Extremely preterm children exhibit increased interhemispheric connectivity for language: findings from...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Children born extremely preterm face high risks for cognitive impairments, particularly language deficits.
• The underlying neurological mechanisms linking preterm birth to cognitive deficits remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate language network representation and connectivity in extremely preterm children using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG).
• To compare neural activity and connectivity during a language task between extremely preterm children and typically developing controls.

Main Methods:

• Used a story-listening task with fMRI and MEG to assess language networks in 15 extremely preterm and 15 typically developing children (ages 4-6).
• Applied advanced neuroimaging analysis, including minimum variance beamformer and network-based statistics, to examine functional and effective connectivity.
• Conducted a brief neuropsychological assessment to correlate network findings with cognitive performance.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in language network representation were found between groups using conventional fMRI.
• Extremely preterm children exhibited significantly increased beta-band functional connectivity within the language network, particularly between left and right perisylvian cortex.
• Hyperconnectivity in preterm children was driven by increased information flow originating from the right hemisphere, independent of language or nonverbal performance.

Conclusions:

• Extremely preterm children display altered language network dynamics, relying on alternative neural strategies despite typical network architecture.
• The observed hyperconnectivity is a direct consequence of prematurity, not related to overall cognitive performance.
• Findings highlight the brain's adaptability but also the subtle neurological differences present in extremely preterm populations.