Available online 26 May 2023, 101259
Author links open overlay panel, , , , , , , , AbstractPreterm children show developmental cognitive and language deficits that can be subtle and sometimes undetectable until later in life. Studies of brain development in children who are born preterm have largely focused on vascular and gross anatomical characteristics rather than pathophysiological processes that may contribute to these developmental deficits. Neural encoding of speech as reflected in EEG recordings is predictive of future language development and could provide insights into those pathophysiological processes. We recorded EEG from 45 preterm (≤ 34 weeks of gestation) and 45 term (≥ 38 weeks) Chinese-learning infants 0 to 12 months of (corrected) age during natural sleep. Each child listened to three speech stimuli that differed in lexically meaningful pitch (2 native and 1 non-native speech categories). EEG measures associated with synchronization and gross power of the frequency following response (FFR) were examined. ANCOVAs revealed no main effect of stimulus nativeness but main effects of age, consistent with earlier studies. A main effect of prematurity also emerged, with synchronization measures showing stronger group differences than power. By detailing differences in FFR measures related to synchronization and power, this study brings us closer to identifying the pathophysiological pathway to often subtle language problems experienced by preterm children.
AbbreviationsABRauditory brainstem response
ANCOVAanalysis of covariance
FFRfrequency-following response
ISIinter-stimulus interval
ITPCinter-trial phase coherence
LLRslong-latency responses
SOAstimulus-onset-asynchrony
Keywordspreterm infants
FFR
myelination
speech
synaptogenesis
© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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