The infant as a prelinguistic model for language learning impairments: Predicting from event-related potentials to behavior

• Published in: Neuropsychologia Vol. 44; no. 3; pp. 396 - 411
• Main Authors: Benasich, April A., Choudhury, Naseem, Friedman, Jennifer T., Realpe-Bonilla, Teresa, Chojnowska, Cecylia, Gou, Zhenkun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Auditory perception; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Mapping; Cerebral Cortex - physiopathology; Child, Preschool; Development; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Dominance, Cerebral - physiology; EEG; Electroencephalography; Evoked Potentials, Auditory - physiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Genetic Predisposition to Disease - genetics; Humans; Infant; Language acquisition; Language Development Disorders - diagnosis; Language Development Disorders - genetics; Language Development Disorders - physiopathology; Learning Disabilities - diagnosis; Learning Disabilities - genetics; Learning Disabilities - physiopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Models, Neurological; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Pitch Discrimination - physiology; Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Rapid auditory processing; Reaction Time - physiology; Reference Values; Risk; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Speech; Speech Perception - physiology; Development; Speech; Rapid auditory processing; Language acquisition; EEG; Auditory perception; Human; Nervous system diseases; Prelanguage; Central nervous system; Infant; Electroencephalography; Language disorder; Encephalon; Learning; Communication disorder; Acquisition process; Models; Behavior; Neurological disorder; Event evoked potential
• ISSN: 0028-3932; 1873-3514
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.06.004

Associations between efficient processing of brief, rapidly presented, successive stimuli and language learning impairments (LLI) in older children and adults have been well documented. In this paper we examine the role that impaired rapid auditory processing (RAP) might play during early language acquisition. Using behavioral measures we have demonstrated that RAP abilities in infancy are critically linked to later language abilities for both non-speech and speech stimuli. Variance in infant RAP thresholds reliably predict language outcome at 3 years-of-age for infants at risk for LLI and control infants. We present data here describing patterns of electrocortical (EEG/ERP) activation at 6 month-of-age to the same non-verbal stimuli used in our behavioral studies. Well-defined differences were seen between infants from families with a history of LLI (FH+) and FH− controls in the amplitude of the mismatch response (MMR) as well as the latency of the N
250 component in the 70
ms ISI condition only. Smaller mismatch responses and delayed onsets of the N
250 component were seen in the FH+ group. The latency differences in the N
250 component, but not the MMR amplitude variation, were significantly related to 24-month language outcome. Such converging tasks provide the opportunity to examine early precursors of LLI and allow the opportunity for earlier identification and intervention.