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van Wijngaarden V, de Wilde H, Mink van der Molen D, Petter J, Stegeman I, Gerrits E, Smit AL, van den Boogaard MJ. Genetic outcomes in children with developmental language disorder: a systematic review. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1315229. [PMID: 38298611 PMCID: PMC10828955 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1315229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a common childhood condition negatively influencing communication and psychosocial development. An increasing number of pathogenic variants or chromosomal anomalies possibly related to DLD have been identified. To provide a base for accurate clinical genetic diagnostic work-up for DLD patients, understanding the specific genetic background is crucial. This study aims to give a systematic literature overview of pathogenic variants or chromosomal anomalies causative for DLD in children. Methods We conducted a systematic search in PubMed and Embase on available literature related to the genetic background of diagnosed DLD in children. Included papers were critically appraised before data extraction. An additional search in OMIM was performed to see if the described DLD genes are associated with a broader clinical spectrum. Results The search resulted in 15,842 papers. After assessing eligibility, 47 studies remained, of which 25 studies related to sex chromosome aneuploidies and 15 papers concerned other chromosomal anomalies (SCAs) and/or Copy Number Variants (CNVs), including del15q13.1-13.3 and del16p11.2. The remaining 7 studies displayed a variety of gene variants. 45 (candidate) genes related to language development, including FOXP2, GRIN2A, ERC1, and ATP2C2. After an additional search in the OMIM database, 22 of these genes were associated with a genetic disorder with a broader clinical spectrum, including intellectual disability, epilepsy, and/or autism. Conclusion Our study illustrates that DLD can be related to SCAs and specific CNV's. The reported (candidate) genes (n = 45) in the latter category reflect the genetic heterogeneity and support DLD without any comorbidities and syndromic language disorder have an overlapping genetic etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hester de Wilde
- Department of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Jildo Petter
- Faculty of Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Inge Stegeman
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ellen Gerrits
- Research Group Speech and Language Therapy, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Department of Languages, Literature and Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Adriana L. Smit
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Research Group Speech and Language Therapy, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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2
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Animal models of developmental dyslexia: Where we are and what we are missing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1180-1197. [PMID: 34699847 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder and the most common learning disability among both school-aged children and across languages. Recently, sensory and cognitive mechanisms have been reported to be potential endophenotypes (EPs) for DD, and nine DD-candidate genes have been identified. Animal models have been used to investigate the etiopathological pathways that underlie the development of complex traits, as they enable the effects of genetic and/or environmental manipulations to be evaluated. Animal research designs have also been linked to cutting-edge clinical research questions by capitalizing on the use of EPs. For the present scoping review, we reviewed previous studies of murine models investigating the effects of DD-candidate genes. Moreover, we highlighted the use of animal models as an innovative way to unravel new insights behind the pathophysiology of reading (dis)ability and to assess cutting-edge preclinical models.
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3
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Ingham NJ, Pearson SA, Vancollie VE, Rook V, Lewis MA, Chen J, Buniello A, Martelletti E, Preite L, Lam CC, Weiss FD, Powis Z, Suwannarat P, Lelliott CJ, Dawson SJ, White JK, Steel KP. Mouse screen reveals multiple new genes underlying mouse and human hearing loss. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000194. [PMID: 30973865 PMCID: PMC6459510 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult-onset hearing loss is very common, but we know little about the underlying molecular pathogenesis impeding the development of therapies. We took a genetic approach to identify new molecules involved in hearing loss by screening a large cohort of newly generated mouse mutants using a sensitive electrophysiological test, the auditory brainstem response (ABR). We review here the findings from this screen. Thirty-eight unexpected genes associated with raised thresholds were detected from our unbiased sample of 1,211 genes tested, suggesting extreme genetic heterogeneity. A wide range of auditory pathophysiologies was found, and some mutant lines showed normal development followed by deterioration of responses, revealing new molecular pathways involved in progressive hearing loss. Several of the genes were associated with the range of hearing thresholds in the human population and one, SPNS2, was involved in childhood deafness. The new pathways required for maintenance of hearing discovered by this screen present new therapeutic opportunities. This study uses an electrophysiological screen of over a thousand new mutant mouse lines to identify 38 new genes underlying deafness, some associated with human hearing function, revealing a wide range of molecular and pathological mechanisms. Progressive hearing loss with age is extremely common in the population, leading to difficulties in understanding speech, increased social isolation, and associated depression. We know it has a significant heritability, but so far we know very little about the molecular pathways leading to hearing loss, hampering the development of treatments. Here, we describe a large-scale screen of 1,211 new targeted mouse mutant lines, resulting in the identification of 38 genes underlying hearing loss that were not previously suspected of involvement in hearing. Some of these genes reveal molecular pathways that may be useful targets for drug development. Our further analysis of the genes identified and the varied pathological mechanisms within the ear resulting from the mutations suggests that hearing loss is an extremely heterogeneous disorder and may have as many as 1,000 genes involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil J. Ingham
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Victoria Rook
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Morag A. Lewis
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jing Chen
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Annalisa Buniello
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elisa Martelletti
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lorenzo Preite
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chi Chung Lam
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Felix D. Weiss
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Zӧe Powis
- Department of Emerging Genetics Medicine, Ambry Genetics, Aliso Viejo, California, United States of America
| | - Pim Suwannarat
- Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Sally J. Dawson
- UCL Ear Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Karen P. Steel
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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4
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Yu YH, Shafer VL, Sussman ES. The Duration of Auditory Sensory Memory for Vowel Processing: Neurophysiological and Behavioral Measures. Front Psychol 2018; 9:335. [PMID: 29623054 PMCID: PMC5874311 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Speech perception behavioral research suggests that rates of sensory memory decay are dependent on stimulus properties at more than one level (e.g., acoustic level, phonemic level). The neurophysiology of sensory memory decay rate has rarely been examined in the context of speech processing. In a lexical tone study, we showed that long-term memory representation of lexical tone slows the decay rate of sensory memory for these tones. Here, we tested the hypothesis that long-term memory representation of vowels slows the rate of auditory sensory memory decay in a similar way to that of lexical tone. Event-related potential (ERP) responses were recorded to Mandarin non-words contrasting the vowels /i/ vs. /u/ and /y/ vs. /u/ from first-language (L1) Mandarin and L1 American English participants under short and long interstimulus interval (ISI) conditions (short ISI: an average of 575 ms, long ISI: an average of 2675 ms). Results revealed poorer discrimination of the vowel contrasts for English listeners than Mandarin listeners, but with different patterns for behavioral perception and neural discrimination. As predicted, English listeners showed the poorest discrimination and identification for the vowel contrast /y/ vs. /u/, and poorer performance in the long ISI condition. In contrast to Yu et al. (2017), however, we found no effect of ISI reflected in the neural responses, specifically the mismatch negativity (MMN), P3a and late negativity ERP amplitudes. We did see a language group effect, with Mandarin listeners generally showing larger MMN and English listeners showing larger P3a. The behavioral results revealed that native language experience plays a role in echoic sensory memory trace maintenance, but the failure to find an effect of ISI on the ERP results suggests that vowel and lexical tone memory traces decay at different rates. Highlights: We examined the interaction between auditory sensory memory decay and language experience. We compared MMN, P3a, LN and behavioral responses in short vs. long interstimulus intervals. We found that different from lexical tone contrast, MMN, P3a, and LN changes to vowel contrasts are not influenced by lengthening the ISI to 2.6 s. We also found that the English listeners discriminated the non-native vowel contrast with lower accuracy under the long ISI condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan H Yu
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, St. John's University, Queens, NY, United States
| | - Valerie L Shafer
- Ph.D. Program in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Elyse S Sussman
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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5
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Müller B, Boltze J, Czepezauer I, Hesse V, Wilcke A, Kirsten H. Dyslexia risk variant rs600753 is linked with dyslexia-specific differential allelic expression of DYX1C1. Genet Mol Biol 2018; 41:41-49. [PMID: 29473935 PMCID: PMC5901500 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2017-0165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of genetic variants involved in dyslexia development were
discovered during the last years, yet little is known about the molecular
functional mechanisms of these SNPs. In this study we investigated whether
dyslexia candidate SNPs have a direct, disease-specific effect on local
expression levels of the assumed target gene by using a differential allelic
expression assay. In total, 12 SNPs previously associated with dyslexia and
related phenotypes were suitable for analysis. Transcripts corresponding to four
SNPs were sufficiently expressed in 28 cell lines originating from controls and
a family affected by dyslexia. We observed a significant effect of rs600753 on
expression levels of DYX1C1 in forward and reverse sequencing
approaches. The expression level of the rs600753 risk allele was increased in
the respective seven cell lines from members of the dyslexia family which might
be due to a disturbed transcription factor binding sites. When considering our
results in the context of neuroanatomical dyslexia-specific findings, we
speculate that this mechanism may be part of the pathomechanisms underlying the
dyslexia-specific brain phenotype. Our results suggest that allele-specific
DYX1C1 expression levels depend on genetic variants of
rs600753 and contribute to dyslexia. However, these results are preliminary and
need replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bent Müller
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Johannes Boltze
- Fraunhofer Research Institution for Marine Biotechnology, Department of Medical Cell Technology, Lübeck, Germany.,Institute for Medical and Marine Biotechnology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ivonne Czepezauer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Volker Hesse
- German Center for Growth, Development and Health Encouragement in Childhood and Adolescence, Berlin, Germany.,Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Institute for Experimental Paediatric Endocrinolgy, Berlin
| | | | - Arndt Wilcke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Holger Kirsten
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,LIFE - Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Mascheretti S, Gori S, Trezzi V, Ruffino M, Facoetti A, Marino C. Visual motion and rapid auditory processing are solid endophenotypes of developmental dyslexia. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2017; 17:70-81. [PMID: 28834383 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Although a genetic component is known to have an important role in the etiology of developmental dyslexia (DD), we are far from understanding the molecular etiopathogenetic pathways. Reduced measures of neurobiological functioning related to reading (dis)ability, i.e. endophenotypes (EPs), are promising targets for gene finding and the elucidation of the underlying mechanisms. In a sample of 100 nuclear families with DD (229 offspring) and 83 unrelated typical readers, we tested whether a set of well-established, cognitive phenotypes related to DD [i.e. rapid auditory processing (RAP), rapid automatized naming (RAN), multisensory nonspatial attention and visual motion processing] fulfilled the criteria of the EP construct. Visual motion and RAP satisfied all testable criteria (i.e. they are heritable, associate with the disorder, co-segregate with the disorder within a family and represent reproducible measures) and are therefore solid EPs of DD. Multisensory nonspatial attention satisfied three of four criteria (i.e. it associates with the disorder, co-segregates with the disorder within a family and represents a reproducible measure) and is therefore a potential EP for DD. Rapid automatized naming is heritable but does not meet other criteria of the EP construct. We provide the first evidence of a methodologically and statistically sound approach for identifying EPs for DD to be exploited as a solid alternative basis to clinical phenotypes in neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Mascheretti
- Child Psychopathology Unit; Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea; Bosisio Parini Italy
| | - S. Gori
- Child Psychopathology Unit; Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea; Bosisio Parini Italy
- Department of Human and Social Sciences; University of Bergamo; Bergamo Italy
| | - V. Trezzi
- Child Psychopathology Unit; Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea; Bosisio Parini Italy
| | - M. Ruffino
- Child Psychopathology Unit; Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea; Bosisio Parini Italy
| | - A. Facoetti
- Child Psychopathology Unit; Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea; Bosisio Parini Italy
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Department of General Psychology; University of Padua; Padua Italy
| | - C. Marino
- Child Psychopathology Unit; Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea; Bosisio Parini Italy
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; University of Toronto; ON Canada
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7
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Yu YH, Shafer VL, Sussman ES. Neurophysiological and Behavioral Responses of Mandarin Lexical Tone Processing. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:95. [PMID: 28321179 PMCID: PMC5338334 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Language experience enhances discrimination of speech contrasts at a behavioral- perceptual level, as well as at a pre-attentive level, as indexed by event-related potential (ERP) mismatch negativity (MMN) responses. The enhanced sensitivity could be the result of changes in acoustic resolution and/or long-term memory representations of the relevant information in the auditory cortex. To examine these possibilities, we used a short (ca. 600 ms) vs. long (ca. 2,600 ms) interstimulus interval (ISI) in a passive, oddball discrimination task while obtaining ERPs. These ISI differences were used to test whether cross-linguistic differences in processing Mandarin lexical tone are a function of differences in acoustic resolution and/or differences in long-term memory representations. Bisyllabic nonword tokens that differed in lexical tone categories were presented using a passive listening multiple oddball paradigm. Behavioral discrimination and identification data were also collected. The ERP results revealed robust MMNs to both easy and difficult lexical tone differences for both groups at short ISIs. At long ISIs, there was either no change or an enhanced MMN amplitude for the Mandarin group, but reduced MMN amplitude for the English group. In addition, the Mandarin listeners showed a larger late negativity (LN) discriminative response than the English listeners for lexical tone contrasts in the long ISI condition. Mandarin speakers outperformed English speakers in the behavioral tasks, especially under the long ISI conditions with the more similar lexical tone pair. These results suggest that the acoustic correlates of lexical tone are fairly robust and easily discriminated at short ISIs, when the auditory sensory memory trace is strong. At longer ISIs beyond 2.5 s language-specific experience is necessary for robust discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan H. Yu
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, St. John's UniversityQueens, NY, USA
| | - Valerie L. Shafer
- Ph.D. Program of Speech-Language-Hearing Science, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkNew York, NY, USA
| | - Elyse S. Sussman
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Center, Albert Einstein College of MedicineNew York, NY, USA
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8
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Neurogenetics of developmental dyslexia: from genes to behavior through brain neuroimaging and cognitive and sensorial mechanisms. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e987. [PMID: 28045463 PMCID: PMC5545717 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a complex neurodevelopmental deficit characterized by impaired reading acquisition, in spite of adequate neurological and sensorial conditions, educational opportunities and normal intelligence. Despite the successful characterization of DD-susceptibility genes, we are far from understanding the molecular etiological pathways underlying the development of reading (dis)ability. By focusing mainly on clinical phenotypes, the molecular genetics approach has yielded mixed results. More optimally reduced measures of functioning, that is, intermediate phenotypes (IPs), represent a target for researching disease-associated genetic variants and for elucidating the underlying mechanisms. Imaging data provide a viable IP for complex neurobehavioral disorders and have been extensively used to investigate both morphological, structural and functional brain abnormalities in DD. Performing joint genetic and neuroimaging studies in humans is an emerging strategy to link DD-candidate genes to the brain structure and function. A limited number of studies has already pursued the imaging-genetics integration in DD. However, the results are still not sufficient to unravel the complexity of the reading circuit due to heterogeneous study design and data processing. Here, we propose an interdisciplinary, multilevel, imaging-genetic approach to disentangle the pathways from genes to behavior. As the presence of putative functional genetic variants has been provided and as genetic associations with specific cognitive/sensorial mechanisms have been reported, new hypothesis-driven imaging-genetic studies must gain momentum. This approach would lead to the optimization of diagnostic criteria and to the early identification of 'biologically at-risk' children, supporting the definition of adequate and well-timed prevention strategies and the implementation of novel, specific remediation approach.
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9
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Lexical processing deficits in children with developmental language disorder: An event-related potentials study. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 27:459-76. [PMID: 25997765 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579415000097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Lexical processing deficits in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) have been postulated to arise as sequelae of their grammatical deficits (either directly or via compensatory mechanisms) and vice versa. We examined event-related potential indices of lexical processing in children with DLD (n = 23) and their typically developing peers (n = 16) using a picture-word matching paradigm. We found that children with DLD showed markedly reduced N400 amplitudes in response both to auditorily presented words that had initial phonological overlap with the name of the pictured object and to words that were not semantically or phonologically related to the pictured object. Moreover, this reduction was related to behavioral indices of phonological and lexical but not grammatical development. We also found that children with DLD showed a depressed phonological mapping negativity component in the early time window, suggesting deficits in phonological processing or early lexical access. The results are partially consistent with the overactivation account of lexical processing deficits in DLD and point to the relative functional independence of lexical/phonological and grammatical deficits in DLD, supporting a multidimensional view of the disorder. The results also, although indirectly, support the neuroplasticity account of DLD, according to which language impairment affects brain development and shapes the specific patterns of brain responses to language stimuli.
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10
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Mueller KL, Murray JC, Michaelson JJ, Christiansen MH, Reilly S, Tomblin JB. Common Genetic Variants in FOXP2 Are Not Associated with Individual Differences in Language Development. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0152576. [PMID: 27064276 PMCID: PMC4827837 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Much of our current knowledge regarding the association of FOXP2 with speech and language development comes from singleton and small family studies where a small number of rare variants have been identified. However, neither genome-wide nor gene-specific studies have provided evidence that common polymorphisms in the gene contribute to individual differences in language development in the general population. One explanation for this inconsistency is that previous studies have been limited to relatively small samples of individuals with low language abilities, using low density gene coverage. The current study examined the association between common variants in FOXP2 and a quantitative measure of language ability in a population-based cohort of European decent (n = 812). No significant associations were found for a panel of 13 SNPs that covered the coding region of FOXP2 and extended into the promoter region. Power analyses indicated we should have been able to detect a QTL variance of 0.02 for an associated allele with MAF of 0.2 or greater with 80% power. This suggests that, if a common variant associated with language ability in this gene does exist, it is likely of small effect. Our findings lead us to conclude that while genetic variants in FOXP2 may be significant for rare forms of language impairment, they do not contribute appreciably to individual variation in the normal range as found in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L. Mueller
- Hearing, Language and Literacy, Murdoch Childrens Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey C. Murray
- Dept. of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States of America
| | - Jacob J. Michaelson
- Dept. of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States of America
| | | | | | - J. Bruce Tomblin
- Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States of America
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11
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Evans PD, Mueller KL, Gamazon ER, Cox NJ, Tomblin JB. A genome-wide sib-pair scan for quantitative language traits reveals linkage to chromosomes 10 and 13. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2016; 14:387-97. [PMID: 25997078 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Although there is considerable evidence that individual differences in language development are highly heritable, there have been few genome-wide scans to locate genes associated with the trait. Previous analyses of language impairment have yielded replicable evidence for linkage to regions on chromosomes 16q, 19q, 13q (within lab) and at 13q (between labs). Here we report the first linkage study to screen the continuum of language ability, from normal to disordered, as found in the general population. 383 children from 147 sib-ships (214 sib-pairs) were genotyped on the Illumina(®) Linkage IVb Marker Panel using three composite language-related phenotypes and a measure of phonological memory (PM). Two regions (10q23.33; 13q33.3) yielded genome-wide significant peaks for linkage with PM. A peak suggestive of linkage was also found at 17q12 for the overall language composite. This study presents two novel genetic loci for the study of language development and disorders, but fails to replicate findings by previous groups. Possible reasons for this are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- P D Evans
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, IL, USA
| | - K L Mueller
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Iowa, IA, USA
| | - E R Gamazon
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, IL, USA.,Present address: Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - N J Cox
- Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Iowa, IA, USA.,Present address: Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - J B Tomblin
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Iowa, IA, USA
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12
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Ludwig AA, Fuchs M, Kruse E, Uhlig B, Kotz SA, Rübsamen R. Auditory processing disorders with and without central auditory discrimination deficits. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2015; 15:441-64. [PMID: 24658855 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-014-0450-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2012] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is defined as a processing deficit in the auditory modality and spans multiple processes. To date, APD diagnosis is mostly based on the utilization of speech material. Adequate nonspeech tests that allow differentiation between an actual central hearing disorder and related disorders such as specific language impairments are still not adequately available. In the present study, 84 children between 6 and 17 years of age (clinical group), referred to three audiological centers for APD diagnosis, were evaluated with standard audiological tests and additional auditory discrimination tests. Latter tests assessed the processing of basic acoustic features at two different stages of the ascending central auditory system: (1) auditory brainstem processing was evaluated by quantifying interaural frequency, level, and signal duration discrimination (interaural tests). (2) Diencephalic/telencephalic processing was assessed by varying the same acoustic parameters (plus signals with sinusoidal amplitude modulation), but presenting the test signals in conjunction with noise pulses to the contralateral ear (dichotic(signal/noise) tests). Data of children in the clinical group were referenced to normative data obtained from more than 300 normally developing healthy school children. The results in the audiological and the discrimination tests diverged widely. Of the 39 children that were diagnosed with APD in the audiological clinic, 30 had deficits in auditory performance. Even more alarming was the fact that of the 45 children with a negative APD diagnosis, 32 showed clear signs of a central hearing deficit. Based on these results, we suggest revising current diagnostic procedure to evaluate APD in order to more clearly differentiate between central auditory processing deficits and higher-order (cognitive and/or language) processing deficits.
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Insights into the genetic foundations of human communication. Neuropsychol Rev 2015; 25:3-26. [PMID: 25597031 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-014-9277-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 12/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The human capacity to acquire sophisticated language is unmatched in the animal kingdom. Despite the discontinuity in communicative abilities between humans and other primates, language is built on ancient genetic foundations, which are being illuminated by comparative genomics. The genetic architecture of the language faculty is also being uncovered by research into neurodevelopmental disorders that disrupt the normally effortless process of language acquisition. In this article, we discuss the strategies that researchers are using to reveal genetic factors contributing to communicative abilities, and review progress in identifying the relevant genes and genetic variants. The first gene directly implicated in a speech and language disorder was FOXP2. Using this gene as a case study, we illustrate how evidence from genetics, molecular cell biology, animal models and human neuroimaging has converged to build a picture of the role of FOXP2 in neurodevelopment, providing a framework for future endeavors to bridge the gaps between genes, brains and behavior.
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Abstract
Specific language impairment (SLI) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder which occurs unexpectedly and without an obvious cause. Over a decade of research suggests that SLI is highly heritable. Several genes and loci have already been implicated in SLI through linkage and targeted association methods. Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of SLI and language traits in the general population have been reported and, consequently, new candidate genes have been identified. This review aims to summarise the literature concerning genome-wide studies of SLI. In addition, this review highlights the methodologies that have been used to research the genetics of SLI to date, and also considers the current, and future, contributions that GWAS can offer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose H Reader
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - Laura E Covill
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - Ron Nudel
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - Dianne F Newbury
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK ; St John's College, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3JP UK
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15
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Psychophysical estimates of frequency discrimination: more than just limitations of auditory processing. Brain Sci 2013; 3:1023-42. [PMID: 24961519 PMCID: PMC4061867 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci3031023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2013] [Revised: 05/20/2013] [Accepted: 06/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Efficient auditory processing is hypothesized to support language and literacy development. However, behavioral tasks used to assess this hypothesis need to be robust to non-auditory specific individual differences. This study compared frequency discrimination abilities in a heterogeneous sample of adults using two different psychoacoustic task designs, referred to here as: 2I_6A_X and 3I_2AFC designs. The role of individual differences in nonverbal IQ (NVIQ), socioeconomic status (SES) and musical experience in predicting frequency discrimination thresholds on each task were assessed using multiple regression analyses. The 2I_6A_X task was more cognitively demanding and hence more susceptible to differences specifically in SES and musical training. Performance on this task did not, however, relate to nonword repetition ability (a measure of language learning capacity). The 3I_2AFC task, by contrast, was only susceptible to musical training. Moreover, thresholds measured using it predicted some variance in nonword repetition performance. This design thus seems suitable for use in studies addressing questions regarding the role of auditory processing in supporting language and literacy development.
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Characterizing the morphosyntactic processing deficit and its relationship to phonology in developmental dyslexia. Neuropsychologia 2013; 51:1595-607. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2012] [Revised: 03/28/2013] [Accepted: 04/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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17
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Genetic insights into the functional elements of language. Hum Genet 2013; 132:959-86. [PMID: 23749164 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-013-1317-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Language disorders cover a wide range of conditions with heterologous and overlapping phenotypes and complex etiologies harboring both genetic and environmental influences. Genetic approaches including the identification of genes linked to speech and language phenotypes and the characterization of normal and aberrant functions of these genes have, in recent years, unraveled complex details of molecular and cognitive mechanisms and provided valuable insight into the biological foundations of language. Consistent with this approach, we have reviewed the functional aspects of allelic variants of genes which are currently known to be either causally associated with disorders of speech and language or impact upon the spectrum of normal language ability. We have also reviewed candidate genes associated with heritable speech and language disorders. In addition, we have evaluated language phenotypes and associated genetic components in developmental syndromes that, together with a spectrum of altered language abilities, manifest various phenotypes and offer details of multifactorial determinants of language function. Data from this review have revealed a predominance of regulatory networks involved in the control of differentiation and functioning of neurons, neuronal tracks and connections among brain structures associated with both cognitive and language faculties. Our findings, furthermore, have highlighted several multifactorial determinants in overlapping speech and language phenotypes. Collectively this analysis has revealed an interconnected developmental network and a close association of the language faculty with cognitive functions, a finding that has the potential to provide insight into linguistic hypotheses defining in particular, the contribution of genetic elements to and the modular nature of the language faculty.
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Raskind WH, Peter B, Richards T, Eckert MM, Berninger VW. The genetics of reading disabilities: from phenotypes to candidate genes. Front Psychol 2013; 3:601. [PMID: 23308072 PMCID: PMC3538356 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This article provides an overview of (a) issues in definition and diagnosis of specific reading disabilities at the behavioral level that may occur in different constellations of developmental and phenotypic profiles (patterns); (b) rapidly expanding research on genetic heterogeneity and gene candidates for dyslexia and other reading disabilities; (c) emerging research on gene-brain relationships; and (d) current understanding of epigenetic mechanisms whereby environmental events may alter behavioral expression of genetic variations. A glossary of genetic terms (denoted by bold font) is provided for readers not familiar with the technical terms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy H Raskind
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA ; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA
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Barry JG, Harbodt S, Cantiani C, Sabisch B, Zobay O. Sensitivity to lexical stress in dyslexia: a case of cognitive not perceptual stress. DYSLEXIA (CHICHESTER, ENGLAND) 2012; 18:139-165. [PMID: 22589197 DOI: 10.1002/dys.1440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2011] [Revised: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 04/02/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Sensitivity to lexical stress in adult German-speaking students with reading difficulty was investigated using minimal pair prepositional verbs whose meaning and syntax depend on the location of the stressed syllable. Two tests of stress perception were used: (i) a stress location task, where listeners indicated the location of the perceptually most prominent syllable, and (ii) a stress pattern identification task, where listeners indicated if the stress pattern was appropriate for its semantic frame. The students with reading difficulties performed worse than the normally reading students on both tasks. Their poorer performance did not reflect the lack of a percept for lexical stress rather patterns of performance across the two tasks suggested that each loaded onto different underlying cognitive abilities. Deficits in these, rather than perceptual difficulties, explained observed group differences. Students with reading difficulties have a normal implicit knowledge of lexical stress usage but lack the necessary cognitive resources for developing an explicit metalinguistic awareness of it. Deficits in these skills not deficiencies in lexical stress perception are implicated in their reading difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna G Barry
- Max Planck Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
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Li N, Bartlett CW. Defining the genetic architecture of human developmental language impairment. Life Sci 2012; 90:469-75. [PMID: 22365959 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2012.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2011] [Revised: 01/24/2012] [Accepted: 01/26/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Language is a uniquely human trait, which poses limitations on animal models for discovering biological substrates and pathways. Despite this challenge, rapidly developing biotechnology in the field of genomics has made human genetics studies a viable alternative route for defining the molecular neuroscience of human language. This is accomplished by studying families that transmit both normal and disordered language across generations. The language disorder reviewed here is specific language impairment (SLI), a developmental deficiency in language acquisition despite adequate opportunity, normal intelligence, and without any apparent neurological etiology. Here, we describe disease gene discovery paradigms as applied to SLI families and review the progress this field has made. After review the evidence that genetic factors influence SLI, we discuss methods and findings from scans of the human chromosomes, including the main replicated regions on chromosomes 13, 16 and 19 and two identified genes, ATP2C2 and CMIP that appear to account for the language variation on chromosome 16. Additional work has been done on candidate genes, i.e., genes chosen a priori and not through a genome scanning studies, including several studies of CNTNAP2 and some recent work implicating BDNF as a gene x gene interaction partner of genetic variation on chromosome 13 that influences language. These recent developments may allow for better use of post-mortem human brain samples functional studies and animal models for circumscribed language subcomponents. In the future, the identification of genetic variation associated with language phenotypes will provide the molecular pathways to understanding human language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Li
- The Battelle Center for Mathematical Medicine, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
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