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Harford EE, Holt LL, Abel TJ. Unveiling the development of human voice perception: Neurobiological mechanisms and pathophysiology. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 6:100127. [PMID: 38511174 PMCID: PMC10950757 DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2024.100127] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The human voice is a critical stimulus for the auditory system that promotes social connection, informs the listener about identity and emotion, and acts as the carrier for spoken language. Research on voice processing in adults has informed our understanding of the unique status of the human voice in the mature auditory cortex and provided potential explanations for mechanisms that underly voice selectivity and identity processing. There is evidence that voice perception undergoes developmental change starting in infancy and extending through early adolescence. While even young infants recognize the voice of their mother, there is an apparent protracted course of development to reach adult-like selectivity for human voice over other sound categories and recognition of other talkers by voice. Gaps in the literature do not allow for an exact mapping of this trajectory or an adequate description of how voice processing and its neural underpinnings abilities evolve. This review provides a comprehensive account of developmental voice processing research published to date and discusses how this evidence fits with and contributes to current theoretical models proposed in the adult literature. We discuss how factors such as cognitive development, neural plasticity, perceptual narrowing, and language acquisition may contribute to the development of voice processing and its investigation in children. We also review evidence of voice processing abilities in premature birth, autism spectrum disorder, and phonagnosia to examine where and how deviations from the typical trajectory of development may manifest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. Harford
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Lori L. Holt
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, USA
| | - Taylor J. Abel
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, USA
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2
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Punamäki RL, Diab SY, Drosos K, Qouta SR, Vänskä M. The role of acoustic features of maternal infant-directed singing in enhancing infant sensorimotor, language and socioemotional development. Infant Behav Dev 2024; 74:101908. [PMID: 37992456 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101908] [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: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
The quality of infant-directed speech (IDS) and infant-directed singing (IDSi) are considered vital to children, but empirical studies on protomusical qualities of the IDSi influencing infant development are rare. The current prospective study examines the role of IDSi acoustic features, such as pitch variability, shape and movement, and vocal amplitude vibration, timbre, and resonance, in associating with infant sensorimotor, language, and socioemotional development at six and 18 months. The sample consists of 236 Palestinian mothers from Gaza Strip singing to their six-month-olds a song by their own choice. Maternal IDSi was recorded and analyzed by the OpenSMILE- tool to depict main acoustic features of pitch frequencies, variations, and contours, vocal intensity, resonance formants, and power. The results are based on completed 219 maternal IDSi. Mothers reported about their infants' sensorimotor, language-vocalization, and socioemotional skills at six months, and psychologists tested these skills by Bayley Scales for Infant Development at 18 months. Results show that maternal IDSi characterized by wide pitch variability and rich and high vocal amplitude and vibration were associated with infants' optimal sensorimotor, language vocalization, and socioemotional skills at six months, and rich and high vocal amplitude and vibration predicted these optimal developmental skills also at 18 months. High resonance and rhythmicity formants were associated with optimal language and vocalization skills at six months. To conclude, the IDSi is considered important in enhancing newborn and risk infants' wellbeing, and the current findings argue that favorable acoustic singing qualities are crucial for optimal multidomain development across infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raija-Leena Punamäki
- Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Finland.
| | - Safwat Y Diab
- Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Finland
| | - Konstantinos Drosos
- Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Finland; Nokia Research Center, Espoo, Finland
| | - Samir R Qouta
- Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Qatar
| | - Mervi Vänskä
- Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Finland
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3
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Wu Y, De Asis-Cruz J, Limperopoulos C. Brain structural and functional outcomes in the offspring of women experiencing psychological distress during pregnancy. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02449-0. [PMID: 38418579 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02449-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
In-utero exposure to maternal psychological distress is increasingly linked with disrupted fetal and neonatal brain development and long-term neurobehavioral dysfunction in children and adults. Elevated maternal psychological distress is associated with changes in fetal brain structure and function, including reduced hippocampal and cerebellar volumes, increased cerebral cortical gyrification and sulcal depth, decreased brain metabolites (e.g., choline and creatine levels), and disrupted functional connectivity. After birth, reduced cerebral and cerebellar gray matter volumes, increased cerebral cortical gyrification, altered amygdala and hippocampal volumes, and disturbed brain microstructure and functional connectivity have been reported in the offspring months or even years after exposure to maternal distress during pregnancy. Additionally, adverse child neurodevelopment outcomes such as cognitive, language, learning, memory, social-emotional problems, and neuropsychiatric dysfunction are being increasingly reported after prenatal exposure to maternal distress. The mechanisms by which prenatal maternal psychological distress influences early brain development include but are not limited to impaired placental function, disrupted fetal epigenetic regulation, altered microbiome and inflammation, dysregulated hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, altered distribution of the fetal cardiac output to the brain, and disrupted maternal sleep and appetite. This review will appraise the available literature on the brain structural and functional outcomes and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the offspring of pregnant women experiencing elevated psychological distress. In addition, it will also provide an overview of the mechanistic underpinnings of brain development changes in stress response and discuss current treatments for elevated maternal psychological distress, including pharmacotherapy (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and non-pharmacotherapy (e.g., cognitive-behavior therapy). Finally, it will end with a consideration of future directions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wu
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | | | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
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Fuchino Y, Kato I, Htun Y, Takano Y, Konishi Y, Koyano K, Nakamura S, Tanaka N, Kusaka T, Konishi Y. Developmental changes in neonatal hemodynamics during tactile stimulation using whole-head functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Neuroimage 2023; 284:120465. [PMID: 37993003 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120465] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural-activity-associated hemodynamic changes have been used to noninvasively measure brain function in the early developmental stages. However, the temporal changes in their hemodynamics are not always consistent with adults. Studies have not evaluated developmental changes for a long period using the same stimuli; therefore, this study examined the normalized relative changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (Δ[oxy-Hb]) in full-term infants and compared them with neonates up to 10 months of age during the administration of tactile vibration stimuli to their limbs using whole-head functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The time to peak of normalized Δ[oxy-Hb] was not affected by age. The amplitude of normalized Δ[oxy-Hb] showed an effect of age in broader areas, including sensorimotor-related but excluding supplementary motor area; the amplitude of normalized Δ[oxy-Hb] decreased the most in the 1-2-month-old group and later increased with development. We hypothesized that these results may reflect developmental changes in neural activity, vasculature, and blood oxygenation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaka Fuchino
- Language Sciences, Department of Human Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan; Research Center for Language, Brain and Genetics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Ikuko Kato
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
| | - Yinmon Htun
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
| | - Yuji Takano
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Environment, University of Human Environments, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Yukihiko Konishi
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
| | - Kosuke Koyano
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
| | - Shinji Nakamura
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
| | - Naoki Tanaka
- Research Institute of Industrial Technology, Toyo University, Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takashi Kusaka
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan
| | - Yukuo Konishi
- Center for Baby Science, Doshisha University, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
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Ribas-Prats T, Cordero G, Lip-Sosa DL, Arenillas-Alcón S, Costa-Faidella J, Gómez-Roig MD, Escera C. Developmental Trajectory of the Frequency-Following Response During the First 6 Months of Life. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:4785-4800. [PMID: 37944057 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of the present study is to characterize the maturational changes during the first 6 months of life in the neural encoding of two speech sound features relevant for early language acquisition: the stimulus fundamental frequency (fo), related to stimulus pitch, and the vowel formant composition, particularly F1. The frequency-following response (FFR) was used as a snapshot into the neural encoding of these two stimulus attributes. METHOD FFRs to a consonant-vowel stimulus /da/ were retrieved from electroencephalographic recordings in a sample of 80 healthy infants (45 at birth and 35 at the age of 1 month). Thirty-two infants (16 recorded at birth and 16 recorded at 1 month) returned for a second recording at 6 months of age. RESULTS Stimulus fo and F1 encoding showed improvements from birth to 6 months of age. Most remarkably, a significant improvement in the F1 neural encoding was observed during the first month of life. CONCLUSION Our results highlight the rapid and sustained maturation of the basic neural machinery necessary for the phoneme discrimination ability during the first 6 months of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Ribas-Prats
- Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gaël Cordero
- Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Lucia Lip-Sosa
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sonia Arenillas-Alcón
- Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Costa-Faidella
- Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Dolores Gómez-Roig
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Escera
- Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
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Kosakowski HL, Norman-Haignere S, Mynick A, Takahashi A, Saxe R, Kanwisher N. Preliminary evidence for selective cortical responses to music in one-month-old infants. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13387. [PMID: 36951215 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13387] [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: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Prior studies have observed selective neural responses in the adult human auditory cortex to music and speech that cannot be explained by the differing lower-level acoustic properties of these stimuli. Does infant cortex exhibit similarly selective responses to music and speech shortly after birth? To answer this question, we attempted to collect functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 45 sleeping infants (2.0- to 11.9-weeks-old) while they listened to monophonic instrumental lullabies and infant-directed speech produced by a mother. To match acoustic variation between music and speech sounds we (1) recorded music from instruments that had a similar spectral range as female infant-directed speech, (2) used a novel excitation-matching algorithm to match the cochleagrams of music and speech stimuli, and (3) synthesized "model-matched" stimuli that were matched in spectrotemporal modulation statistics to (yet perceptually distinct from) music or speech. Of the 36 infants we collected usable data from, 19 had significant activations to sounds overall compared to scanner noise. From these infants, we observed a set of voxels in non-primary auditory cortex (NPAC) but not in Heschl's Gyrus that responded significantly more to music than to each of the other three stimulus types (but not significantly more strongly than to the background scanner noise). In contrast, our planned analyses did not reveal voxels in NPAC that responded more to speech than to model-matched speech, although other unplanned analyses did. These preliminary findings suggest that music selectivity arises within the first month of life. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://youtu.be/c8IGFvzxudk. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Responses to music, speech, and control sounds matched for the spectrotemporal modulation-statistics of each sound were measured from 2- to 11-week-old sleeping infants using fMRI. Auditory cortex was significantly activated by these stimuli in 19 out of 36 sleeping infants. Selective responses to music compared to the three other stimulus classes were found in non-primary auditory cortex but not in nearby Heschl's Gyrus. Selective responses to speech were not observed in planned analyses but were observed in unplanned, exploratory analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Kosakowski
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute, of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Brains, Minds and Machines, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Anna Mynick
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hannover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Atsushi Takahashi
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute, of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca Saxe
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute, of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Brains, Minds and Machines, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nancy Kanwisher
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute, of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Brains, Minds and Machines, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Spann MN, Rogers C. The Infant Brain: A Critical Antecedent of Psychiatric Risk. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:854-857. [PMID: 37121613 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marisa N Spann
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York.
| | - Cynthia Rogers
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.
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O'Reilly G, Cheung PS, McCaffrey T. A Pilot Study of Maternal Songwriting to Support Bonding During Pregnancy: "I Could Feel Her Rise and Fall With My Breath While Singing". J Midwifery Womens Health 2023; 68:205-209. [PMID: 36683203 DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.13463] [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: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Attachment is a lasting psychological and emotional bond that impacts a child's social, emotional, and cognitive development. Maternal-fetal attachment is a precursor to this bond that is regarded as a predictor for mother-infant relating postbirth. Although previous studies have investigated use of music interventions to support maternal-fetal attachment, no study to date has investigated the use of maternal songwriting to support this bond during pregnancy. METHODS Four pregnant women were recruited to this pilot study. Each woman participated in 2 songwriting workshops with the aim of writing an original song to their fetus. Following the workshops, experiences of using songwriting for the purposes of supporting bonding were investigated through individual semistructured interviews and analyzed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS Analysis of semistructured interviews with pregnant women revealed 3 main themes: song singing promotes physical connection with the fetus; songwriting encourages open communication with the fetus; and songwriting can create a musical legacy within families. DISCUSSION To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind that investigated maternal songwriting to support bonding during pregnancy. Findings indicated that songwriting has the potential to support such attachment due to its capacity to enhance physical connection and open communication with the fetus, while also creating a musical legacy that can be used and passed on among other family members. Overall, songwriting may support pregnant women to draw on their inner resources to create such a bespoke musical gift to their unborn child. Further research around this topic is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma O'Reilly
- Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Pui Sze Cheung
- Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Tríona McCaffrey
- Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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De Asis-Cruz J, Limperopoulos C. Harnessing the Power of Advanced Fetal Neuroimaging to Understand In Utero Footprints for Later Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 93:867-879. [PMID: 36804195 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Adverse intrauterine events may profoundly impact fetal risk for future adult diseases. The mechanisms underlying this increased vulnerability are complex and remain poorly understood. Contemporary advances in fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have provided clinicians and scientists with unprecedented access to in vivo human fetal brain development to begin to identify emerging endophenotypes of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. In this review, we discuss salient findings of normal fetal neurodevelopment from studies using advanced, multimodal MRI that have provided unparalleled characterization of in utero prenatal brain morphology, metabolism, microstructure, and functional connectivity. We appraise the clinical utility of these normative data in identifying high-risk fetuses before birth. We highlight available studies that have investigated the predictive validity of advanced prenatal brain MRI findings and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. We then discuss how ex utero quantitative MRI findings can inform in utero investigations toward the pursuit of early biomarkers of risk. Lastly, we explore future opportunities to advance our understanding of the prenatal origins of neuropsychiatric disorders using precision fetal imaging.
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Scheinost D, Chang J, Lacadie C, Brennan-Wydra E, Constable RT, Chawarska K, Ment LR. Functional connectivity for the language network in the developing brain: 30 weeks of gestation to 30 months of age. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:3289-3301. [PMID: 34875024 PMCID: PMC9340393 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the neural scaffolding for language is putatively present before birth, the maturation of functional connections among the key nodes of the language network, Broca's and Wernicke's areas, is less known. We leveraged longitudinal and cross-sectional data from three sites collected through six studies to track the development of functional circuits between Broca's and Wernicke's areas from 30 weeks of gestation through 30 months of age in 127 unique participants. Using resting-state fMRI data, functional connectivity was calculated as the correlation between fMRI time courses from pairs of regions, defined as Broca's and Wernicke's in both hemispheres. The primary analysis evaluated 23 individuals longitudinally imaged from 30 weeks postmenstrual age (fetal) through the first postnatal month (neonatal). A secondary analysis in 127 individuals extended these curves into older infants and toddlers. These data demonstrated significant growth of interhemispheric connections including left Broca's and its homolog and left Wernicke's and its homolog from 30 weeks of gestation through the first postnatal month. In contrast, intrahemispheric connections did not show significant increases across this period. These data represent an important baseline for language systems in the developing brain against which to compare those neurobehavioral disorders with the potential fetal onset of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin Scheinost
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Statistics & Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Joseph Chang
- Department of Statistics & Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Cheryl Lacadie
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - R Todd Constable
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Katarzyna Chawarska
- Department of Statistics & Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Laura R Ment
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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Ding S, Huang X, Li X, Shen Y, Yang L. Effects of maternal voice on painful procedures in preterm and full‐term infants: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Nurs Crit Care 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/nicc.12811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shenglan Ding
- Department of Pediatric Surgery Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and technology of China Chengdu China
| | - Xiuhua Huang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and technology of China Chengdu China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Pediatric Surgery Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and technology of China Chengdu China
| | - Yi Shen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and technology of China Chengdu China
| | - Lili Yang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and technology of China Chengdu China
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Pollatou A, Filippi CA, Aydin E, Vaughn K, Thompson D, Korom M, Dufford AJ, Howell B, Zöllei L, Martino AD, Graham A, Scheinost D, Spann MN. An ode to fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging: Chronicling early clinical to research applications with MRI, and an introduction to an academic society connecting the field. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 54:101083. [PMID: 35184026 PMCID: PMC8861425 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging is commonly thought of as a development of modern times (last two decades). Yet, this field mobilized shortly after the discovery and implementation of MRI technology. Here, we provide a review of the parallel advancements in the fields of fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging, noting the shifts from clinical to research use, and the ongoing challenges in this fast-growing field. We chronicle the pioneering science of fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging, highlighting the early studies that set the stage for modern advances in imaging during this developmental period, and the large-scale multi-site efforts which ultimately led to the explosion of interest in the field today. Lastly, we consider the growing pains of the community and the need for an academic society that bridges expertise in developmental neuroscience, clinical science, as well as computational and biomedical engineering, to ensure special consideration of the vulnerable mother-offspring dyad (especially during pregnancy), data quality, and image processing tools that are created, rather than adapted, for the young brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki Pollatou
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Courtney A Filippi
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Ezra Aydin
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kelly Vaughn
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Deanne Thompson
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marta Korom
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Alexander J Dufford
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Brittany Howell
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, USA; Department of Human Development and Family Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Lilla Zöllei
- Laboratory for Computational Neuroimaging, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | | | - Alice Graham
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | | | - Dustin Scheinost
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marisa N Spann
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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Universal newborn hearing screening with automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) in Hungary: 5-year experience in diagnostics and influence on the early intervention. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2022; 279:5647-5654. [PMID: 35767058 PMCID: PMC9244110 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-022-07441-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE In 2015 a new regulation and guidelines for the universal newborn hearing screening by AABR measurement have been implemented in Hungary. The aim of our study was to analyse (1) the past 5 years of data from our diagnostic centre about the incidence and types of congenital hearing losses, and (2) the first experiences with the National Newborn Hearing Screening Registry, started in 2019, and (3) the influence of the screening on the pediatric cochlear implant program. METHODS 1269 children referred to our diagnostic centre between 2017 and 2021 were investigated. A third AABR measurement and full audiological evaluation were performed. Furthermore, one-year period data of the screening registry, and the number of implanted children at or under the age of 3 were analysed using the national databases. RESULTS Altogether 276 newborns (22% of the referred cases after the two-stage screening) had hearing loss, 134 (49%) out of them was conductive origin, almost twice frequent in male as in female. Permanent sensorineural hearing impairment was found in 142 (51%), 58 (40%) of them had bilateral, severe to profound hearing loss, occurring more frequently in male as in female. The national digital registration of the screening data within 12 months concerned 68%. The number of early cochlear implantation in one year increased from 1 to 23 children in the past 15 years. CONCLUSION A third AABR after the two-stage screening increased the efficiency and filtered the 78% false-positive cases. The audiological diagnostics verified and typed the hearing losses ensuring the early intervention.
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Carvalho ME, Ricon R, Gameiro M, Rodrigues H. Creating a prenatal song for an unborn infant during a music therapy program: A longitudinal and microanalytic case study from before birth to three months of age. NORDIC JOURNAL OF MUSIC THERAPY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/08098131.2021.2004612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eduarda Carvalho
- Center for Sociology and Musical Aesthetics Studies, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of New University of Lisbon, CESEM-NOVA-FCSH, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Raul Ricon
- Center for Sociology and Musical Aesthetics Studies, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of New University of Lisbon, CESEM-NOVA-FCSH, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mariana Gameiro
- Center for Sociology and Musical Aesthetics Studies, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of New University of Lisbon, CESEM-NOVA-FCSH, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Helene Rodrigues
- Center for Sociology and Musical Aesthetics Studies, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of New University of Lisbon, CESEM-NOVA-FCSH, Lisbon, Portugal
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Abstract
The perinatal brain is well equipped to react to the environment during sleep. Several lines of research in animals and humans prior to and immediately after birth have documented the capability to respond, to process and remember patterns of stimulation. In this article, we will summarize recent findings as well as previous work documenting the memory and learning capacities of the developing brain during sleep and wake states. The role of these sleep state dependent processes may play in the ability to adapt to the postnatal environment will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget Callaghan
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University et à la Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State, Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, États-Unis
| | - William P Fifer
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University et à la Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, États-Unis
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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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Enhancing the NICU language environment with a neonatal Cuddler program. J Perinatol 2021; 41:2063-2071. [PMID: 33772111 PMCID: PMC7995673 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-021-01037-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare effects of a language intervention on Cuddler and parent adult word counts (AWC), and to compare Cuddler versus parent and nurse-care times. DESIGN Prospective pilot cohort intervention study. Twelve Cuddler-low-visit (≤2/week) infant pairs and 17 high-visit (≥3/week) parent-infant pairs were enrolled. Each had a 16-hour baseline recording (R1) followed by a language curriculum with linguistic feedback and an outcome recording (R2) 1 week later. Bivariate group analyses and longitudinal negative binomial regressions were run. RESULTS After the intervention, there were non-significant increases in AWC/h for Cuddlers and high-visit parents. Cuddler AWCs were similar to high-visit parents and significantly higher than nurse-care times on both recordings. Within the low-visit group, hourly AWCs were higher when Cuddlers were present versus absent (R1 = 1779 versus 552, R2 = 2530 versus 534, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS NICU language environments are different for low-visit and high-visit infants and Cuddlers can increase infant language exposure in the NICU.
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Filippa M, Menin D, Panebianco R, Monaci MG, Dondi M, Grandjean D. Live Maternal Speech and Singing Increase Self-Touch and Eye-Opening in Preterm Newborns: A Preliminary Study. JOURNAL OF NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10919-020-00336-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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19
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Saliba S, Gratier M, Filippa M, Devouche E, Esseily R. Fathers’ and Mothers’ Infant Directed Speech Influences Preterm Infant Behavioral State in the NICU. JOURNAL OF NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10919-020-00335-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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20
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Fetal Middle Cerebral Artery Pulsatility Index in No-Risk Pregnancies: Effects of Auditory Stimulation and Pregnancy Order. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113855. [PMID: 32485789 PMCID: PMC7312760 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulsatility index (PI) values in a fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) were compared in no-risk pregnancies to examine the differences related to auditory stimulation test and pregnancy order. The study included 196 women with no-risk pregnancies selected from the database of more than 1000 pregnant women divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 98 nulliparous women (C1 = 98) and Group 2 consisted of 98 parous women (C2 = 98). All pregnant women were of comparable age and fetal gestational age (GA) when MCA-PI values were recorded. Measurements of PI values in fetal MCA were obtained before and immediately after the application of fetal auditory stimulation test. The MCA-PI measuring was conducted in the period between the 36th and the 41st week of GA. The results showed that PI baseline values and PI values after defined auditory stimulation were significantly different when measured in nulliparous women compared to parous women (p = 0.001; p = 0.003, respectively), while no group differences were observed in relative PI value changes due to auditory stimulation. These findings suggest that hemodynamic changes in fetal MCA caused by defined auditory stimulation measured by PI value changes may be valuable in the assessment of fetal auditory perception functionality and its development.
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Punamäki R, Vänskä M, Quota SR, Perko K, Diab SY. Vocal emotion expressions in infant‐directed singing: The impact of war trauma and maternal mental health and the consequences on infant development. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mervi Vänskä
- Faculty of Social Sciences, PsychologyTampere University Tampere Finland
| | - Samir R. Quota
- Department of Education and Psychology, Islamic University of Gaza, IUG Gaza Palestine
- School of Social and Humanitarian StudiesDoha Institute for Graduate Students Doha Qatar
| | - Kaisa Perko
- Faculty of Social Sciences, PsychologyTampere University Tampere Finland
| | - Safwat Y. Diab
- Faculty of Social Sciences, PsychologyTampere University Tampere Finland
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Jutras B, Lagacé J, Koravand A. The development of auditory functions. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2020; 173:143-155. [PMID: 32958169 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64150-2.00014-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Typical development and maturation of the auditory system, at both the peripheral and central levels, is essential for the acquisition of speech, language, and auditory skills. The peripheral system generally encodes three basic parameters associated with auditory stimuli-time, frequency, and intensity. These acoustic cues are subsequently processed by the central auditory structures to reach and be perceived by the cerebral cortex. Observations of the human fetal and neonatal ear indicate that the peripheral auditory system is structurally and functionally adult-like at birth. In contrast, the central auditory system exhibits progressive anatomical and physiologic changes until early adulthood. Enriched experience with sound is fundamental and critical to auditory development. The absence of early and prolonged acoustic stimulation delays neuronal maturation, affecting the central auditory nervous system, in particular, and leading to atypical development. The present chapter reviews the various stages of development of the auditory system structures, especially the embryology of the human ear, before briefly presenting the trajectories of typical development of auditory abilities from infants to school-aged children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoît Jutras
- School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Université de Montréal, Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC, Canada.
| | - Josée Lagacé
- Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Program, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Amineh Koravand
- Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Program, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Filippa M, Lordier L, De Almeida JS, Monaci MG, Adam-Darque A, Grandjean D, Kuhn P, Hüppi PS. Early vocal contact and music in the NICU: new insights into preventive interventions. Pediatr Res 2020; 87:249-264. [PMID: 31266053 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-019-0490-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
It is now clearly established that the environment and the sensory stimuli, particularly during the perinatal period, have an impact on infant's development. During the last trimester of gestation, activity-dependent plasticity shapes the fetal brain, and prematurity has been shown to alter the typical developmental trajectories. In this delicate period, preventive interventions aiming at modulating these developmental trajectories through activity-inducing interventions are currently underway to be tested. The purpose of this review paper is to describe the potentialities of early vocal contact and music on the preterm infant's brain development, and their potential beneficial effect on early development. Scientific evidence supports a behavioral orientation of the newborn to organized sounds, such as those of voice and music, and recent neuroimaging studies further confirm full cerebral processing of music as multisensory stimuli. However, the impact of long-term effects of music exposure and early vocal contact on preterm infants' long-term neurodevelopment needs be further investigated. To conclude, it is necessary to establish the neuroscientific bases of the early perception and the long-term effects of music and early vocal contact on the premature newborns' development. Scientific projects are currently on the way to fill this gap in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Filippa
- Department of Women, Infants and Adolescents, Division of Development and Growth, University Children Hospital, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. .,University of Valle d'Aosta, Aosta, Italy. .,Neuroscience of Emotion and Affective Dynamics, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, and Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Lara Lordier
- Department of Women, Infants and Adolescents, Division of Development and Growth, University Children Hospital, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Joana Sa De Almeida
- Department of Women, Infants and Adolescents, Division of Development and Growth, University Children Hospital, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Alexandra Adam-Darque
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neurorehabilitation, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Neurorehabilitation, University Hospital of Geneva and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Didier Grandjean
- Neuroscience of Emotion and Affective Dynamics, Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, and Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Kuhn
- Service de Médecine et réanimation du nouveau-né, Hôpital de Hautepierre, CHU Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Petra S Hüppi
- Department of Women, Infants and Adolescents, Division of Development and Growth, University Children Hospital, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Carvalho MES, Justo JM, Gratier M, Tomé T, Pereira E, Rodrigues H. Vocal responsiveness of preterm infants to maternal infant-directed speaking and singing during skin-to-skin contact (Kangaroo Care) in the NICU. Infant Behav Dev 2019; 57:101332. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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25
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Gélat P, David AL, Haqhenas SR, Henriques J, Thibaut de Maisieres A, White T, Jauniaux E. Evaluation of fetal exposure to external loud noise using a sheep model: quantification of in utero acoustic transmission across the human audio range. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019; 221:343.e1-343.e11. [PMID: 31152712 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.05.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is mounting evidence that neural memory traces are formed by auditory learning in utero and that premature newborns are particularly sensitive to the intense, sustained noises or impulses sounds associated with the use of intensive care equipment. One area of critical importance is the determination of sound level exposure in utero associated with maternal occupation. The attenuation factors provided by the abdomen and tissue as well as the routes by which the inner ear receives stimulation need careful consideration and investigation to provide prenatal protection from external sound levels and frequencies that may cause harm. OBJECTIVE To measure how sound from external sound sources is transmitted to the fetus inside the uterus of a pregnant sheep in 6 Hz frequency steps between 100 Hz and 20 kHz (ie, across most of the human audio range). STUDY DESIGN We measured acoustic transfer characteristics in vivo in 6 time-mated singleton pregnant Romney ewes (gestational age, 103-130 days, weight, 54-74 kg). Under general anesthesia and at hysterotomy, a calibrated hydrophone was attached to the occiput of the fetal head within the amniotic sac. Two calibrated microphones were positioned in the operating theater, close to the head and to the body of each ewe. Initial experiments were carried out on 3 pregnant ewes 3 days after transport recovery to inform the data acquisition protocol. This was followed by detailed data acquisition of 3 pregnant ewes under general anesthesia, using external white noise signals. Voltage signals were acquired with 2 calibrated microphones, located near the head and the body of each ewe and with a calibrated hydrophone located in the amniotic fluid. RESULTS Measurement of acoustic transmission through the maternal abdominal and uterine walls indicates that frequency contents above 10 kHz are transmitted into the amniotic sac and that some frequencies are attenuated by as little as 3 dB. CONCLUSION This study provides new data about in utero sound transmission of external noise sources beyond physiological noise (cardiovascular, respiratory, and intestinal sounds), which help quantity the potential for fetal physiological damage resulting from exposure to high levels of noise during pregnancy. Fine-frequency acoustic attenuation characteristics are essential to inform standards and clinical recommendations on exposure of pregnant women to noise. Such transfer functions may also inform the design of filters to produce an optimal acoustic setting for maternal occupational noise exposure, use of magnetic resonance imaging during pregnancy, and for neonatal incubators.
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26
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Afacan O, Estroff JA, Yang E, Barnewolt CE, Connolly SA, Parad RB, Mulkern RV, Warfield SK, Gholipour A. Fetal Echoplanar Imaging: Promises and Challenges. Top Magn Reson Imaging 2019; 28:245-254. [PMID: 31592991 PMCID: PMC6788763 DOI: 10.1097/rmr.0000000000000219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been gaining increasing interest in both clinical radiology and research. Echoplanar imaging (EPI) offers a unique potential, as it can be used to acquire images very fast. It can be used to freeze motion, or to get multiple images with various contrast mechanisms that allow studying the microstructure and function of the fetal brain and body organs. In this article, we discuss the current clinical and research applications of fetal EPI. This includes T2*-weighted imaging to better identify blood products and vessels, using diffusion-weighted MRI to investigate connections of the developing brain and using functional MRI (fMRI) to identify the functional networks of the developing brain. EPI can also be used as an alternative structural sequence when banding or standing wave artifacts adversely affect the mainstream sequences used routinely in structural fetal MRI. We also discuss the challenges with EPI acquisitions, and potential solutions. As EPI acquisitions are inherently sensitive to susceptibility artifacts, geometric distortions limit the use of high-resolution EPI acquisitions. Also, interslice motion and transmit and receive field inhomogeneities may create significant artifacts in fetal EPI. We conclude by discussing promising research directions to overcome these challenges to improve the use of EPI in clinical and research applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onur Afacan
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Judy A. Estroff
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Advanced Fetal Care Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Edward Yang
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Advanced Fetal Care Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Carol E. Barnewolt
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Advanced Fetal Care Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Susan A. Connolly
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Advanced Fetal Care Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Richard B. Parad
- Advanced Fetal Care Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Robert V. Mulkern
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Simon K. Warfield
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ali Gholipour
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Liu J, Tsang T, Jackson L, Ponting C, Jeste SS, Bookheimer SY, Dapretto M. Altered lateralization of dorsal language tracts in 6-week-old infants at risk for autism. Dev Sci 2019; 22:e12768. [PMID: 30372577 PMCID: PMC6470045 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Altered structural connectivity has been identified as a possible biomarker of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk in the developing brain. Core features of ASD include impaired social communication and early language delay. Thus, examining white matter tracts associated with language may lend further insight into early signs of ASD risk and the mechanisms that underlie language impairments associated with the disorder. Evidence of altered structural connectivity has previously been detected in 6-month-old infants at high familial risk for developing ASD. However, as language processing begins in utero, differences in structural connectivity between language regions may be present in the early infant brain shortly after birth. Here we investigated key white matter pathways of the dorsal language network in 6-week-old infants at high (HR) and low (LR) risk for ASD to identify atypicalities in structural connectivity that may predict altered developmental trajectories prior to overt language delays and the onset of ASD symptomatology. Compared to HR infants, LR infants showed higher fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF); in contrast, in the right SLF, HR infants showed higher FA than LR infants. Additionally, HR infants showed more rightward lateralization of the SLF. Across both groups, measures of FA and lateralization of these pathways at 6 weeks of age were related to later language development at 18 months of age as well as ASD symptomatology at 36 months of age. These findings indicate that early differences in the structure of language pathways may provide an early predictor of future language development and ASD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle Liu
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tawny Tsang
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Jackson
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carolyn Ponting
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shafali S. Jeste
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Susan Y. Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Cognitive Neurosciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mirella Dapretto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Hernandez-Reif M, Kendrick A, Avery DM. Pregnant women with depressive and anxiety symptoms read, talk, and sing less to their fetuses. J Affect Disord 2018; 229:532-537. [PMID: 29353212 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.12.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Hernandez-Reif
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Alabama, Box 870160, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-1060, USA.
| | - April Kendrick
- Child Development Resources, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Alabama, Box 870157, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0157, USA.
| | - Daniel Mason Avery
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Community Health Sciences, University of Alabama, Box 870374, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0326, USA.
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29
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Callaghan B, Fifer WP. Perinatal attention, memory and learning during sleep. ENFANCE 2017. [DOI: 10.3917/enf1.173.0349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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30
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Granier-Deferre C, Schaal B. Introduction : Anthony J. DeCasper, pionnier de la cognition prénatale. ENFANCE 2017. [DOI: 10.3917/enf1.173.0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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Spence MJ, Granier-Deferre C, Schaal B. L’étude du comportement est unique pour comprendre la cognition fœtale et néonatale – L’imagerie cérébrale la complète lorsqu’elle s’inspire de validité écologique. ENFANCE 2017. [DOI: 10.3917/enf1.173.0307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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Filippa M, Panza C, Ferrari F, Frassoldati R, Kuhn P, Balduzzi S, D'Amico R. Systematic review of maternal voice interventions demonstrates increased stability in preterm infants. Acta Paediatr 2017; 106:1220-1229. [PMID: 28378337 DOI: 10.1111/apa.13832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
We systematically reviewed how effectively maternal voice interventions supported the clinical outcomes and development of preterm infants. A total of 512 preterm infants were included in 15 studies with different designs, from January 2000 to July 2015. Live and recorded maternal voice interventions were associated with the physiologic and behavioural stabilisation of preterm infants, with fewer cardiorespiratory events, but the evidence was insufficient to evaluate the long-term effects. Well-defined determinants and clear setting conditions are needed for such interventions. CONCLUSION Further research that investigates the long-term efficacy and effects of live maternal voices on preterm infant development is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Filippa
- Department of Neonatology and Intensive Neonatal Care University; University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Modena Italy
| | | | - Fabrizio Ferrari
- Department of Neonatology and Intensive Neonatal Care University; University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Modena Italy
| | - Rossella Frassoldati
- Department of Neonatology and Intensive Neonatal Care University; University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Modena Italy
| | - Pierre Kuhn
- Médecine et Réanimation du Nouveau-né Hôpital de Hautepierre; CHU Strasbourg France
| | - Sara Balduzzi
- Department of Diagnostics; Clinical and Public Health Medicine; University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Modena Italy
| | - Roberto D'Amico
- Department of Diagnostics; Clinical and Public Health Medicine; University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Modena Italy
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More S, Bicout D, Botner A, Butterworth A, Calistri P, Depner K, Edwards S, Garin-Bastuji B, Good M, Gortazar Schmidt C, Michel V, Miranda MA, Saxmose Nielsen S, Velarde A, Thulke HH, Sihvonen L, Spoolder H, Stegeman JA, Raj M, Willeberg P, Candiani D, Winckler C. Animal welfare aspects in respect of the slaughter or killing of pregnant livestock animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses). EFSA J 2017; 15:e04782. [PMID: 32625488 PMCID: PMC7009911 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This scientific opinion addresses animal welfare aspects of slaughtering of livestock pregnant animals. Term of Reference (ToR) 1 requested assessment of the prevalence of animals slaughtered in a critical developmental stage of gestation when the livestock fetuses might experience negative affect. Limited data on European prevalence and related uncertainties necessitated a structured expert knowledge elicitation (EKE) exercise. Estimated median percentages of animals slaughtered in the last third of gestation are 3%, 1.5%, 0.5%, 0.8% and 0.2% (dairy cows, beef cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, respectively). Pregnant animals may be sent for slaughter for health, welfare, management and economic reasons (ToR2); there are also reasons for farmers not knowing that animals sent for slaughter are pregnant. Measures to reduce the incidence are listed. ToR3 asked whether livestock fetuses can experience pain and other negative affect. The available literature was reviewed and, at a second multidisciplinary EKE meeting, judgements and uncertainty were elicited. It is concluded that livestock fetuses in the last third of gestation have the anatomical and neurophysiological structures required to experience negative affect (with 90-100% likelihood). However, there are two different possibilities whether they perceive negative affect. It is more probable that the neurophysiological situation does not allow for conscious perception (with 66-99% likelihood) because of brain inhibitory mechanisms. There is also a less probable situation that livestock fetuses can experience negative affect (with 1-33% likelihood) arising from differences in the interpretation of the fetal electroencephalogram, observed responses to external stimuli and the possibility of fetal learning. Regarding methods to stun and kill livestock fetuses at slaughter (ToR4), sets of scenarios and respective actions take account of both the probable and less probable situation regarding fetal ability for conscious perception. Finally, information was collated on methods to establish the dam's gestational stage based on physical features of livestock fetuses (ToR5).
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Wermke K, Ruan Y, Feng Y, Dobnig D, Stephan S, Wermke P, Ma L, Chang H, Liu Y, Hesse V, Shu H. Fundamental Frequency Variation in Crying of Mandarin and German Neonates. J Voice 2017; 31:255.e25-255.e30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2016.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Tallet C, Rakotomahandry M, Guérin C, Lemasson A, Hausberger M. Postnatal auditory preferences in piglets differ according to maternal emotional experience with the same sounds during gestation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37238. [PMID: 27857224 PMCID: PMC5114567 DOI: 10.1038/srep37238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal sensory experience, notably auditory experience, is a source of fetal memories in many species. The contiguity between sensory stimuli and maternal emotional reactions provides opportunity for associative learning in utero but no clear evidence for this associative learning has been presented to date. Understanding this phenomenon would advance our knowledge of fetal sensory learning capacities. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that sounds (human voice) broadcast to pregnant sows while they experienced positive or negative emotional situations influences postnatal reactions of their offspring to these same sounds. The results show that: 1) from the first testing at the age of 2 days, the experimental piglets were less distressed by a social separation than controls if they heard the "familiar" voice, 2) piglets generalized to any human voice although the influence of novel voices was less pronounced, 3) in a challenging situation, piglets were more distressed if they heard the voice that was associated with maternal negative emotional state in utero. These findings open a whole line of new research on the long term effect of in utero associative learning that goes well beyond pigs, providing a framework for reconsidering the importance of sensory and emotional experiences during gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Tallet
- I.N.R.A., U.M.R.1348 PEGASE, Saint-Gilles, France
- Agrocampus Rennes, U.M.R.1348 PEGASE, Rennes, France
| | - Marine Rakotomahandry
- I.N.R.A., U.M.R.1348 PEGASE, Saint-Gilles, France
- Agrocampus Rennes, U.M.R.1348 PEGASE, Rennes, France
- Université de Rennes 1, Laboratoire d’éthologie animale et humaine, U.M.R. 6552- C.N.R.S., Paimpont, France
| | - Carole Guérin
- I.N.R.A., U.M.R.1348 PEGASE, Saint-Gilles, France
- Agrocampus Rennes, U.M.R.1348 PEGASE, Rennes, France
| | - Alban Lemasson
- Université de Rennes 1, Laboratoire d’éthologie animale et humaine, U.M.R. 6552- C.N.R.S., Paimpont, France
| | - Martine Hausberger
- C.N.R.S., Laboratoire d’éthologie animale et humaine, U.M.R. 6552- Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
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Busnel MC, Fifer W, Granier-Deferre C, Lecuyer R, Michel G, Moon C, Panneton R, Schaal B, Spence M. Tony DeCasper, the man who changed contemporary views on human fetal cognitive abilities. Dev Psychobiol 2016; 59:135-139. [PMID: 27861774 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - William Fifer
- Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City, New York
| | | | - Roger Lecuyer
- Université Paris Descartes - Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - George Michel
- University of North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina.,Center for Developmental Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Christine Moon
- Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington.,University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Benoist Schaal
- Centre des Sciences du Goût, CNRS and Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France
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Ferreira PR, Lucena AM, Machado-Nascimento N, Alves RO, Souza VCAD, Carvalho SADS, Camargos Jr. W, Parlato-Oliveira EM. Estratégias de percepção da língua materna: do nascimento até um ano de vida. REVISTA CEFAC 2016. [DOI: 10.1590/1982-0216201618422715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
RESUMO Bebês muito jovens demonstram habilidades linguísticas bastante refinadas, sendo capazes de perceber várias características na fala do adulto. A percepção da língua materna é, pois, imprescindível para a aquisição da linguagem. Esta revisão de literatura trata das habilidades de percepção de fala dos bebês a partir do nascimento até um ano de idade. Para tanto, foi realizada a busca bibliográfica em 7 bases de dados, nos idiomas inglês, francês, português e espanhol, no período de 2007 a 2014. Com esse levantamento bibliográfico foi possível reconhecer como a aquisição da linguagem ocorre de forma rápida e que bebês bem jovens são capazes de utilizar estratégias elaboradas para iniciar tal aquisição.
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Poliva O. From Mimicry to Language: A Neuroanatomically Based Evolutionary Model of the Emergence of Vocal Language. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:307. [PMID: 27445676 PMCID: PMC4928493 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The auditory cortex communicates with the frontal lobe via the middle temporal gyrus (auditory ventral stream; AVS) or the inferior parietal lobule (auditory dorsal stream; ADS). Whereas the AVS is ascribed only with sound recognition, the ADS is ascribed with sound localization, voice detection, prosodic perception/production, lip-speech integration, phoneme discrimination, articulation, repetition, phonological long-term memory and working memory. Previously, I interpreted the juxtaposition of sound localization, voice detection, audio-visual integration and prosodic analysis, as evidence that the behavioral precursor to human speech is the exchange of contact calls in non-human primates. Herein, I interpret the remaining ADS functions as evidence of additional stages in language evolution. According to this model, the role of the ADS in vocal control enabled early Homo (Hominans) to name objects using monosyllabic calls, and allowed children to learn their parents' calls by imitating their lip movements. Initially, the calls were forgotten quickly but gradually were remembered for longer periods. Once the representations of the calls became permanent, mimicry was limited to infancy, and older individuals encoded in the ADS a lexicon for the names of objects (phonological lexicon). Consequently, sound recognition in the AVS was sufficient for activating the phonological representations in the ADS and mimicry became independent of lip-reading. Later, by developing inhibitory connections between acoustic-syllabic representations in the AVS and phonological representations of subsequent syllables in the ADS, Hominans became capable of concatenating the monosyllabic calls for repeating polysyllabic words (i.e., developed working memory). Finally, due to strengthening of connections between phonological representations in the ADS, Hominans became capable of encoding several syllables as a single representation (chunking). Consequently, Hominans began vocalizing and mimicking/rehearsing lists of words (sentences).
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Levman J, Takahashi E. Multivariate Analyses Applied to Healthy Neurodevelopment in Fetal, Neonatal, and Pediatric MRI. Front Neuroanat 2016; 9:163. [PMID: 26834576 PMCID: PMC4720794 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multivariate analysis (MVA) is a class of statistical and pattern recognition techniques that involve the processing of data that contains multiple measurements per sample. MVA can be used to address a wide variety of neurological medical imaging related challenges including the evaluation of healthy brain development, the automated analysis of brain tissues and structures through image segmentation, evaluating the effects of genetic and environmental factors on brain development, evaluating sensory stimulation's relationship with functional brain activity and much more. Compared to adult imaging, pediatric, neonatal and fetal imaging have attracted less attention from MVA researchers, however, recent years have seen remarkable MVA research growth in pre-adult populations. This paper presents the results of a systematic review of the literature focusing on MVA applied to healthy subjects in fetal, neonatal and pediatric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. While the results of this review demonstrate considerable interest from the scientific community in applications of MVA technologies in brain MRI, the field is still young and significant research growth will continue into the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Levman
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestown, MA, USA
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestown, MA, USA
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Vasylechko S, Malamateniou C, Nunes RG, Fox M, Allsop J, Rutherford M, Rueckert D, Hajnal JV. T2* relaxometry of fetal brain at 1.5 Tesla using a motion tolerant method. Magn Reson Med 2015; 73:1795-802. [PMID: 25046845 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.25299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 03/29/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine T2* values for the fetal brain in utero and to compare them with previously reported values in preterm and term neonates. Knowledge of T2* may be useful for assessing brain development, brain abnormalities, and for optimizing functional imaging studies. METHODS Maternal respiration and unpredictable fetal motion mean that conventional multishot acquisition techniques used in adult T2* relaxometry studies are not practical. Single shot multiecho echo planar imaging was used as a rapid method for measuring fetal T2* by effectively freezing intra-slice motion. RESULTS T2* determined from a sample of 24 subjects correlated negatively with gestational age with mean values of 220 ms (±45) for frontal white matter, 159 ms (±32) for thalamic gray matter, and 236 ms (±45) for occipital white matter. CONCLUSION Fetal T2* values are higher than those previously reported for preterm neonates and decline with a consistent trend across gestational age. The data suggest that longer than usual echo times or direct T2* measurement should be considered when performing fetal fMRI to reach optimal BOLD sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Vasylechko
- Biomedical Image Analysis Group, Department of Computing, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
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41
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The functional foetal brain: A systematic preview of methodological factors in reporting foetal visual and auditory capacity. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2015; 13:43-52. [PMID: 25967364 PMCID: PMC6990098 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2015.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to technological advancements in functional brain imaging, foetal brain responses to visual and auditory stimuli is a growing area of research despite being relatively small with much variation between research laboratories. A number of inconsistencies between studies are, nonetheless, present in the literature. This article aims to explore the potential contribution of methodological factors to variation in reports of foetal neural responses to external stimuli. Some of the variation in reports can be explained by methodological differences in aspects of study design, such as brightness and wavelength of light source. In contrast to visual foetal processing, auditory foetal processing has been more frequently investigated and findings are more consistent between different studies. This is an early preview of an emerging field with many articles reporting small sample sizes with techniques that are yet to be replicated. We suggest areas for improvement for the field as a whole, such as the standardisation of stimulus delivery and a more detailed reporting of methods and results. This will improve our understanding of foetal functional response to light and sound. We suggest that enhanced technology will allow for a more reliable description of the developmental trajectory of foetal processing of light stimuli.
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42
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Poliva O. From where to what: a neuroanatomically based evolutionary model of the emergence of speech in humans. F1000Res 2015; 4:67. [PMID: 28928931 PMCID: PMC5600004 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.6175.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In the brain of primates, the auditory cortex connects with the frontal lobe via the temporal pole (auditory ventral stream; AVS) and via the inferior parietal lobule (auditory dorsal stream; ADS). The AVS is responsible for sound recognition, and the ADS for sound-localization, voice detection and audio-visual integration. I propose that the primary role of the ADS in monkeys/apes is the perception and response to contact calls. These calls are exchanged between tribe members (e.g., mother-offspring) and are used for monitoring location. Perception of contact calls occurs by the ADS detecting a voice, localizing it, and verifying that the corresponding face is out of sight. The auditory cortex then projects to parieto-frontal visuospatial regions (visual dorsal stream) for searching the caller, and via a series of frontal lobe-brainstem connections, a contact call is produced in return. Because the human ADS processes also speech production and repetition, I further describe a course for the development of speech in humans. I propose that, due to duplication of a parietal region and its frontal projections, and strengthening of direct frontal-brainstem connections, the ADS converted auditory input directly to vocal regions in the frontal lobe, which endowed early Hominans with partial vocal control. This enabled offspring to modify their contact calls with intonations for signaling different distress levels to their mother. Vocal control could then enable question-answer conversations, by offspring emitting a low-level distress call for inquiring about the safety of objects, and mothers responding with high- or low-level distress calls. Gradually, the ADS and the direct frontal-brainstem connections became more robust and vocal control became more volitional. Eventually, individuals were capable of inventing new words and offspring were capable of inquiring about objects in their environment and learning their names via mimicry.
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Poliva O. From where to what: a neuroanatomically based evolutionary model of the emergence of speech in humans. F1000Res 2015; 4:67. [PMID: 28928931 PMCID: PMC5600004 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.6175.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In the brain of primates, the auditory cortex connects with the frontal lobe via the temporal pole (auditory ventral stream; AVS) and via the inferior parietal lobe (auditory dorsal stream; ADS). The AVS is responsible for sound recognition, and the ADS for sound-localization, voice detection and integration of calls with faces. I propose that the primary role of the ADS in non-human primates is the detection and response to contact calls. These calls are exchanged between tribe members (e.g., mother-offspring) and are used for monitoring location. Detection of contact calls occurs by the ADS identifying a voice, localizing it, and verifying that the corresponding face is out of sight. Once a contact call is detected, the primate produces a contact call in return via descending connections from the frontal lobe to a network of limbic and brainstem regions. Because the ADS of present day humans also performs speech production, I further propose an evolutionary course for the transition from contact call exchange to an early form of speech. In accordance with this model, structural changes to the ADS endowed early members of the genus Homo with partial vocal control. This development was beneficial as it enabled offspring to modify their contact calls with intonations for signaling high or low levels of distress to their mother. Eventually, individuals were capable of participating in yes-no question-answer conversations. In these conversations the offspring emitted a low-level distress call for inquiring about the safety of objects (e.g., food), and his/her mother responded with a high- or low-level distress call to signal approval or disapproval of the interaction. Gradually, the ADS and its connections with brainstem motor regions became more robust and vocal control became more volitional. Speech emerged once vocal control was sufficient for inventing novel calls.
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Poliva O. From where to what: a neuroanatomically based evolutionary model of the emergence of speech in humans. F1000Res 2015; 4:67. [PMID: 28928931 PMCID: PMC5600004.2 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.6175.2] [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] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In the brain of primates, the auditory cortex connects with the frontal lobe via the temporal pole (auditory ventral stream; AVS) and via the inferior parietal lobe (auditory dorsal stream; ADS). The AVS is responsible for sound recognition, and the ADS for sound-localization, voice detection and integration of calls with faces. I propose that the primary role of the ADS in non-human primates is the detection and response to contact calls. These calls are exchanged between tribe members (e.g., mother-offspring) and are used for monitoring location. Detection of contact calls occurs by the ADS identifying a voice, localizing it, and verifying that the corresponding face is out of sight. Once a contact call is detected, the primate produces a contact call in return via descending connections from the frontal lobe to a network of limbic and brainstem regions. Because the ADS of present day humans also performs speech production, I further propose an evolutionary course for the transition from contact call exchange to an early form of speech. In accordance with this model, structural changes to the ADS endowed early members of the genus Homo with partial vocal control. This development was beneficial as it enabled offspring to modify their contact calls with intonations for signaling high or low levels of distress to their mother. Eventually, individuals were capable of participating in yes-no question-answer conversations. In these conversations the offspring emitted a low-level distress call for inquiring about the safety of objects (e.g., food), and his/her mother responded with a high- or low-level distress call to signal approval or disapproval of the interaction. Gradually, the ADS and its connections with brainstem motor regions became more robust and vocal control became more volitional. Speech emerged once vocal control was sufficient for inventing novel calls.
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Mother's voice and heartbeat sounds elicit auditory plasticity in the human brain before full gestation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:3152-7. [PMID: 25713382 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1414924112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain development is largely shaped by early sensory experience. However, it is currently unknown whether, how early, and to what extent the newborn's brain is shaped by exposure to maternal sounds when the brain is most sensitive to early life programming. The present study examined this question in 40 infants born extremely prematurely (between 25- and 32-wk gestation) in the first month of life. Newborns were randomized to receive auditory enrichment in the form of audio recordings of maternal sounds (including their mother's voice and heartbeat) or routine exposure to hospital environmental noise. The groups were otherwise medically and demographically comparable. Cranial ultrasonography measurements were obtained at 30 ± 3 d of life. Results show that newborns exposed to maternal sounds had a significantly larger auditory cortex (AC) bilaterally compared with control newborns receiving standard care. The magnitude of the right and left AC thickness was significantly correlated with gestational age but not with the duration of sound exposure. Measurements of head circumference and the widths of the frontal horn (FH) and the corpus callosum (CC) were not significantly different between the two groups. This study provides evidence for experience-dependent plasticity in the primary AC before the brain has reached full-term maturation. Our results demonstrate that despite the immaturity of the auditory pathways, the AC is more adaptive to maternal sounds than environmental noise. Further studies are needed to better understand the neural processes underlying this early brain plasticity and its functional implications for future hearing and language development.
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46
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Hepper P. Behavior During the Prenatal Period: Adaptive for Development and Survival. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Jakab A, Schwartz E, Kasprian G, Gruber GM, Prayer D, Schöpf V, Langs G. Fetal functional imaging portrays heterogeneous development of emerging human brain networks. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:852. [PMID: 25374531 PMCID: PMC4205819 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The functional connectivity architecture of the adult human brain enables complex cognitive processes, and exhibits a remarkably complex structure shared across individuals. We are only beginning to understand its heterogeneous structure, ranging from a strongly hierarchical organization in sensorimotor areas to widely distributed networks in areas such as the parieto-frontal cortex. Our study relied on the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of 32 fetuses with no detectable morphological abnormalities. After adapting functional magnetic resonance acquisition, motion correction, and nuisance signal reduction procedures of resting-state functional data analysis to fetuses, we extracted neural activity information for major cortical and subcortical structures. Resting fMRI networks were observed for increasing regional functional connectivity from 21st to 38th gestational weeks (GWs) with a network-based statistical inference approach. The overall connectivity network, short range, and interhemispheric connections showed sigmoid expansion curve peaking at the 26-29 GW. In contrast, long-range connections exhibited linear increase with no periods of peaking development. Region-specific increase of functional signal synchrony followed a sequence of occipital (peak: 24.8 GW), temporal (peak: 26 GW), frontal (peak: 26.4 GW), and parietal expansion (peak: 27.5 GW). We successfully adapted functional neuroimaging and image post-processing approaches to correlate macroscopical scale activations in the fetal brain with gestational age. This in vivo study reflects the fact that the mid-fetal period hosts events that cause the architecture of the brain circuitry to mature, which presumably manifests in increasing strength of intra- and interhemispheric functional macro connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Jakab
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Ernst Schwartz
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Division for Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerlinde M Gruber
- Department of Systematic Anatomy, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Division for Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Veronika Schöpf
- Division for Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Langs
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria ; Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA, USA
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Rand K, Lahav A. Maternal sounds elicit lower heart rate in preterm newborns in the first month of life. Early Hum Dev 2014; 90:679-83. [PMID: 25194837 PMCID: PMC4312137 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2014.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2014] [Revised: 07/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The preferential response to mother's voice in the fetus and term newborn is well documented. However, the response of preterm neonates is not well understood and more difficult to interpret due to the intensive clinical care and range of medical complications. AIM This study examined the physiological response to maternal sounds and its sustainability in the first month of life in infants born very pretermaturely. METHODS Heart rate changes were monitored in 20 hospitalized preterm infants born between 25 and 32 weeks of gestation during 30-minute exposure vs. non-exposure periods of recorded maternal sounds played inside the incubator. A total of 13,680 min of HR data was sampled throughout the first month of life during gavage feeds with and without exposure to maternal sounds. RESULTS During exposure periods, infants had significantly lower heart rate compared to matched periods of care without exposure on the same day (p<.0001). This effect was observed in all infants, across the first month of life, irrespective of day of life, gestational age at birth, birth weight, age at testing, Apgar score, caffeine therapy, and requirement for respiratory support. No adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION Preterm newborns responded to maternal sounds with decreased heart rate throughout the first month of life. It is possible that maternal sounds improve autonomic stability and provide a more relaxing environment for this population of newborns. Further studies are needed to determine the therapeutic implications of maternal sound exposure for optimizing care practices and developmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Rand
- Department of Pediatric & Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amir Lahav
- Department of Pediatric & Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA.
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Biegon A, Hoffmann C. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging of the fetal brain in utero: Methods and applications. World J Radiol 2014; 6:523-529. [PMID: 25170390 PMCID: PMC4147433 DOI: 10.4329/wjr.v6.i8.523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2014] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Application of modern magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to the live fetus in utero is a relatively recent endeavor. The relative advantages and disadvantages of clinical MRI relative to the widely used and accepted ultrasonographic approach are the subject of a continuing debate; however the focus of this review is on the even younger field of quantitative MRI as applied to non-invasive studies of fetal brain development. The techniques covered under this header include structural MRI when followed by quantitative (e.g., volumetric) analysis, as well as quantitative analyses of diffusion weighted imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy and functional MRI. The majority of the published work reviewed here reflects information gathered from normal fetuses scanned during the 3rd trimester, with relatively smaller number of studies of pathological samples including common congenital pathologies such as ventriculomegaly and viral infection.
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Barón Birchenall LF, Müller O, Galindo Ó. Métodos Experimentales de Estudio de la Percepción Temprana del Habla. REVISTA COLOMBIANA DE PSICOLOGÍA 2014. [DOI: 10.15446/rcp.v23n1.37716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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