Language Input as a Mechanism Underlying Socioeconomic Disparities in Neurocognitive Development

项目总结/摘要 儿童的社会经济地位（SES）与认知、语言和心理方面的差异密切相关。 学术发展。了解精确的环境和神经发育机制， 对制定最有效的干预措施至关重要， 改善成绩差距。该提案将测试一种创新的发展模式， 儿童早期语言输入的特点参与了级联额颞神经网络的发展 最终支撑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关键的入学准备技能， 在学校的成就差距。两项多模式纵向研究将评估这方面的证据 假设在多个时间尺度，同时也为候选人提供关键的培训，以促进过渡 研究独立性。研究1（K99阶段）将对来自密集研究的现有数据进行新的分析。 对300多名SES多样的儿童进行了10年的抽样纵向研究，从学前班到晚期 童年/青春期早期。目标1将研究早期语言输入的特定特征（语言）的作用 vs.互动）对SES差异的发展轨迹的执行功能和社会认知， 他们在学前阶段（3-5岁）出现。目标2将把这项研究扩展到长期 通过评估早期语言输入是否作为长期机制来评估神经认知结果 影响童年后期的大脑结构和功能，支持持续的认知和社会 发展，这可能最终导致社会经济地位在学术成就上的差异。研究2（R 00阶段）将 深化对这些神经认知机制在学龄前的动态发展的具体研究 通过对3岁和4岁儿童的新队列进行纵向研究。目标3将具体审查 早期语言输入特征对交互式额颞神经系统可塑性影响 语言，执行和社会认知通过学前教育和过渡到幼儿园。两方面的结果 研究将有助于确定早期语言刺激的精确组成部分，这些组成部分推动了整个语言的发展。 多个神经认知领域在大脑发育的关键时期，并确定机制 暴露于特定的社会和环境因素会影响长期的神经发育， 神经可塑性和认知结果。此外，这项工作有直接的翻译影响，以告知 可能有助于缩小并最终防止收入差距的干预措施， 神经发育的结果，从所有背景的儿童。该奖项还将提供候选人， 他在语言发展的认知神经科学方面有很强的背景， 认知发展的其他领域和先进的分析技术，以促进成功的过渡 独立的研究生涯。

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.