Your turn, my turn. Neural synchrony in mother–infant proto-conversation

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 378(1875)

Published: March 6, 2023

Even before infants utter their first words, they engage in highly coordinated vocal exchanges with caregivers. During these so-called proto-conversations, caregiver–infant dyads use a presumably universal communication structure—turn-taking, which has been linked to favourable developmental outcomes. However, little is known about potential mechanisms involved early turn-taking. Previous research pointed interpersonal synchronization of brain activity between adults and preschool-aged children during Here, we assessed caregivers at 4–6 months age ( N = 55) face-to-face interaction. We used functional-near infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning measure dyads' microcoded also measured infants’ inter-hemispheric connectivity as an index for maturity later vocabulary size attachment security outcomes potentially The results showed that more frequent turn-taking was related neural synchrony, but the strength relation decreased over course proto-conversation. Importantly, positively associated infant size, not security. Taken together, findings shed light on facilitating preverbal stress importance emerging child language development. This article part discussion meeting issue ‘Face2face: advancing science social interaction’.

Language: Английский

---

Neural Tracking in Infancy Predicts Language Development in Children With and Without Family History of Autism

Neurobiology of Language, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 3(3), P. 495 - 514

Published: Jan. 1, 2022

During speech processing, neural activity in non-autistic adults and infants tracks the envelope. Recent research indicates that this tracking relates to linguistic knowledge may be reduced autism. Such tracking, if present already infancy, could impede language development. In current study, we focused on children with a family history of autism, who often show delay first acquisition. We investigated whether differences sung nursery rhymes during infancy relate development autism symptoms childhood. assessed speech-brain coherence at either 10 or 14 months age total 22 high likelihood due 19 without analyzed relationship between these their vocabulary 24 as well 36 months. Our results showed significant 10- 14-month-old infants. found no evidence for later symptoms. Importantly, stressed syllable rate (1-3 Hz) predicted vocabulary. Follow-up analyses only 10-month-olds but not 14-month-olds indicated possible groups. Thus, early is related

Language: Английский

---

Neural phase angle from two months when tracking speech and non-speech rhythm linked to language performance from 12 to 24 months

Brain and Language, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 243, P. 105301 - 105301

Published: July 1, 2023

Atypical phase alignment of low-frequency neural oscillations to speech rhythm has been implicated in phonological deficits developmental dyslexia. could thus also characterize infants at risk for later language difficulties. Here, we investigate phase-language mechanisms a neurotypical infant sample. 122 two-, six- and nine-month-old were played non-speech rhythms while EEG was recorded longitudinal design. The infants' aligned consistently the stimuli, with group-level convergence towards common phase. Individual related subsequent measures acquisition up 24 months age. Accordingly, individual differences are cortical tracking auditory audiovisual infancy, an automatic mechanism. Automatic rhythmic eventually serve as biomarkers, identifying at-risk enabling intervention earliest stages development.

Language: Английский

---

Challenges and new perspectives of developmental cognitive EEG studies

NeuroImage, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 260, P. 119508 - 119508

Published: July 23, 2022

Despite shared procedures with adults, electroencephalography (EEG) in early development presents many specificities that need to be considered for good quality data collection. In this paper, we provide an overview of the most representative cognitive developmental EEG studies focusing on neuroimaging technique young participants, such as attrition and artifacts. We also summarize results research obtained time time-frequency domains use more advanced signal processing methods. Finally, briefly introduce three recent standardized pipelines will help promote replicability comparability across experiments ages. While paper does not claim exhaustive, it aims give a sufficiently large challenges solutions available conduct robust studies.

Language: Английский

---

On the speech envelope in the cortical tracking of speech

NeuroImage, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 297, P. 120675 - 120675

Published: June 15, 2024

The synchronization between the speech envelope and neural activity in auditory regions, referred to as cortical tracking of (CTS), plays a key role processing. method selected for extracting is crucial step CTS measurement, absence consensus on best practices among various methods can influence analysis outcomes interpretation. Here, we systematically compare five standard extraction absolute value Hilbert transform (absHilbert), gammatone filterbanks, heuristic approach, Bark scale, vocalic energy), analyzing their impact CTS. We present performance metrics each based recording brain from participants listening clear noisy conditions, utilizing intracranial EEG, MEG EEG data. As expected, observed significant temporal regions below 10 Hz across all datasets, regardless methods. In general, filterbanks approach consistently demonstrated superior compared other Results our study guide scientists field make informed decisions about optimal extract CTS, contributing advancing understanding neuronal mechanisms implicated

Language: Английский

---

Studying the Developing Brain in Real-World Contexts: Moving From Castles in the Air to Castles on the Ground

Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 16

Published: July 13, 2022

Most current research in cognitive neuroscience uses standardized non-ecological experiments to study the developing brain. But these approaches do a poor job of mimicking real-world, and thus can only provide distorted picture how operations brain development unfold outside lab. Here we consider future avenues which may lead better appreciation brains dynamically interact with complex real-world environment, cognition develops over time. We raise several problems faced by mainstream methods field, before briefly reviewing novel promising that alleviate some issues. First, examines perception measuring entrainment between activity temporal patterns naturalistic stimuli. Second, our ability parse continuous experience into discrete events, this Third, role children as active agents selecting what they sample from environment one moment next. Fourth, new measure mutual influences others are instantiated suprapersonal networks. Finally, discuss reduce adult biases when designing developmental studies. Together, have great potential further understanding learns process information, control behaviors.

Language: Английский

---

Does Electrophysiological Maturation Shape Language Acquisition?

Perspectives on Psychological Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 18(6), P. 1271 - 1281

Published: Feb. 8, 2023

Infants master temporal patterns of their native language at a developmental trajectory from slow to fast: Shortly after birth, they recognize the acoustic modulations specific before tuning into faster language-specific between 6 and 12 months age. We propose here that this is constrained by neuronal maturation—in particular, gradual emergence high-frequency neural oscillations in infant electroencephalogram. Infants’ initial focus on prosodic consistent with prenatal availability electrophysiological activity (i.e., theta- delta-band oscillations). Our proposal infant-directed speech, which initially amplifies modulations, approaching modulation range adult-directed speech only as infants’ has advanced sufficiently. Moreover, our agrees evidence premature infants showing maturational age stronger predictor development than ex utero exposure indicating cannot exploit earlier because constraints. In sum, we provide new perspective acquisition emphasizing critical driving force development.

Language: Английский

---

Sing to me, baby: Infants show neural tracking and rhythmic movements to live and dynamic maternal singing

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 64, P. 101313 - 101313

Published: Oct. 24, 2023

Infant-directed singing has unique acoustic characteristics that may allow even very young infants to respond the rhythms carried through caregiver's voice. The goal of this study was examine neural and movement responses live dynamic maternal in 7-month-old their relation linguistic development. In total, 60 mother-infant dyads were observed during two conditions (playsong lullaby). Study 1 (n = 30), we measured infant EEG used an encoding approach utilizing ridge regressions measure tracking. 2 =40), coded rhythmic movements. both studies, assessed children's vocabulary when they 20 months old. 1, found above-threshold tracking singing, with superior lullabies than playsongs. We also features infant-directed modulated 2, showed more playsongs lullabies. Importantly, coordination (Study 1) 2) positively related infants' expressive at months. These results highlight importance brain musical presentations, potentially as a function variability.

Language: Английский

---

Exploring Inter‐Brain Coherence Between Fathers and Infants During Maternal Storytelling: An fNIRS Hyperscanning Study

Infant and Child Development, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 34(2)

Published: Feb. 26, 2025

ABSTRACT The current study examined the inter‐brain coherence (IBC) between 34 dyads of fathers and infants 7–9 months age using functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We specifically focused on father–infant IBC to broaden empirical base beyond mother–infant connections, as former has received limited attention. There were three conditions: a baseline condition two task conditions when infant adult participant jointly listened maternal storytelling in Cantonese infant‐directed speech (IDS) adult‐directed (ADS). Father–infant was compared with stranger–infant same experimental settings. Our results found that greater ADS but not IDS condition, IBC. Further, showed than no significance conditions. These identified different connection mechanisms dyads. pattern is driven by neural entrainment mothers' speech, whereas more resistant behaviours co‐presence both parents.

Language: Английский

---

Utilising Non‐Nutritive Sucking in Developmental Language Research: Past, Current and Future

Infant and Child Development, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 34(2)

Published: March 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Studying early language development has been a challenging task throughout the years. Earlier studies mostly documented competence only after toddlers had started producing their first words. Theoretical and methodological advances in this domain brought about more sophisticated ways of probing into by exploiting overt infant behaviour. One such method is based on so‐called non‐nutritive sucking (NNS), namely that infants spontaneously produce rhythmic mouth movements absence receiving nutrition. This behaviour used to investigate infants' preference discriminatory abilities means high‐amplitude sucking‐procedure (HAS), which initially was one few gain insight young processing. Here, described, some key findings are highlighted together with overarching trends. Over last decades, however, popularity declining, potential reasons for decline discussed. Next, method's relevance contemporary research discussed advocating shift from using NNS as an indirect measure processing towards focusing speech production. seen light growing literature neural synchronisation role auditory‐motor coupling perception.

Language: Английский

---