The primary aim of the research proposed here is to examine the long- term relations between early perceptual-cognitive abilities (as indexed by habituation, recognition memory, and auditory temporal processing) and later cognitive and linguistic development. We specifically focus on language outcomes, including both receptive and expressive abilities, phonemic perception, and the acquisition of early reading skills as well as assessment of general cognitive outcomes. Determining in more detail the nature of the relationship between early perceptual-cognitive abilities and later language abilities would elucidate the perceptual and cognitive substrates of speech and language processes as well as illuminating the evolution of skills necessary for """"""""reading readiness"""""""". The development of more precise measures for early identification of those children most at risk for later cognitive or linguistic disorders would also be facilitated. We have been pursuing these goals in two ways. First, by continuing to develop and refine our infant operant conditioning paradigm that facilitates assessment of auditory temporal processing (ATP) and by collecting cross-sectional, normative data on ATP for infants 6-10- months-of-age. Second, by examining prospectively the developmental course of early perceptual memory, information processing, and temporal processing in three infant populations expected to differ in the course of language development and the incidence of specific language impairment: normal term infants, preterm very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants, and infants from families with a positive history of specific language impairment (LI). No one, to our knowledge, has identified infants in families with a history of language-based learning-impairments (LI) and then followed these children through their early language acquisition period up to the age when reading is acquired. Moreover, even in normal populations, the developmental course of auditory temporal processing skills (a robust predictor of specific language impairment) have not been followed prospectively from infancy through early childhood. Therefore, we would like to extend longitudinal study in early infancy and assessed at 6,9,12,16, and 24 months will be followed and evaluated at ages 3, 4, 5, and 7 years. By ages 4 to 5 years, reading readiness skills can be assessed and at age seven, when most children are reading, a comprehensive language battery will be administered, including assessments of expressive and receptive language phonemic discrimination and production, syntactic complexity, and beginning reading skills.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD029419-10
Application #
6636865
Study Section
Human Development and Aging Subcommittee 3 (HUD)
Program Officer
Freund, Lisa S
Project Start
1994-01-01
Project End
2006-03-31
Budget Start
2003-04-01
Budget End
2006-03-31
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$340,588
Indirect Cost
Name
Rutgers University
Department
Type
Organized Research Units
DUNS #
130029205
City
Newark
State
NJ
Country
United States
Zip Code
07102
Heim, Sabine; Choudhury, Naseem; Benasich, April A (2016) Electrocortical Dynamics in Children with a Language-Learning Impairment Before and After Audiovisual Training. Brain Topogr 29:459-76
Heim, Sabine; Keil, Andreas; Choudhury, Naseem et al. (2013) Early gamma oscillations during rapid auditory processing in children with a language-learning impairment: changes in neural mass activity after training. Neuropsychologia 51:990-1001
Gou, Zhenkun; Choudhury, Naseem; Benasich, April A (2011) Resting frontal gamma power at 16, 24 and 36 months predicts individual differences in language and cognition at 4 and 5 years. Behav Brain Res 220:263-70
Benasich, April A; Gou, Zhenkun; Choudhury, Naseem et al. (2008) Early cognitive and language skills are linked to resting frontal gamma power across the first 3 years. Behav Brain Res 195:215-22
Liu, Wen-Ching; Flax, Judy F; Guise, Kevin G et al. (2008) Functional connectivity of the sensorimotor area in naturally sleeping infants. Brain Res 1223:42-9
Ortiz-Mantilla, Silvia; Choudhury, Naseem; Leevers, Hilary et al. (2008) Understanding language and cognitive deficits in very low birth weight children. Dev Psychobiol 50:107-26
Wang, Ze; Fernandez-Seara, Maria; Alsop, David C et al. (2008) Assessment of functional development in normal infant brain using arterial spin labeled perfusion MRI. Neuroimage 39:973-8
Choudhury, Naseem; Leppanen, Paavo H T; Leevers, Hilary J et al. (2007) Infant information processing and family history of specific language impairment: converging evidence for RAP deficits from two paradigms. Dev Sci 10:213-36
Paterson, Sarah J; Heim, Sabine; Friedman, Jennifer Thomas et al. (2006) Development of structure and function in the infant brain: implications for cognition, language and social behaviour. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 30:1087-105
Roesler, Cynthia P; Paterson, Sarah J; Flax, Judy et al. (2006) Links between abnormal brain structure and cognition in holoprosencephaly. Pediatr Neurol 35:387-94

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