreenQ is a 15-item measure of screen-based media use reflecting the domains in the AAP recommendations: access to screens, frequency of use, content viewed, and coviewing. Higher scores reflect greater use. ScreenQ scores were applied as the independent variable in 3 multiple linear regression models, with scores in 3 standardized assessments as the dependent variable, controlling for child age and household income: Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, Second Edition (CTOPP-2; Rapid Object Naming subtest); Expressive Vocabulary Test, Second Edition (EVT-2; expressive language); and Get Ready to Read! (GRTR; emergent literacy skills). The DTI measures included fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD), which estimated microstructural organization and myelination of white matter tracts. ScreenQ was applied as a factor associated with FA and RD in whole-brain regression analyses, which were then narrowed to 3 left-sided tracts supporting language and emergent literacy abilities. RESULTS Of the 69 children recruited, 47 (among whom 27 [57%] were girls, and the mean [SD] age was 54.3 [7.5] months) completed DTI. Mean (SD; range) ScreenQ score was 8.6 (4.8; 1-19) points. Mean (SD; range) CTOPP-2 score was 9.4 (3.3; 2-15) points, EVT-2 score was 113.1 (16.6; 88-144) points, and GRTR score was 19.0 (5.9; 5-25) points. ScreenQ scores were negatively correlated with EVT-2 (F2,43 = 5.14; R2 = 0.19; P < .01), CTOPP-2 (F2,35 = 6.64; R2 = 0.28; P < .01), and GRTR (F2,44 = 17.08; R2 = 0.44; P < .01) scores, controlling for child age. Higher ScreenQ scores were correlated with lower FA and higher RD in tracts involved with language, executive function, and emergent literacy abilities (P < .05, familywise error-corrected), controlling for child age and household income. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study found an association between increased screen-based media use, compared with the AAP guidelines, and lower microstructural integrity of brain white matter tracts supporting language and emergent literacy skills in prekindergarten children. The findings suggest further study is needed, particularly during the rapid early stages of brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S. Hutton
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio,Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Jonathan Dudley
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio,Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio,Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio,Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio,Educational Neuroimaging Center, Biomedical Engineering, Technion, Israel
| | - Tom DeWitt
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio,Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Scott K. Holland
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio,Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio,Medpace Inc, Cincinnati, Ohio
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18
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Hutton JS, Dudley J, Horowitz-Kraus T, DeWitt T, Holland SK. Functional Connectivity of Attention, Visual, and Language Networks During Audio, Illustrated, and Animated Stories in Preschool-Age Children. Brain Connect 2019; 9:580-592. [PMID: 31144523 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2019.0679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents read with their children early and often and limits on screen-based media. While book sharing may benefit attention in children, effects of animated content are controversial, and the influence of either on attention networks has not previously been studied. This study involved functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of three separate active-task scans composed of similar 5-min stories presented in the same order for each child (audio → illustrated → animated), followed by assessment of comprehension. Five functional brain networks were defined a priori through literature review: dorsal attention network (DAN), ventral attention network (VAN), language (L), visual imagery (VI), and visual perception (VP). Analyses involved comparison of functional connectivity (FC) within- and between networks across formats, applying false discovery rate correction. Twenty-seven of 33 children completed fMRI (82%; 15 boys, 12 girls; mean 58 ± 8 months old). Comprehension of audio and illustrated stories was equivalent and lower for animation (p < 0.05). For illustration relative to audio, FC within DAN and VAN and between each of these and all other networks was similar, lower within-L, and higher between VI-VP, suggesting reduced strain on the language network using illustrations and imagery. For animation relative to illustration, FC was lower between DAN-L, VAN-VP, VAN-VI, L-VI, and L-VP, suggesting less focus on narrative, reorienting to imagery, and visual-language integration. These findings suggest that illustrated storybooks may be optimal at this age to encourage integration of attention, visual, and language networks, while animation may bias attention toward VP.
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Affiliation(s)
- John S Hutton
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Jonathan Dudley
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Educational Neuroimaging Center, Technion, Israel
| | - Tom DeWitt
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Scott K Holland
- Reading and Literacy Discovery Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Medpace, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio
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19
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Kucirkova N. How Could Children's Storybooks Promote Empathy? A Conceptual Framework Based on Developmental Psychology and Literary Theory. Front Psychol 2019; 10:121. [PMID: 30804833 PMCID: PMC6370723 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
This conceptual paper proposes a framework for understanding the developmental mechanisms and literary characteristics that bind children's storybooks with empathy. The article begins with a taxonomy of empathy composed of three key continuous dimensions: cognitive/emotional empathy, empathy for in-group and out-group members and empathy with positive and negative consequences. Insights from developmental psychology and literary theory form the basis for an interdisciplinary framework based on three premises: (1) book-reading can support empathy if it fosters in-group/out-group identification and minimizes in-group/out-group bias; (2) identification with characters who are dissimilar from the readers is the most valuable contribution of children's storybooks to cognitive empathy; and (3) the quality of language positions children's storybooks as an exceptional, but not exclusive, empathy-building form of fictional narratives. Implications for future intervention and empirical work are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Kucirkova
- Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
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