Language Input as a Mechanism Underlying Socioeconomic Disparities in Neurocognitive Development

项目摘要/摘要 儿童的社会经济地位(SES)与认知、语言和语言方面的差异密切相关 学术发展。了解准确的环境和神经发育机制 这些差距的基础是制定最有效的干预措施，以减少并最终 改善成就差距。这项提案将测试一种创新的发展模式，在这种模式下， 儿童早期语言输入的特点参与了额-颞叶神经网络的发展 这最终支撑了社会认知发展的多个方面，包括儿童的语言能力 以及执行功能和社会认知--已知有助于为学校做好准备的关键技能 消除学校里的成就差距。两项多模式纵向研究将评估这方面的证据 多个时间尺度的假设，同时也为候选人提供关键的培训，以促进过渡 来研究独立性。研究1(K99阶段)将对现有数据进行新的分析，这些数据来自 从学龄前到学龄后期对300多名不同SES儿童的抽样纵向研究 童年/青春期早期。目标1将调查早期语言输入(语言学)的特定特征的作用 在执行功能和社会认知发展轨迹上的差异 他们出现在学龄前几年(3-5岁)。目标2将把这项调查扩展到长期 通过评估早期语言输入是否作为一种长期机制来评估神经认知结果 影响儿童后期的大脑结构和功能，支持持续的认知和社交 发展，这最终可能是导致SES在学业成就上存在差距的原因。研究2(R00阶段)将 深化学龄前儿童这些神经认知机制动态发展的具体研究 通过对新的3岁和4岁儿童队列的纵向研究。Aim 3将专门研究 早期语言输入特征对交互额颞神经系统支持可塑性的影响 从学龄前到过渡到幼儿园的语言、执行和社会认知。来自两个方面的结果 研究将有助于确定推动发展的早期语言刺激的准确成分 大脑发育关键期的多个神经认知域及其机制 通过暴露于特定的社会和环境因素影响长期的神经发育， 神经可塑性和认知结果。此外，这项工作具有直接的翻译含义，以告知 可能有助于缩小并最终防止收入-成就差距并提供最佳 所有背景的儿童的神经发育结果。该奖项还将为候选人提供， 世卫组织在语言发展的认知神经科学方面有很强的背景，并在 认知发展的其他领域和高级分析技术，以促进成功过渡 一份独立的研究事业。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Children’s socioeconomic status (SES) is strongly associated with disparities in cognitive, linguistic, and academic development. Understanding the precise environmental and neurodevelopmental mechanisms that underlie these disparities is critical for developing maximally impactful interventions to reduce and ultimately ameliorate achievement gaps. This proposal will test an innovative developmental model in which specific features of children’s early language input engage the development of cascading frontotemporal neural networks that ultimately scaffold multiple aspects of social-cognitive development, including children’s language abilities as well as executive functioning and social cognition—critical school readiness skills that are known to contribute to SES achievement gaps in school. Two multimodal longitudinal studies will evaluate evidence for this hypothesis at multiple time scales, while also providing the candidate with crucial training to promote transition to research independence. Study 1 (K99 phase) will conduct novel analyses on existing data from a densely sampled longitudinal study of over 300 SES-diverse children across 10 years from preschool through late childhood/early adolescence. Aim 1 will investigate the role of specific features of early language input (linguistic vs. interactive) on SES differences in developmental trajectories of executive functioning and social cognition as they emerge across the preschool years (ages 3-5 years). Aim 2 will extend this investigation into long-term neurocognitive outcomes by evaluating whether early language input acts as a long-range mechanism influencing brain structure and functioning later in childhood that supports continued cognitive and social development, which may ultimately underlie SES disparities in academic achievement. Study 2 (R00 phase) will deepen the specific investigation of the dynamic development of these neurocognitive mechanisms in preschool through longitudinal study of a new cohort of children at ages 3 and 4 years. Aim 3 will specifically examine the influence of features of early language input on plasticity of interactive frontotemporal neural systems supporting linguistic, executive, and social cognition through preschool and the transition to Kindergarten. Results from both studies will help identify the precise components of early linguistic stimulation that drive development across multiple neurocognitive domains during a critical period of brain development, and determine the mechanisms by which exposures to specific social and environmental factors affect long-term neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity, and cognitive outcomes. Further, this work has direct translational implications to inform interventions that may help close and ultimately prevent income-achievement gaps and provide optimal neurodevelopmental outcomes for children from all backgrounds. This award will also provide the candidate, who has a strong background in the cognitive neuroscience of language development, with critical training in other domains of cognitive development and advanced analysis techniques to promote a successful transition to an independent research career.