Infant multisensory integration and speech development: A multimodal imaging study

项目摘要 多感觉整合在语言习得中起着核心作用，因为大多数婴儿利用听觉和视觉 破解语言密码的信息在生命的第一年多感觉处理的中断是 与以后的言语延迟和语言障碍有关。尽管对成年人的研究已经发现了一些 大脑测量和大脑区域参与多感觉处理，这一过程如何出现在婴儿 以及它与行为结果，特别是语言结果的关系，是非常未知的。的 该职业发展奖的主要目标是支持多模式脑成像的培训 为了研究多感觉发育的功能和结构机制， 在典型发育（TD）和早产儿中， 婴儿。提高对正常多感觉整合和偏离正常的理解将有助于 婴儿语言发育迟缓/障碍的早期诊断和干预策略。 提议的奖项建立在候选人先前在语音处理和多感官方面的培训基础上 感知，将这一知识扩展到婴儿大脑成像（功能和结构）领域， 婴儿发声分析目的1描述TD中多感觉整合的神经基础， 早产儿，并研究了9至12个月大的婴儿（时间1）的大脑行为关联。 具体来说，目标1a研究皮质神经过程（通过婴儿脑磁图获得 （MEG））后一致与不一致的视听言语刺激，重点是α活动， 听觉皮层和布罗卡区的伽马活动目标1b审查MEG措施是否 多感觉处理以及结构连接的DTI测量与前言语相关 发声（即，典型的咿呀学语）。Aim 2b测试大脑测量和发声评估 在生命的第一年，预测24个月时的言语/语言结果。最后，探索性目标3直接 比较早产儿与TD婴儿的这些指标。虽然K01研究调查了复杂的 多感官语音机制，考虑到候选人的背景和可用的语言，该研究是可行的 机构资源（科学家和技术）。研究结果预计将告知理论模型， 早期言语发育，并为未来R01临床脑成像提供候选试点数据 对高危婴儿群体非典型多感觉发育的研究。 该奖项还将为候选人提供获得行为评估培训的机会， 语音/语言发展和尖端的多模态成像技术。进行的研究和 该奖项提供的培训对候选人进行独立研究的长期目标至关重要 关于言语/语言发育和障碍的神经生理学机制。

Project summary Multisensory integration plays a central role in speech acquisition as most infants harness auditory and visual information to crack the language code. Disruption to multisensory processing in the first year of life is associated with later speech delay and language disorders. Although research in adults has identified several brain measures and brain regions involved in multisensory processing, how this process emerges in infants and how it is related to behavioral outcome, especially language outcome, is very much unknown. The primary objective of this Career Development Award is to support training in multimodal brain imaging in order to examine functional and structural mechanisms of multisensory development and their associations with speech acquisition and language outcomes in typically developing (TD) and preterm infants. Improved understanding of normal multisensory integration and deviations from normal will inform early diagnosis and intervention strategies for infant speech delay/disorders. The proposed award builds upon the candidate’s prior training in speech processing and multisensory perception, extending this knowledge into the domains of infant brain imaging (function and structure) and infant vocalization analysis. Aim 1 characterizes the neural bases of multisensory integration in TD and preterm infants and investigates brain-behavior associations in infants 9 to 12 months old (Time 1). Specifically, Aim 1a investigates cortical neural processes (obtained via infant magnetoencephalography (MEG)) following congruent versus incongruent audiovisual speech stimuli, with a focus on alpha activity in auditory cortex and gamma activity in Broca’s area. Aim 1b examines whether the MEG measures of multisensory processing as well as DTI measures of structural connectivity are associated with pre-verbal vocalization (i.e., canonical babbling). Aim 2b tests whether the brain measures and vocalization assessment in the first year of life predict speech/language outcome at 24 months. Finally, Exploratory Aim 3 directly compares these measures in preterm infants versus TD infants. Although the K01 study investigate complex multisensory speech mechanisms, the research is feasible given the candidate’s background and the available institutional resources (scientists and technology). Study findings are expected to inform theoretical modals of early speech development as well as provide the candidate pilot data for future R01 clinical brain imaging studies on atypical multisensory development in at-risk infant populations. The award will also provide the candidate the opportunity to obtain training in behavioral assessment of speech/language development and cutting-edge multimodal imaging techniques. The research performed and training provided by this award is critical to the candidate’s long-term goal of conducting independent research on the neurophysiological mechanisms of speech/language development and disorders.