Auditory precursors of language delay in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders

患有自闭症谱系障碍的幼儿语言发育迟缓的听觉前兆

• 批准号: 9913498
• 负责人: Ralph-Axel Mueller
• 金额: $ 59.21万
• 依托单位: SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-04-15 至 2024-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9913498
• 关键词: Age; Anatomy; Animal Model; Anisotropy; Auditory; Auditory area; Auditory system; Basic Science; Behavioral; Brain; Brain region; Child; Complex; Data; Development; Diagnosis; Diagnostic; Diffuse; Diffusion; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Early Intervention; Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Hearing; Imaging Techniques; Impairment; Individual; Intervention; Language; Language Delays; Language Development; Length; Life; Link; Literature; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Maps; Measures; Morphology; Neurites; Neuropsychology; Nursery Schools; Organizational Change; Pattern; Peripheral; Radial; Research; Research Priority; Resolution; Risk; Sensory; Sleep; Social Behavior; Statistical Methods; Structure; Symptoms; System; TEP1 gene; Techniques; Testing; Thalamic structure; Thick; Time; Toddler; auditory processing; autism spectrum disorder; autistic children; base; critical period; density; early childhood; gray matter; indexing; language impairment; longitudinal design; machine learning method; molecular modeling; multimodality; myelination; neuroimaging; novel; peer; phonology; recruit; relating to nervous system; response; sound; theories; translational impact

Abstract Language delay and impairments are common in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), as are sensory (including auditory) anomalies. Since acquisition of spoken language relies on the integrity of the auditory system, language delay and impairments may be related to sound processing abnormalities that are frequently observed in children with ASDs (despite normal peripheral hearing). However, it is not understood if and how early auditory brain anomalies may developmentally contribute to impaired language development. This project will examine the maturation of auditory and language systems in the brain across early childhood, during the critical period for language acquisition. We will employ a longitudinal design and multimodal neuroimaging, including high-resolution anatomical, diffusion, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with added frequent and extensive behavioral and neuropsychological assessments. Our central hypothesis is that early disruptions to cortical sound processing precede and predict language impairments in ASDs and may thus be considered causal contributors – a hypothesis that has been frequently considered in the literature, but never tested at the neural level. Our aims are to thoroughly characterize the structural integrity and functional differentiation of the cortical auditory and language systems (Aim 1) and their maturational trajectories (Aim 2) in toddlers with ASDs and age-matched typically developing peers. This will allow us to establish whether neural abnormalities in cortical processing of complex sounds in toddlers are predictive of language development and social behavior at the pre-school age (Aim 3). The rationale and translational significance of this project are that identification of alterations in brain development linked to language delay and impairment in the first years of life will allow for more targeted interventions in the auditory domain at a time when they are most effective.

抽象的 语言延迟和障碍在自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）中很常见，感官也很常见（包括 听觉）异常。由于获取口语依赖于听觉系统的完整性，因此 语言延迟和障碍可能与经常是合理的处理异常有关 在患有ASD的儿童中观察到（尽管外周听力正常）。但是，尚不理解是否以及如何 早期听觉的大脑异常可能会导致语言发展受损。 该项目将研究早期大脑中听觉和语言系统的成熟 童年时期，在语言获取的关键时期。我们将采用纵向设计和 多模式神经影像学，包括高分辨率的解剖学，扩散和功能性磁共振 成像（MRI），并具有频繁而广泛的行为和神经心理学评估。我们的 中心假设是，早期对皮质声音处理的干扰先于并预测语言 ASD的损害，因此可能被视为因果贡献者 - 这是一个经常的假设 在文献中考虑，但从未在神经层面进行测试。 我们的目的是彻底表征其结构完整性和功能分化 皮质听觉和语言系统（AIM 1）及其成熟轨迹（AIM 2） ASD和年龄匹配通常会发展同行。这将使我们能够确定神经异常是否 在幼儿中复杂声音的皮质处理中，可以预测语言发展和社会 学龄前年龄的行为（AIM 3）。该项目的理由和翻译意义是 识别与语言延迟和障碍有关的头几年的大脑发展变化 在最有效的时候，生活将允许在听觉领域进行更多针对性的干预措施。