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Navarrete-Arroyo S, Virtala P, Nie P, Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist L, Salonen S, Kujala T. Infant mismatch responses to speech-sound changes predict language development in preschoolers at risk for dyslexia. Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 162:248-261. [PMID: 38492973 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.02.032] [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] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated how infant mismatch responses (MMRs), which have the potential for providing information on auditory discrimination abilities, could predict subsequent development of pre-reading skills and the risk for familial dyslexia. METHODS We recorded MMRs to vowel, duration, and frequency deviants in pseudo-words at birth and 28 months in a sample over-represented by infants with dyslexia risk. We examined MMRs' associations with pre-reading skills at 28 months and 4-5 years and compared the results in subgroups with vs. without dyslexia risk. RESULTS Larger positive MMR (P-MMR) at birth was found to be associated with better serial naming. In addition, increased mismatch negativity (MMN) and late discriminative negativity (LDN), and decreased P-MMR at 28 months overall, were shown to be related to better pre-reading skills. The associations were influenced by dyslexia risk, which was also linked to poor pre-reading skills. CONCLUSIONS Infant MMRs, providing information about the maturity of the auditory system, are associated with the development of pre-reading skills. Speech-processing deficits may contribute to deficits in language acquisition observed in dyslexia. SIGNIFICANCE Infant MMRs could work as predictive markers of atypical linguistic development during early childhood. Results may help in planning preventive and rehabilitation interventions in children at risk of learning impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Navarrete-Arroyo
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Paula Virtala
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Peixin Nie
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Linda Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Satu Salonen
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teija Kujala
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
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Gorina-Careta N, Arenillas-Alcón S, Puertollano M, Mondéjar-Segovia A, Ijjou-Kadiri S, Costa-Faidella J, Gómez-Roig MD, Escera C. Exposure to bilingual or monolingual maternal speech during pregnancy affects the neurophysiological encoding of speech sounds in neonates differently. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1379660. [PMID: 38841122 PMCID: PMC11150635 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1379660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Exposure to maternal speech during the prenatal period shapes speech perception and linguistic preferences, allowing neonates to recognize stories heard frequently in utero and demonstrating an enhanced preference for their mother's voice and native language. Yet, with a high prevalence of bilingualism worldwide, it remains an open question whether monolingual or bilingual maternal speech during pregnancy influence differently the fetus' neural mechanisms underlying speech sound encoding. Methods In the present study, the frequency-following response (FFR), an auditory evoked potential that reflects the complex spectrotemporal dynamics of speech sounds, was recorded to a two-vowel /oa/ stimulus in a sample of 129 healthy term neonates within 1 to 3 days after birth. Newborns were divided into two groups according to maternal language usage during the last trimester of gestation (monolingual; bilingual). Spectral amplitudes and spectral signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) at the stimulus fundamental (F0) and first formant (F1) frequencies of each vowel were, respectively, taken as measures of pitch and formant structure neural encoding. Results Our results reveal that while spectral amplitudes at F0 did not differ between groups, neonates from bilingual mothers exhibited a lower spectral SNR. Additionally, monolingually exposed neonates exhibited a higher spectral amplitude and SNR at F1 frequencies. Discussion We interpret our results under the consideration that bilingual maternal speech, as compared to monolingual, is characterized by a greater complexity in the speech sound signal, rendering newborns from bilingual mothers more sensitive to a wider range of speech frequencies without generating a particularly strong response at any of them. Our results contribute to an expanding body of research indicating the influence of prenatal experiences on language acquisition and underscore the necessity of including prenatal language exposure in developmental studies on language acquisition, a variable often overlooked yet capable of influencing research outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natàlia Gorina-Careta
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sonia Arenillas-Alcón
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Puertollano
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Mondéjar-Segovia
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Siham Ijjou-Kadiri
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Costa-Faidella
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Dolores Gómez-Roig
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal – Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Escera
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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3
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Abufhele A, Laurito A. Community violence and early childhood language development: The moderating role of maternal efficacy and satisfaction. Child Dev 2024; 95:800-816. [PMID: 37916583 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
This paper estimates the acute effect of community-level homicides on early childhood language development and explores the moderating role of maternal efficacy and satisfaction in Chile. It uses data from the 2017 wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey of Chilean Children (N = 1194, Mage: 52.8 months, 52% girls). Children in municipalities with homicides 1 month before the Peabody Picture Vocabulary assessment scored between 0.18 and 0.41 SDs lower compared to children in the same municipality but for whom homicides happened after the assessment. On average, higher maternal satisfaction appears to have a protective effect, though it dissipates in the most violent municipalities. Evidence that higher maternal efficacy protects children from the negative effects of violence is inconclusive.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Agustina Laurito
- Department of Public Policy, Management, and Analytics, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Sun S, Plate RC, Jones C, Rodriguez Y, Katz C, Murin M, Pearson J, Parish-Morris J, Waller R. Childhood conduct problems and parent-child talk during social and nonsocial play contexts: a naturalistic home-based experiment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1018. [PMID: 38200250 PMCID: PMC10781972 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51656-w] [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] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Parent-child interactions are a critical pathway to emotion socialization, with disruption to these processes associated with risk for childhood behavior problems. Using computational linguistics methods, we tested whether (1) play context influenced parent-child socioemotional language, and (2) child conduct problems or callous-unemotional traits were associated with patterns of socioemotional or nonsocial language across contexts. Seventy-nine parent-child dyads (children, 5-6 years old) played a socioemotional skills ("social context") or math ("nonsocial context") game at home. We transcribed and analyzed game play, which had been audio recorded by participants. The social context elicited more socioemotional and cognitive words, while the nonsocial context elicited more mathematical words. The use of socioemotional language by parents and children was more strongly correlated in the social context, but context did not moderate the degree of correlation in cognitive or mathematical word use between parents and children. Children with more conduct problems used fewer socioemotional words in the social context, while children with higher callous-unemotional traits used fewer cognitive words in both contexts. We highlight the role of context in supporting socioemotionally rich parent-child language interactions and provide preliminary evidence for the existence of linguistic markers of child behavior problems. Our results also inform naturalistic assessments of parent-child interactions and home-based interventions for parents and children facing socioemotional or behavioral challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Sun
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Levin Building, 425 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Rista C Plate
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Levin Building, 425 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Callie Jones
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Levin Building, 425 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yuheiry Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Levin Building, 425 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Chloe Katz
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Levin Building, 425 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Melissa Murin
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Levin Building, 425 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jules Pearson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Levin Building, 425 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julia Parish-Morris
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Levin Building, 425 S. University Ave., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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Stübner C, Nielsen C, Jakobsson K, Gillberg C, Miniscalco C. Early-Life Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Child Language and Communication Development: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:7170. [PMID: 38131721 PMCID: PMC10742458 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20247170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Language development starts during the fetal period when the brain is sensitive to endocrine disruptions from environmental contaminants. This systematic review aims to systematically summarize the existing literature on early-life exposure to PFAS and children's language and communication development, which is an indicator of neurocognitive development. A structured literature search was conducted using three databases, PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL, last updated in April 2023. The population was defined as children and young adults. PFAS exposure was assessed pre- or postnatally. The outcome was defined as a language and communication ability assessed with validated instruments, parental self-reports, or clinical language disorder diagnoses. In total, 15 studies were identified for subsequent analyses. Thirteen were performed in background-exposed populations and two in highly exposed populations. There were some indications of potential adverse effects; however, these were not consistent across child sex, age of assessment, or PFAS exposure levels. No systematic effect of early-life PFAS exposure on language and communication development was found. These inconclusive findings may partly be explained by the use of general test instruments with limited validity as to children's language and communication development. Further studies over a wider exposure range using specific language test instruments are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Stübner
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden; (C.G.); (C.M.)
- Department of Pediatric Speech and Language Pathology, Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 416 50 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christel Nielsen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, 223 81 Lund, Sweden;
- Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Kristina Jakobsson
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden;
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Christopher Gillberg
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden; (C.G.); (C.M.)
- Department of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 416 50 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Carmela Miniscalco
- Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden; (C.G.); (C.M.)
- Department of Pediatric Speech and Language Pathology, Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 416 50 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 416 50 Gothenburg, Sweden
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6
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Ortiz-Barajas MC, Guevara R, Gervain J. Neural oscillations and speech processing at birth. iScience 2023; 26:108187. [PMID: 37965146 PMCID: PMC10641252 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Are neural oscillations biologically endowed building blocks of the neural architecture for speech processing from birth, or do they require experience to emerge? In adults, delta, theta, and low-gamma oscillations support the simultaneous processing of phrasal, syllabic, and phonemic units in the speech signal, respectively. Using electroencephalography to investigate neural oscillations in the newborn brain we reveal that delta and theta oscillations differ for rhythmically different languages, suggesting that these bands underlie newborns' universal ability to discriminate languages on the basis of rhythm. Additionally, higher theta activity during post-stimulus as compared to pre-stimulus rest suggests that stimulation after-effects are present from birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Clemencia Ortiz-Barajas
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS & Université Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Ramón Guevara
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Judit Gervain
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS & Université Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris, France
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padua, Italy
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7
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Synnes A, Luu TM, Afifi J, Khairy M, de Cabo C, Moddemann D, Hendson L, Reichert A, Coughlin K, Nguyen KA, Richter LL, Bacchini F, Aziz K. Parent-Integrated Interventions to Improve Language Development in Children Born Very Preterm. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:953. [PMID: 37371185 DOI: 10.3390/children10060953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental challenges in children born very preterm are common and not improving. This study tested the feasibility of using Evidence-based Practice to Improve Quality (EPIQ), a proven quality improvement technique that incorporates scientific evidence to target improving language abilities in very preterm populations in 10 Canadian neonatal follow-up programs. Feasibility was defined as at least 70% of sites completing four intervention cycles and 75% of cycles meeting targeted aims. Systematic reviews were reviewed and performed, an online quality improvement educational tool was developed, multidisciplinary teams that included parents were created and trained, and sites provided virtual support to implement and audit locally at least four intervention cycles of approximately 6 months in duration. Eight of ten sites implemented at least four intervention cycles. Of the 48 cycles completed, audits showed 41 (85%) met their aim. Though COVID-19 was a barrier, parent involvement, champions, and institutional support facilitated success. EPIQ is a feasible quality improvement methodology to implement family-integrated evidence-informed interventions to support language interventions in neonatal follow-up programs. Further studies are required to identify potential benefits of service outcomes, patients, and families and to evaluate sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Synnes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Thuy Mai Luu
- Department of Pediatrics and Research Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Jehier Afifi
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Division of Neonatal Perinatal Medicine, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada
| | - May Khairy
- Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Cecilia de Cabo
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1S1, Canada
| | - Diane Moddemann
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1S1, Canada
| | - Leonora Hendson
- Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T3B 6A8, Canada
| | - Amber Reichert
- Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, AB T5G 0B7, Canada
| | - Kevin Coughlin
- Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada
| | | | - Lindsay L Richter
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Fabiana Bacchini
- Canadian Premature Babies Foundation, Etobicoke, ON M8X 1Y3, Canada
| | - Khalid Aziz
- The Office of Lifelong Learning, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada
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Hym C, Dumuids MV, Anderson DI, Forma V, Provasi J, Brière-Dollat C, Granjon L, Gervain J, Nazzi T, Barbu-Roth M. Newborns modulate their crawling in response to their native language but not another language. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13248. [PMID: 35212447 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Human newborns can propel themselves to their mother's breast when positioned skin to skin on her abdomen just after birth. For decades, researchers have considered this primitive crawling behavior a spinal reflex, immune to supra spinal control. However, recent research suggests that neonatal crawling is already responsive to visual and olfactory stimuli processed at a supra spinal level. Here we report that a few hours post birth, French newborns can also modulate their crawling in response to their native language - a source of information that is processed supra-spinally. The crawling patterns of 23 French-born newborns were recorded on video and via an infrared motion capture system during two randomly ordered 2-min trials. The newborns were secured on a mini skateboard to facilitate arm and leg movements during their crawling propulsion. They heard a repetitive sequence of the same sentences either in French, their native language, or in English, a rhythmically different and hence discriminable unfamiliar language, on each trial. In French, compared to English, crawling was enhanced, with significantly more arm and leg steps and significantly more and larger trunk rotations in the cephalo-caudal axis. Moreover, newborns rotated their heads and trunk toward the appropriate loud speaker when hearing French but not English. These preliminary findings suggest that newborn crawling is not a simple stereotyped reflex under spinal control, but a complex pattern that can be modulated in response to higher-order, supra-spinally processed stimuli. The findings open fascinating questions about the range of stimuli to which newborn crawling is responsive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Hym
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS - Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - David I Anderson
- Marian Wright Edelman Institute, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Vincent Forma
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS - Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Joëlle Provasi
- Laboratoire CHArt, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Aubervilliers Cedex, France
| | - Camille Brière-Dollat
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS - Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Maternité Port-Royal, Paris, France
| | - Lionel Granjon
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS - Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Judit Gervain
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS - Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Thierry Nazzi
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS - Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Marianne Barbu-Roth
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS - Université de Paris, Paris, France
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Schilling A, Gerum R, Metzner C, Maier A, Krauss P. Intrinsic Noise Improves Speech Recognition in a Computational Model of the Auditory Pathway. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:908330. [PMID: 35757533 PMCID: PMC9215117 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.908330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Noise is generally considered to harm information processing performance. However, in the context of stochastic resonance, noise has been shown to improve signal detection of weak sub- threshold signals, and it has been proposed that the brain might actively exploit this phenomenon. Especially within the auditory system, recent studies suggest that intrinsic noise plays a key role in signal processing and might even correspond to increased spontaneous neuronal firing rates observed in early processing stages of the auditory brain stem and cortex after hearing loss. Here we present a computational model of the auditory pathway based on a deep neural network, trained on speech recognition. We simulate different levels of hearing loss and investigate the effect of intrinsic noise. Remarkably, speech recognition after hearing loss actually improves with additional intrinsic noise. This surprising result indicates that intrinsic noise might not only play a crucial role in human auditory processing, but might even be beneficial for contemporary machine learning approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achim Schilling
- Laboratory of Sensory and Cognitive Neuroscience, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
- Neuroscience Lab, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Cognitive Computational Neuroscience Group, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Richard Gerum
- Department of Physics and Center for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Claus Metzner
- Neuroscience Lab, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Maier
- Pattern Recognition Lab, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Patrick Krauss
- Neuroscience Lab, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
- Cognitive Computational Neuroscience Group, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Pattern Recognition Lab, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Linguistics Lab, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
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Developmental changes in the brain response to speech during the first year of life: A near-infrared spectroscopy study of dutch-learning infants. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 67:101724. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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11
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Barnes-Holmes D, Harte C. Relational frame theory 20 years on: The Odysseus voyage and beyond. J Exp Anal Behav 2022; 117:240-266. [PMID: 35014700 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The seminal text on relational frame theory (RFT) was published 20 years ago and purported to offer a single overarching behavior-analytic account of human language and cognition. In the years thereafter, an increasing number of empirical and conceptual articles, book chapters in edited volumes, and whole volumes devoted to the account emerged. In recent years, RFT has experienced a period of intense empirical and conceptual development, facilitated in part by a research grant awarded by the Flanders Science Foundation, under its Odysseus program. This research program aimed to advance and extend the RFT account beyond the rendition presented in the seminal Hayes et al. (2001) volume. The current article aims to provide an overview of this research program, the empirical work and concepts it gave rise to, and their implications for an RFT account of human symbolic language and cognition. Overall, therefore, the article provides an account of relatively recent developments in RFT that extend beyond the 2001 volume and thus will, we hope, inform future research and critiques of the theory going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Colin Harte
- Departmento de Psicologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brazil.,Paradigma - Centro de Ciências e Technologia do Comportamento, Brazil
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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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Brenner LD, Brudney R, Castaneda J, Liu A, Reyna ME, Leffel KR, Suskind D. Using Human-Centered Design in Personalized Anticipatory Guidance: Enriching Anticipatory Guidance on Early Cognitive and Language Development. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2021; 60:528-542. [PMID: 34706580 DOI: 10.1177/00099228211051198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to create a novel tool to assist providers at 2 Chicago-area Federally Qualified Health Centers in giving guidance on early cognitive and language development during well-child visits. We utilized a human-centered design (HCD) process to address specific barriers to providing this guidance and create a tool shaped by the needs of providers and parents. Phase I involved collaborative prototype design; phase II involved implementation, feedback gathering, and responsive iterations of the tool; and phase III involved a collective review of the HCD process. The final version of the tool was a concise, colorful, and parent-accessible "Brain Building Guide" intended for interactive provider and parent use. It featured personalized information about parental knowledge and suggested areas for guidance. It was both satisfactory to stakeholders and efficacious in improving parental knowledge immediately post-visit and 1 month out. It should be further evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Risa Brudney
- University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jason Castaneda
- University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Asher Liu
- TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Megan E Reyna
- TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Dana Suskind
- TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
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14
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Gabbay-Dizdar N, Ilan M, Meiri G, Faroy M, Michaelovski A, Flusser H, Menashe I, Koller J, Zachor DA, Dinstein I. Early diagnosis of autism in the community is associated with marked improvement in social symptoms within 1-2 years. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 26:1353-1363. [PMID: 34623179 PMCID: PMC9340129 DOI: 10.1177/13623613211049011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT It is widely believed that early diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder is essential for better outcome. This is demonstrated by the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation to screen all 1.5-2.5-year-old toddlers for autism spectrum disorder. However, multiple longitudinal studies of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at 1.5-6 years of age and treated in community settings have not reported any associations between earlier diagnosis and improved outcome in core autism spectrum disorder symptoms. In this study, we measured changes in core autism spectrum disorder symptoms over a 1-2-year period in 131 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at 1.2-5 years of age, and treated in the community. The results revealed that children who were diagnosed before 2.5 years of age were three times more likely to exhibit considerable improvements in social autism spectrum disorder symptoms in comparison to children diagnosed at later ages. These results highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder even in community settings with heterogeneous services. In addition, these results motivate further prioritization of universal screening for autism spectrum disorder before 2.5 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michal Ilan
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.,Soroka University Medical Center, Israel
| | - Gal Meiri
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.,Soroka University Medical Center, Israel
| | - Michal Faroy
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.,Soroka University Medical Center, Israel
| | - Analya Michaelovski
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.,Soroka University Medical Center, Israel
| | - Hagit Flusser
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.,Soroka University Medical Center, Israel
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15
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Ghio M, Cara C, Tettamanti M. The prenatal brain readiness for speech processing: A review on foetal development of auditory and primordial language networks. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:709-719. [PMID: 34274405 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite consolidated evidence for the prenatal ability to elaborate and respond to sounds and speech stimuli, the ontogenetic functional brain maturation of language responsiveness in the foetus is still poorly understood. Recent advances in in-vivo foetal neuroimaging have contributed to a finely detailed picture of the anatomo-functional hallmarks that define the prenatal neurodevelopment of auditory and language-related networks. Here, we first outline available evidence for the prenatal development of auditory and language-related brain structures and of their anatomical connections. Second, we focus on functional connectivity data showing the emergence of auditory and primordial language networks in the foetal brain. Third, we recapitulate functional neuroimaging studies assessing the prenatal readiness for sound processing, as a crucial prerequisite for the foetus to experientially respond to spoken language. In conclusion, we suggest that the state of the art has reached sufficient maturity to directly assess the neural mechanisms underlying the prenatal readiness for speech processing and to evaluate whether foetal neuromarkers can predict the postnatal development of language acquisition abilities and disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Ghio
- CIMeC - Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Italy
| | - Cristina Cara
- CIMeC - Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Italy
| | - Marco Tettamanti
- CIMeC - Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Italy.
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16
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Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist L, Virtala P, Fandakova Y, Partanen E, Leppänen PHT, Thiede A, Kujala T. Infant event-related potentials to speech are associated with prelinguistic development. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100831. [PMID: 32911229 PMCID: PMC7486617 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Speech processing and prelinguistic skills studied in a large longitudinal sample. Auditory ERPs predicted prelinguistic development in infancy in LCS models. P1 amplitude at 6 months predicted prelinguistic development between 6 and 12 months. MMR to a frequency change was associated with prelinguistic skills at 6 months. Infants’ neural speech processing can help to predict early language development.
Neural auditory processing and prelinguistic communication build the foundation for later language development, but how these two are associated is not well known. The current study investigated how neural speech processing is associated with the level and development of prelinguistic skills in 102 infants. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) in 6-months-olds to assess the neural detection of a pseudoword (obligatory responses), as well as the neural discrimination of changes in the pseudoword (mismatch responses, MMRs). Prelinguistic skills were assessed at 6 and 12 months of age with a parental questionnaire (Infant-Toddler Checklist). The association between the ERPs and prelinguistic skills was examined using latent change score models, a method specifically constructed for longitudinal analyses and explicitly modeling intra-individual change. The results show that a large obligatory P1 at 6 months of age predicted strong improvement in prelinguistic skills between 6 and 12 months of age. The MMR to a frequency change was associated with the concurrent level of prelinguistic skills, but not with the improvement of the skills. Overall, our results highlight the strong association between ERPs and prelinguistic skills, possibly offering opportunities for early detection of atypical linguistic and communicative development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Paula Virtala
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Yana Fandakova
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Eino Partanen
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Paavo H T Leppänen
- Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Mattilanniemi 6, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
| | - Anja Thiede
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Teija Kujala
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290, Helsinki, Finland.
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Abstract
Acquiring language is a major developmental feat that all typical, healthy children achieve during the first years of their lives. The ease and speed with which they acquire their native language(s) has puzzled parents, scholars, and the general public alike. The last five decades have brought about a spectacular increase in our knowledge of how young infants acquire their mother tongues. Sophisticated behavioral, corpus-based, and brain imaging techniques have been developed to query young learners' journey into language. This chapter summarizes what we currently know of typical language development during the first years of life. It starts out by reviewing the existing theoretical accounts of language development. It then presents the most important empirical findings about speech perception and language acquisition grouped by different subdomains, such as newborns' speech perception abilities, phoneme perception, word learning, and the early acquisition of grammar, focusing mainly on the first 3 years of life, an age by which the major milestones of language development are typically accomplished. Differences between monolingual and multilingual development are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Gervain
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS & Université de Paris, Paris, France.
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18
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Residual Cochlear Function in Adults and Children Receiving Cochlear Implants: Correlations With Speech Perception Outcomes. Ear Hear 2019; 40:577-591. [PMID: 30169463 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000000630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Variability in speech perception outcomes with cochlear implants remains largely unexplained. Recently, electrocochleography, or measurements of cochlear potentials in response to sound, has been used to assess residual cochlear function at the time of implantation. Our objective was to characterize the potentials recorded preimplantation in subjects of all ages, and evaluate the relationship between the responses, including a subjective estimate of neural activity, and speech perception outcomes. DESIGN Electrocochleography was recorded in a prospective cohort of 284 candidates for cochlear implant at University of North Carolina (10 months to 88 years of ages). Measurement of residual cochlear function called the "total response" (TR), which is the sum of magnitudes of spectral components in response to tones of different stimulus frequencies, was obtained for each subject. The TR was then related to results on age-appropriate monosyllabic word score tests presented in quiet. In addition to the TR, the electrocochleography results were also assessed for neural activity in the forms of the compound action potential and auditory nerve neurophonic. RESULTS The TR magnitude ranged from a barely detectable response of about 0.02 µV to more than 100 µV. In adults (18 to 79 years old), the TR accounted for 46% of variability in speech perception outcome by linear regression (r = 0.46; p < 0.001). In children between 6 and 17 years old, the variability accounted for was 36% (p < 0.001). In younger children, the TR accounted for less of the variability, 15% (p = 0.012). Subjects over 80 years old tended to perform worse for a given TR than younger adults at the 6-month testing interval. The subjectively assessed neural activity did not increase the information compared with the TR alone, which is primarily composed of the cochlear microphonic produced by hair cells. CONCLUSIONS The status of the auditory periphery, particularly of hair cells rather than neural activity, accounts for a large fraction of variability in speech perception outcomes in adults and older children. In younger children, the relationship is weaker, and the elderly differ from other adults. This simple measurement can be applied with high throughput so that peripheral status can be assessed to help manage patient expectations, create individually-tailored treatment plans, and identify subjects performing below expectations based on residual cochlear function.
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Parncutt R. Mother Schema, Obstetric Dilemma, and the Origin of Behavioral Modernity. Behav Sci (Basel) 2019; 9:E142. [PMID: 31817739 PMCID: PMC6960940 DOI: 10.3390/bs9120142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
What triggered the emergence of uniquely human behaviors (language, religion, music) some 100,000 years ago? A non-circular, speculative theory based on the mother-infant relationship is presented. Infant "cuteness" evokes the infant schema and motivates nurturing; the analogous mother schema (MS) is a multimodal representation of the carer from the fetal/infant perspective, motivating fearless trust. Prenatal MS organizes auditory, proprioceptive, and biochemical stimuli (voice, heartbeat, footsteps, digestion, body movements, biochemicals) that depend on maternal physical/emotional state. In human evolution, bipedalism and encephalization led to earlier births and more fragile infants. Cognitively more advanced infants survived by better communicating with and motivating (manipulating) mothers and carers. The ability to link arbitrary sound patterns to complex meanings improved (proto-language). Later in life, MS and associated emotions were triggered in ritual settings by repetitive sounds and movements (early song, chant, rhythm, dance), subdued light, dull auditory timbre, psychoactive substances, unusual tastes/smells and postures, and/or a feeling of enclosure. Operant conditioning can explain why such actions were repeated. Reflective consciousness emerged as infant-mother dyads playfully explored intentionality (theory of mind, agent detection) and carers predicted and prevented fatal infant accidents (mental time travel). The theory is consistent with cross-cultural commonalities in altered states (out-of-body, possessing, floating, fusing), spiritual beings (large, moving, powerful, emotional, wise, loving), and reports of strong musical experiences and divine encounters. Evidence is circumstantial and cumulative; falsification is problematic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Parncutt
- Centre for Systematic Musicology, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
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Suskind DL, Leung CYY, Webber RJ, Hundertmark AC, Leffel KR, Fuenmayor Rivas IE, Grobman WA. Educating Parents About Infant Language Development: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2018; 57:945-953. [PMID: 29073768 DOI: 10.1177/0009922817737079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A total of 427 women (aged 18-45 years) who delivered a singleton neonate without serious medical complications were randomized to watch either an educational intervention (n = 225) or the sudden infant death syndrome (n = 202) video. Linear mixed models showed that the intervention women significantly gained knowledge over time. Knowledge gain was largest among high-socioeconomic status (high-SES) and middle-SES English-speaking, smaller among low-SES Spanish-speaking, and nonsignificant among low-SES English-speaking women. Analysis of deviance revealed that the intervention women of all SES learned strategies fostering secure attachment and language acquisition. Participants considered watching an educational video alongside the universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) conveniently timed. The intervention women were more likely than the control women to recognize the importance of timely UNHS follow-up.
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21
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Skoe E, Burakiewicz E, Figueiredo M, Hardin M. Basic neural processing of sound in adults is influenced by bilingual experience. Neuroscience 2017; 349:278-290. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.02.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 02/18/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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22
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How internal neurons represent the short context: an emergent perspective. PROGRESS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s13748-016-0106-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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23
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Oscillatory Dynamics Underlying Perceptual Narrowing of Native Phoneme Mapping from 6 to 12 Months of Age. J Neurosci 2016; 36:12095-12105. [PMID: 27903720 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1162-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During the first months of life, human infants process phonemic elements from all languages similarly. However, by 12 months of age, as language-specific phonemic maps are established, infants respond preferentially to their native language. This process, known as perceptual narrowing, supports neural representation and thus efficient processing of the distinctive phonemes within the sound environment. Although oscillatory mechanisms underlying processing of native and non-native phonemic contrasts were recently delineated in 6-month-old infants, the maturational trajectory of these mechanisms remained unclear. A group of typically developing infants born into monolingual English families, were followed from 6 to 12 months and presented with English and Spanish syllable contrasts varying in voice-onset time. Brain responses were recorded with high-density electroencephalogram, and sources of event-related potential generators identified at right and left auditory cortices at 6 and 12 months and also at frontal cortex at 6 months. Time-frequency analyses conducted at source level found variations in both θ and γ ranges across age. Compared with 6-month-olds, 12-month-olds' responses to native phonemes showed smaller and faster phase synchronization and less spectral power in the θ range, and increases in left phase synchrony as well as induced high-γ activity in both frontal and left auditory sources. These results demonstrate that infants become more automatized and efficient in processing their native language as they approach 12 months of age via the interplay between θ and γ oscillations. We suggest that, while θ oscillations support syllable processing, γ oscillations underlie phonemic perceptual narrowing, progressively favoring mapping of native over non-native language across the first year of life. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT During early language acquisition, typically developing infants gradually construct phonemic maps of their native language in auditory cortex. It is well known that, by 12 months of age, human infants move from universal discrimination of most linguistic phonemic contrasts to phonemic expertise in their native language. This perceptual narrowing occurs at the expense of the ability to process non-native phonemes. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this process are still poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that perceptual narrowing is, at least in part, accomplished by decreasing power and phase coherence in the θ range while increasing activity in high-γ in left auditory cortex. Understanding the normative neural mechanisms that support early language acquisition is crucial to understanding and perhaps ameliorating developmental language disorders.
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24
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Abstract
Language-processing functions follow heterogeneous developmental trajectories. The human embryo can already distinguish vowels in utero, but grammatical complexity is usually not fully mastered until at least 7 years of age. Examining the current literature, we propose that the ontogeny of the cortical language network can be roughly subdivided into two main developmental stages. In the first stage extending over the first 3 years of life, the infant rapidly acquires bottom-up processing capacities, which are primarily implemented bilaterally in the temporal cortices. In the second stage continuing into adolescence, top-down processes emerge gradually with the increasing functional selectivity and structural connectivity of the left inferior frontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Skeide
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Angela D Friederici
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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