Inter-regional connectivity in the speech network of minimally verbal children

语言能力最低的儿童言语网络中的区域间连通性

• 批准号: 8539763
• 负责人: FRANK H GUENTHER
• 金额: $ 37.61万
• 依托单位: BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS)
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 至
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8539763
• 关键词: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Area; Attention; Auditory; Behavioral; Brain; Brain imaging; Brain region; Brodmann' s area; Child; Cognition; Data; Development; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Disease; Evaluation; Gender; Individual; Instruction; Intervention; Language; Language Tests; Learning; Left; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Maps; Measurement; Measures; Methods; Modeling; Motor; Output; Participant; Pathway interactions; Phenotype; Play; Production; Regression Analysis; Resolution; Rest; Scanning; Speech; Speech Therapy; Surface; Testing; Training; autism spectrum disorder; base; behavior measurement; innovation; neural model; neuroimaging; neuropathology; neuropsychiatry; relating to nervous system; response; white matter

The primary aims of the proposed project are to (1) Characterize structural and functional connectivity of the speech and language networks in minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); and (2) Investigate changes in this connectivity resulting from intervention, specifically the Auditory Motor Mapping Training (AMMT) of Schlaug and colleagues (ACE Project 1). Two neuroimaging studies involving children with ASD and neurologically normal control subjects will be performed. In Study 1, we will perform high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the brains of each participant from four groups of adolescents (ages 14-17): (1) 25 minimally verbal ASD adolescent, (2) 25 verbal but language impaired ASD adolescents, (3) 25 normal language ASD adolescents, and (4) 25 age- and gender-matched neurologically normal control adolescents. We will quantify structural anatomical connectivity based on Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data and functional connectivity based on resting state functional connectivity MRI, and we will use these measures to test hypotheses concerning connectivity deficits in the speech networks of adolescents with ASD. Particular attention will be paid to the pathway between left supplementary motor area (SMA) and left ventral premotor cortex (vPMC), which is hypothesized to play a key role in initiation of verbal output and which has been shown to be impaired in ASD. Furthermore, language-related hypotheses,including predictions regarding Inter-hemispheric connectivity of language areas BA 45 and BA 9 (in keeping with the aims of Project IV of this ACE application) will be investigated. Exploratory analyses of brain connectivity in ASD will also be performed on these data. In Study 2, we will investigate the effects of AMMT therapy on brain connectivity in ASD by performing the same scans used in Study 1 on 30 minimally verbal children with ASD (ages 6-10) before and after AMMT training performed as part of Project 1 of this ACE application. A central hypothesis tested in Study 2 is that AMMT will increase the functional connectivity and structual integrity of the white matter between left SMA and vPMC and that these variables, measured at the baseline scan, will also predict the response to AMMT training.

拟议项目的主要目的是（1）表征自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）最低言语儿童的言语和语言网络的结构和功能连接;（2）调查干预导致的这种连接的变化，特别是Schlaug及其同事的听觉运动映射训练（AMMT）（ACE项目1）。两项涉及儿童的神经影像学研究 ASD患者和神经学正常对照受试者。在研究1中，我们将对来自四组青少年（年龄14-17岁）的每位参与者的大脑进行高分辨率磁共振成像（MRI）扫描：（1）25名最小语言ASD青少年，（2）25名语言但语言受损的ASD青少年，（3）25名语言正常的ASD青少年，（4）25名年龄和性别匹配的神经学上的ASD青少年。 正常对照青少年。我们将量化基于扩散张量成像（DTI）数据的结构解剖连接和基于静息状态功能连接MRI的功能连接，我们将使用这些措施来测试关于ASD青少年语言网络连接缺陷的假设。将特别关注左侧辅助运动区（SMA）和左侧腹侧运动前皮质（vPMC）之间的通路，假设该通路在启动 言语输出，并且已经被证明在ASD中受损。此外，还将研究与语言相关的假设，包括关于语言区域BA 45和BA 9的半球间连通性的预测（与ACE应用程序的项目IV的目标保持一致）。还将对这些数据进行ASD大脑连接的探索性分析。在研究2中，我们将研究AMMT的作用 通过对30名患有ASD的最低语言能力儿童（6-10岁）在AMMT训练之前和之后进行与研究1中使用的相同扫描，对ASD中的脑连接进行治疗，AMMT训练作为该ACE应用的项目1的一部分进行。在研究2中检验的中心假设是AMMT将增加左侧SMA和vPMC之间白色物质的功能连接性和结构完整性，并且在基线扫描时测量的这些变量也将预测对AMMT训练的反应。