Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
09:38
Quantitative Assessment of Cortical Auditory-tactile Processing in Children with Disabilities
Published on: January 29, 2014
Structural and functional atypicality in the temporal cortex are associated with auditory perception in maltreated
Natasha Y S Kawata1,2, Takashi X Fujisawa1,3,4, Akiko Yao1
1Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuoka-Shimoaizuki, Eiheiji-Cho, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan.
Scientific Reports
|March 2, 2026
Summary
Child maltreatment alters brain structure and connectivity in auditory regions, impacting speech perception and emotional processing. These neurodevelopmental changes may lead to long-term social communication difficulties.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Child maltreatment negatively impacts brain development, leading to psychiatric disorders.
- The effects of maltreatment on auditory brain regions and their functional connectivity are not well understood.
- Auditory processing is crucial for speech perception, emotional recognition, and social communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between child maltreatment, structural and functional brain alterations in auditory regions, and auditory function.
- To examine gray matter volume (GMV) and functional connectivity (FC) in maltreated children compared to controls.
- To correlate neural changes with auditory thresholds and speech reception.
Main Methods:
- Case-control study using T1-weighted and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Assessed GMV in the left middle temporal gyrus (L.MTG) and FC between L.MTG and the right temporal pole (R.TP).
- Analyzed auditory thresholds at speech-relevant frequencies and speech reception thresholds.
Main Results:
- Maltreated children showed significant differences in L.MTG gray matter volume (P < 0.001, FWE corrected P = 0.038).
- Significant alterations in L.MTG-R.TP functional connectivity were observed (P < 0.001, FWE corrected P = 0.013).
- These neural changes correlate with auditory processing deficits relevant to speech perception.
Conclusions:
- Child maltreatment induces neurodevelopmental adaptations in auditory brain regions, affecting GMV and FC.
- These alterations may impair auditory and emotional information processing, impacting speech perception and social communication.
- Understanding these mechanisms is vital for developing targeted therapeutic interventions for maltreated individuals.
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