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Language at rest: A longitudinal study of intrinsic functional connectivity in preterm children
Megan A Rowlands1, Dustin Scheinost2, Cheryl Lacadie2
1Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Insights
Preterm children show altered brain connectivity development, with significant changes in the left occipito-temporal cortex linked to cognitive and language deficits. These widespread connectivity alterations persist into adolescence.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Preterm (PT) children exhibit early cognitive and language deficits.
- Altered cortical connectivity for language is observed in PT children compared to term (T) children.
- Developmentally, functional networks segregate and integrate via changes in short- and long-range connections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate longitudinal changes in intrinsic connectivity distribution (ICD) in PT and T children.
- To correlate connectivity alterations with cognitive and language performance.
- To understand the developmental trajectory of brain connectivity in PT individuals.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal ICD values were assessed in PT (n=13) and T (n=12) children from ages 8 to 16.
- A Linear Mixed Effects model was employed for analysis.
- Connectivity values were correlated with IQ scores (FSIQ, VIQ, VCIQ, PIQ), PPVT-R, and RDRL_Cmp.
Main Results:
- Nine regions showed significant group × age interactions.
- PT children displayed increased connectivity over time in most regions, with greater relative connectivity than T children at age 16, except in the left occipito-temporal cortex (OTC).
- PTs experienced connectivity reductions in the left OTC, correlating with poorer FSIQ, VIQ, and PIQ, unlike T children who showed no significant changes.
Conclusions:
- Developmental alterations in brain connectivity in PT children are pervasive and widespread into adolescence.
- Persistent and worsening cognitive and language deficits in PT subjects may stem from left OTC connection loss.
- These findings highlight critical neurodevelopmental differences in PT individuals.
Background:
Preterm (PT) children show early cognitive and language deficits and display altered cortical connectivity for language compared to term (T) children. Developmentally, functional connectivity networks become more segregated and integrated, through the weakening of short-range and strengthening of long-range connections.
Methods:
Longitudinal intrinsic connectivity distribution (ICD) values were assessed in PT (n = 13) compared to T children (n = 12) at ages 8 vs. 16 using a Linear Mixed Effects model. Connectivity values in regions generated by the group × age interaction analysis were then correlated to scores on full IQ (FSIQ), verbal IQ (VIQ), verbal comprehension IQ (VCIQ), performance IQ (PIQ), Peabody picture vocabulary test-revised (PPVT-R), and Rapid Naming Composite (RDRL_Cmp).
Results:
Nine regions were generated by the group × age interaction analysis. PT connectivity significantly increased over time in all but two regions, and they ultimately displayed greater relative connectivity at age 16 than Ts in all areas except the left occipito-temporal cortex (OTC). PTs underwent significant connectivity reductions in the left OTC, which corresponded with worse performance on FSIQ, VIQ, and PIQ. These findings differed from Ts, who did not undergo any significant changes in connectivity over time.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that the developmental alterations in connectivity in PT children at adolescence are both pervasive and widespread. The persistent and worsening cognitive and language deficits noted in the PT subjects may be attributed to the loss of connections in the left OTC.
