Oscillatory gamma activity mediates the pathway from socioeconomic status to language acquisition in infancy
Oscillatory gamma activity mediates the pathway from socioeconomic status to language acquisition in infancy
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DOI：
10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101384
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发表时间：
2019-11-01
影响因子：
2.1
通讯作者：
Riva, Valentina
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Cantiani, Chiara;Piazza, Caterina;Riva, Valentina
背景：儿童语言习得的可预测路径在很大程度上受到大脑成熟和环境经验的限制。大量神经元的同步活动在脑电图（EEG）上引起宏观脑振荡。已经发现，伽马频带（25-45 Hz）中的静止神经振荡与包括语言在内的不同认知系统的发育相关。虽然语言的病因是由基因驱动的大脑成熟因素解释的，但环境起着重要作用。具体来说，从环境到语言发展的候选途径包括社会人口因素，主要是社会经济地位（SES），它可能通过其他因素，如父母教养方式，对语言发展产生影响。尽管有这些假设，迄今为止还没有研究探讨大脑成熟因素，如伽马频率振荡活动，环境因素，如SES，目的和方法：在一项对84名意大利典型发育婴儿的纵向研究中，我们测量了振荡伽马活动作为SES和语言习得之间的中介的功率。在婴儿6个月时收集基线EEG和SES信息。儿童进行纵向随访，以衡量表达性词汇和平均话语长度（MLU）在24 months.Results：中介模型表明，SES与伽马功率，这反过来又与表达性语言在24个月。更高的SES预测增加左中央伽玛功率，反过来，预测更好的语言scores.Conclusions：这些结果证实了伽玛活动振荡活动的预测作用，对以后的语言习得，这表明这些振荡机制在语言发展的里程碑，如词汇发展和早期单词组合的具体作用。此外，他们认为SES在大脑活动中的差异可能在生命的早期阶段很明显，并影响后期的语言技能。如果复制，我们的研究结果可能有助于确定最高风险的儿童，并可能促使具有成本效益的预防/治疗策略。
Background: The predictable path to child language acquisition is largely constrained by both brain maturation and environmental experience. The synchronized activity of large numbers of neurons gives rise to macroscopic brain oscillations on an electroencephalogram (EEG). It has been found that neural oscillations at rest in the gamma frequency band (25-45 Hz) are associated with development of different cognitive systems, including language. Although the etiology of language is explained by genetically driven brain maturation factors, environment plays a significant role. Specifically, candidate pathways from environment to language development include sociodemographic factors, primarily socioeconomic status (SES) which is likely to exert its effects on language development through other factors, such as parenting style.Despite these assumptions, no studies have so far examined the interrelation between brain maturation factors such as gamma frequency oscillatory activity, environmental factors such as SES, and language acquisition.Aim and method: In a longitudinal study of 84 Italian typically developing infants, we measured the power of oscillatory gamma activity as mediator between SES and language acquisition. Baseline EEG and information about SES were collected when infants were aged 6 months. Children were followed-up longitudinally to measure expressive vocabulary and Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) at 24 months.Results: The mediation model showed that SES is associated with gamma power which, in turn, is associated with expressive language at age 24 months. A higher SES predicted an increase in left central gamma power which, in turn, predicted better language scores.Conclusions: These results confirm the predictive role of gamma activity oscillatory activity on later language acquisition, suggesting a specific role for these oscillatory mechanisms in language development milestones such as vocabulary development and early word combination. Furthermore, they suggest that SES differences in brain activity may be apparent at early stages of life and affect later language skills. If replicated, our findings could contribute to identifying highest-risk children and may prompt cost-effective preventive/treatment strategies.