Language Exposure and Brain Myelination in Early Development

Laia Fibla; Samuel H Forbes; Jordan McCarthy; Kate Mee; Vincent Magnotta; Sean Deoni; Donnie Cameron; John P Spencer

doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1034-22.2023

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Language Exposure and Brain Myelination in Early Development

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Language Exposure and Brain Myelination in Early Development

Laia Fibla, Samuel H Forbes, Jordan McCarthy, Kate Mee, Vincent Magnotta, Sean Deoni, Donnie Cameron and John P Spencer

The Journal of neuroscience, Vol.43(23), pp.4279-4290

06/07/2023

DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1034-22.2023

PMCID: PMC10255048

PMID: 37188518

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https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1034-22.2023View

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Abstract

The language environment to which children are exposed has an impact on later language abilities as well as on brain development; however, it is unclear how early such impacts emerge. This study investigates the effects of children's early language environment and socioeconomic status (SES) on brain structure in infancy at 6 and 30 months of age (both sexes included). We used magnetic resonance imaging to quantify concentrations of myelin in specific fiber tracts in the brain. Our central question was whether Language Environment Analysis (LENA) measures from in-home recording devices and SES measures of maternal education predicted myelin concentrations over the course of development. Results indicate that 30-month-old children exposed to larger amounts of in-home adult input showed more myelination in the white matter tracts most associated with language. Right hemisphere regions also show an association with SES, with older children from more highly educated mothers and exposed to more adult input, showing greater myelin concentrations in language-related areas. We discuss these results in relation to the current literature and implications for future research. This is the first study to look at how brain myelination is impacted by language input and socioeconomic status early in development. We find robust relationships of both factors in language-related brain areas at 30 months of age.

Brain

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Adolescent

Adult

Child

Child, Preschool

Female

Humans

Language

Language Development

Male

Social Class

Details

Title: Subtitle: Language Exposure and Brain Myelination in Early Development
Creators: Laia Fibla - Concordia University
Samuel H Forbes - Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
Jordan McCarthy - University of East Anglia
Kate Mee - University of East Anglia
Vincent Magnotta - University of Iowa, Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Sean Deoni - Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island
Donnie Cameron - University of East Anglia
John P Spencer - University of Iowa, Psychological and Brain Sciences
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Journal of neuroscience, Vol.43(23), pp.4279-4290
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1034-22.2023
PMID: 37188518
PMCID: PMC10255048
NLM abbreviation: J Neurosci
ISSN: 0270-6474
eISSN: 1529-2401
Grant note: P50 HD103556 / NICHD NIH HHS R01 MH111578 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 HD083287 / NICHD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 06/07/2023
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Radiology; Psychiatry; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984530280302771

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