Thesis Format
Monograph
Degree
Master of Science
Program
Neuroscience
Supervisor
De Ribaupierre, Sandrine
2nd Supervisor
Eagleson, Roy
Co-Supervisor
Abstract
Evidence suggests the language network begins to develop in utero, but whether the status of the language network can predict short-term language outcomes is unknown. This study utilized resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) to explore the functional connectivity of the language network in utero and its relation to developmental outcomes. 28 pregnant women were scanned during the third trimester and then completed the Ages and Stages Questionnaire when infants were 1-3 months old. Infants were divided into high communication (HC) and low communication (LC) groups based on the communication subscale. Rs-fMRI data was used to evaluate functional connectivity between Heschl’s gyrus (HG) and the frontal and temporal lobes. Left HG showed strong significant functional connectivity with regions of the frontal lobe in the HC group whereas, LC infants showed no significant functional connectivity between these regions. The enhanced functional connectivity observed in HC infants suggests a more efficient and widespread language network, emphasizing the importance of early life development in shaping subsequent communication abilities.
Summary for Lay Audience
The human brain is critical to a child’s development; within the first few years of life, the brain enables us to sit, walk, talk, listen, and make decisions. However, this journey can become complicated by abnormal brain development. The brain begins to develop in the womb and continues to mature until adulthood. Previous studies have investigated connections of brain regions involved in language, known as the language network, in children and teenagers with language or communication disorders/delays. Currently, there is limited research that focuses on the development of the language network in the fetal brain and how this development may impact language and communication outcomes after birth.
This thesis aims to explore how the functional connectivity of the language network in the fetal brain relates to communication outcomes during infancy. Functional connectivity refers to a statistical correlation between the activities of different brain regions. Regions of the brain that are functionally connected may suggest that they are working together to perform various functions. We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), which indexes brain activity at rest, and provides insights into how different brain regions communicate and function together to study these relationships. We obtained rs-fMRI scans from 28 pregnant women. After birth, when infants were 3 months old, parents completed an Ages and Stages Questionnaire that can provide insights into communication skills in children. Infants were split into high-communication and low-communication groups based on their scores, and the development of the language network in the brain was studied based on scans obtained when they were in the womb. Overall, we observed that infants who demonstrated high communication skills also had greater functional connectivity of the language network when they were fetuses, compared to infants with low communication skills who showed little to no functional connectivity in regions of the language network.
This work contributes to a body of evidence that functional connectivity of the language network in fetuses may be associated with language and communication outcomes in infancy. The results of this study can enable early detection and interventions for children at risk for language delays.
Recommended Citation
Master, Rutva, "Infant Communication Outcomes Relate to Language Network Connectivity in Utero" (2024). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 10404.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/10404