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Updated: Jul 17, 2025

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Neural correlates and predictors of speech and language development in infants at elevated likelihood for autism: a

Jessica Morrel1, Kripi Singapuri2, Rebecca J Landa1,3

  • 1Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States.

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|September 4, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Neuroimaging reveals early brain differences in infants at high risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), predicting speech and language delays before behavioral signs emerge. This aids in early detection and intervention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research
  • Pediatric neuroimaging

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with early speech and language delays often being a primary concern.
  • Understanding the neural underpinnings of these early delays is crucial for improving early detection and intervention in infants.
  • Infants with a family history of autism are at elevated likelihood (EL) for developing ASD, while those without are at low likelihood (LL).

Approach:

  • A systematic review synthesized 24 peer-reviewed articles published between 2012 and 2023.
  • Studies utilized structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and electroencephalography (EEG).
  • The review focused on neurobiological correlates and predictors of speech and language development in EL and LL infants.

Key Points:

  • EL infants, compared to LL infants, demonstrated atypical language-related neural lateralization.
  • Alterations in structural and functional brain connectivity were observed in EL infants.
  • Mixed profiles of neural sensitivity to speech and non-speech stimuli were noted, with some differences apparent as early as 6 weeks of age.

Conclusions:

  • Neuroimaging techniques can detect early neural indicators of speech and language delays in infants at high risk for ASD, preceding overt behavioral symptoms.
  • These findings highlight the potential of neuroimaging for early identification and targeted interventions.
  • Future research should focus on standardizing experimental paradigms and assessing the real-world applicability of these methodologies.

Keywords:
autismearly developmentinfancylanguageneuroimagingneurophysiologyspeech

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