Development of functional language brain networks: a multimodal neuroimaging approach

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Speech processing and language development play a crucial role in the development of social skills and most cognitive functions. However, the development of brain pathways sustaining language functions remains unclear. Many challenges are associated with the study of language development in young children due to methodological limitations of most brain imaging techniques. For instance, most techniques require the participant to stay motionless and to perform a language task during recording the brain activity, which is not possible in young children. In this research program, my first objective is to develop child-friendly brain imaging approaches and data analyses tools that will be used to achieve my second objective that is to better understand the development of brain networks associated with language functions in children. Through three specifics studies, I will use sophisticated child-friendly imaging techniques, namely optical imaging, or NIRS, and electrophysiology, or EEG, that overcome the methodological limitations of other techniques for studying language in infants and children. In Study 1, I will develop a cutting-edge NIRS-EEG analysis tool that will be used in the subsequent studies to improve data quality. Study 2 will constitute the first neuroimaging study to characterize the developmental trajectory of language brain networks between 0 and 36 months, which is a crucial period for language acquisition. Infants will undergo NIRS-EEG recordings and communicative assessments at birth, 4, 8, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months to follow their brain and language development, respectively. Finally, Study 3 will assess the impact of prenatal linguistic exposure on language brain networks, by exposing foetuses to foreign languages during the third trimester of pregnancy using headphones placed on the mothers' abdomen. Results will bring significant information on how the fetal linguistic environment can influence later language development. Overall, the proposed research program will provide new brain imaging tools to study language and brain development in neonates, infants and young children and will give a better understanding of developmental patterns of language cerebral networks, which can greatly influence social and cognitive development in children.