Gender differences in the functional language networks at birth: a resting-state fNIRS study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Language Acquisition

Background:

• Gender differences in adult language brain organization are inconsistent.
• Limited data exists on sex-based variations in infant language networks.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate gender differences in resting-state functional connectivity of language regions in newborns.
• Examine early-onset language system development related to sex.

Main Methods:

• Utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure brain activity.
• Analyzed resting-state functional connectivity in language-related areas of neonates.

Main Results:

• Female newborns exhibited stronger functional connectivity between temporal gyri and Broca's area (right hemisphere).
• Stronger connectivity was observed between right superior temporal gyrus and left Broca's area in females.
• No significant functional lateralization of language areas was found in either sex at rest.

Conclusions:

• Early-onset language system development may commence earlier in females.
• Enhanced right-brain connectivity in female neonates may stem from processing prenatal prosodic information.
• Postnatal exposure to segmental information could strengthen language networks, leading to leftward lateralization in males and balanced/leftward dominance in females.