Abstract
Extreme prematurity (EPT, <28 weeks gestation) is associated with language problems. We previously reported hyperconnectivity in EPT children versus term children (TC) using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Here, we aim to ascertain whether functional hyperconnectivity is a marker of language resiliency for EPT children, validating our earlier work with a distinct sample of contemporary well-performing EPT and preterm children with history of language delay (EPT-HLD). A total of 58 children (17 EPT, 9 EPT-HLD, and 32 TC) participated in stories listening during MEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 4–6 years. We compared connectivity in EPT and EPT-HLD, investigating relationships with language over time. We measured fMRI activation during stories listening and parcellated the activation map to obtain “nodes” for MEG connectivity analysis. There were no significant group differences in age, sex, race, ethnicity, parental education, income, language scores, or language representation on fMRI. MEG functional connectivity (weighted phase lag index) was significantly different between groups. Preterm children had increased connectivity, replicating our earlier work. EPT and EPT-HLD had hyperconnectivity versus TC at 24–26 Hz, with EPT-HLD exhibiting greatest connectivity. Network strength correlated with change in standardized scores from 2 years to 4–6 years of age, suggesting hyperconnectivity is a marker of advancing language development.
Highlights
In the last few years, our work has demonstrated that preterm birth does not appear to impact the cortical representation of this network, but it does seem to impact the way in which that network functions
Parents only reported to study personnel if their child had ever been in speech or language therapy, which was confirmed by review of available medical records. This is an exciting avenue for future research, as the interhemispheric hyperconnectivity we report might serve as a marker for resiliency for extremely preterm children without delay (EPT) children or serve to index a response to speech and language therapy
Atypical network dynamics, such as our observed interhemispheric bitemporal functional hyperconnectivity, might serve as adaptive mechanisms in the context of prematurity, as they positively correlate with gains in standardized language scores enabling these extremely preterm children to perform comparably to term children
Summary
Prognostic tools and large clinical trials have focused on rates of—and mechanisms underlying—
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