ERPs reveal the temporal dynamics of auditory word recognition in specific language impairment.

Authors

Jeffrey G Malins, The University of Western Ontario, Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7
Amy S Desroches, The University of Western Ontario, Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7 & The University of Winnipeg, Department of Psychology, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 2E9
Erin K Robertson, The University of Western Ontario, Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7 & Cape Breton University, Department of Psychology, PO Box 5300, 1250 Grand Lake Road, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1P 6L2
Randy Lynn Newman, The University of Western Ontario, Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7 & Acadia University, Department of Psychology, 18 University Avenue, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4P 2R6
Lisa M D Archibald, The University of Western Ontario, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, Canada N6G 1H1
Marc F Joanisse, The University of Western Ontario, Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7Follow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-1-2013

Journal

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

Volume

5

First Page

134

Last Page

148

URL with Digital Object Identifier

10.1016/j.dcn.2013.02.005

Abstract

We used event-related potentials (ERPs) to compare auditory word recognition in children with specific language impairment (SLI group; N=14) to a group of typically developing children (TD group; N=14). Subjects were presented with pictures of items and heard auditory words that either matched or mismatched the pictures. Mismatches overlapped expected words in word-onset (cohort mismatches; see: DOLL, hear: dog), rhyme (CONE -bone), or were unrelated (SHELL -mug). In match trials, the SLI group showed a different pattern of N100 responses to auditory stimuli compared to the TD group, indicative of early auditory processing differences in SLI. However, the phonological mapping negativity (PMN) response to mismatching items was comparable across groups, suggesting that just like TD children, children with SLI are capable of establishing phonological expectations and detecting violations of these expectations in an online fashion. Perhaps most importantly, we observed a lack of attenuation of the N400 for rhyming words in the SLI group, which suggests that either these children were not as sensitive to rhyme similarity as their typically developing peers, or did not suppress lexical alternatives to the same extent. These findings help shed light on the underlying deficits responsible for SLI.