Language and Sensory Characteristics Are Reflected in Voice-Evoked Responses in Low Birth Weight Children

Neurology Pediatrics Medicine
language ability sensory characteristics low birth weight voice-evoked responses cognitive impairment children biomarker

Language and Sensory Characteristics of Very Low Birth Weight Children in Response to Sound

Background and Motivation

Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) children face higher risks of cognitive developmental obstacles, including language deficits and sensory-motor difficulties. Previous studies have indicated that sound-evoked brain responses (P1m) can serve as biomarkers for language development in young children, but its efficacy in VLBW children has not yet been validated. Additionally, the relationship between P1m and sensory difficulties in VLBW children remains unclear. To explore this relationship, this study measured and analyzed the sound-evoked brain responses in VLBW children and investigated their relationship with linguistic conceptual reasoning abilities and sensory characteristics.

Source of the Paper

This research paper was authored by Yuko Yoshimura et al., from the Institute of Human and Social Sciences, Kanazawa University; the Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University; the Department of Pediatrics, Kanazawa University; the Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; the Department of Psychology, Teikyo University; the Center for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham; the Biomedical Sciences Division, Nagasaki University; the Department of Psychology, Yasuda Women’s University; the Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita University; the Maternity and Perinatal Care Center, Hokkaido University Hospital; and the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Kanazawa University. The paper was published in the 2024 issue of the journal Pediatric Research.

Research Content

Research Process

  1. Participant Screening:

    • The study recruited 40 VLBW children aged 5-6 years (including 26 males and 14 females, with an average age of 80.0 ± 4.9 months). Inclusion criteria were: (1) preterm birth before 36 weeks gestational age and birth weight less than 1500g; (2) no chromosomal or other major genetic abnormalities, no neuromuscular disorders, no Grade 3 or higher intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), no significant periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), and no chronic lung disease.

  2. Data Collection:

    • The study employed custom child magnetoencephalography (MEG) to record sound-evoked brain responses, with the auditory stimulus being the Japanese syllable /ne/.
    • Sound stimuli included standard stimuli (456 times, 84%) and deviant stimuli (90 times, 16%), with only the standard stimuli used for analysis.
    • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to obtain structural brain images of the participants.

  3. Data Analysis:

    • A single equivalent current dipole (ECD) model was used to estimate the cortical activation sources, and multiple regression analysis was employed to explore the relationship between P1m and language abilities and sensory characteristics.

Research Results

  1. General Findings:

    • The final sample included 36 children (23 boys, 13 girls), with an average age of 70.7 months (range 61-86 months), meeting the screening criteria.
    • There were significant correlations between the intensity of the sound-evoked left cortical P1m response and both language reasoning ability (β=0.414, p=0.015) and sensory hypersensitivity (β=0.471, p=0.005).

  2. Linguistic Performance:

    • In the left hemisphere, P1m intensity was significantly correlated with linguistic conceptual reasoning abilities (e.g., Riddle task) (r=0.416, p=0.022); no significant correlation was found in the right hemisphere.

  3. Sensory Characteristics:

    • P1m intensity was significantly correlated with sensory sensitivity characteristics (r=0.500, p=0.005). For male children, there was a significant correlation between left P1m intensity and sensory sensitivity (r=0.727, p<0.001).

  4. Multiple Regression Analysis:

    • Left P1m intensity was significantly related to linguistic conceptual reasoning ability and sensory sensitivity.

Research Conclusion

  1. Scientific Value:

    • This study is the first to use custom child magnetoencephalography to explore brain responses in preterm and VLBW children and their relationships with language and sensory characteristics. These findings provide a physiological basis for understanding language development and sensory characteristics in VLBW children.

  2. Application Value:

    • The results indicate that the intensity of the left cortical P1m response in early school-age children can serve as a biomarker for language ability and sensory sensitivity, which is vital for early diagnosis and intervention.

  3. Research Highlights:

    • The study reveals a strong response and left-lateralized characteristics in the left cortical region in VLBW children in response to language stimuli, consistent with previous studies on full-term children.
    • It suggests that P1m response intensity could be a potential biomarker for sensory hypersensitivity and language development in VLBW children.

Other Valuable Information

  1. Study Limitations:

    • The sample size was relatively small, and statistical power was insufficient to significantly demonstrate the relationship between certain variables.
    • Only one type of speech stimulus was used, which may not completely rule out specificity to the particular speech stimulus.

  2. Future Research Directions:

    • Increasing the sample size to further explore sensory and language functional development in VLBW children, particularly in the presence of developmental disorders.
    • Utilizing whole-brain network analysis to further investigate the mechanisms of language ability and sensory integration in the brain.

Overall Significance and Value

This study, through detailed comparison and analysis of VLBW children’s brain responses to voice stimuli, revealed their unique physiological characteristics concerning language and sensory traits. These findings provide an important theoretical foundation and data support for early intervention and treatment, helping to improve the quality of life and social skills of VLBW children. With further in-depth research expected, more precise intervention measures could emerge, better assisting these children in facing developmental challenges.