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White matter properties associated with pre-reading skills in 6-year-old children born preterm and at term
Cory K Dodson1, Katherine E Travis1, Lauren R Borchers1
1Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
Insights
White matter brain pathways are linked to early reading skills in preterm and term-born children. While phonological awareness neurobiology is similar, language development differs between groups at reading onset.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Pre-reading skills are crucial for academic success.
- Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of these skills in children born preterm is essential.
- White matter integrity plays a role in cognitive development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate associations between white matter properties and pre-reading skills.
- To compare these associations in children born preterm versus at term.
- To explore the impact of prematurity on these relationships.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) was used to assess white matter properties (fractional anisotropy).
- Behavioral assessments measured phonological awareness, receptive language, and expressive language.
- Linear regression analyses examined associations between white matter tracts and pre-reading skills, with moderation by prematurity.
Main Results:
- Fractional anisotropy of the left-hemisphere arcuate fasciculus was associated with phonological awareness in both preterm and term-born children.
- Fractional anisotropy of the right-hemisphere uncinate fasciculus was associated with receptive and expressive language, but this association was moderated by prematurity.
- Language skills were associated with white matter tracts only in the term-born group.
Conclusions:
- White matter properties are associated with pre-reading abilities at reading onset in children born preterm.
- The neurobiology of phonological awareness is similar in preterm and term-born children at age six.
- The neurobiology of language differs between preterm and term-born children at age six, suggesting distinct white matter pathway involvement.
Aim:
To assess associations between white matter properties and pre-reading skills (phonological awareness and receptive and expressive language) in children born preterm and at term at the onset of reading acquisition.
Method:
Six-year-old children born preterm (n=36; gestational age 22-32wks) and at term (n=43) underwent diffusion magnetic resonance imaging and behavioural assessments. Tracts were selected a priori based on findings from a study of 6-year-old children born at term: the left-hemisphere arcuate fasciculus and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and right-hemisphere uncinate fasciculus. Using linear regression, we assessed associations between fractional anisotropy of tracts and phonological awareness and receptive and expressive language scores. We investigated whether associations were moderated by prematurity.
Results:
Fractional anisotropy of the left-hemisphere arcuate fasciculus contributed unique variance to phonological awareness across birth groups. The association between fractional anisotropy of the right-hemisphere uncinate fasciculus and receptive and expressive language was significantly moderated by prematurity.
Interpretation:
A left-hemisphere tract was associated with phonological awareness in both birth groups. A right-hemisphere tract was associated with language only in the term group, suggesting that expressive and receptive language is mediated by different white matter pathways in 6-year-old children born preterm. These findings provide novel insights into similarities and differences of the neurobiology of pre-reading skills between children born preterm and at term at reading onset.
What This Paper Adds:
White matter properties and pre-reading abilities were associated in children born preterm at the onset of reading. The neurobiology of phonological awareness was similar in children born preterm versus children born at term at 6 years. The neurobiology of language was different in children born preterm versus children born at term at 6 years.
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