Abstract
AimTo test the hypothesis that sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) are associated with reduced left lateralization for language.MethodUsing a cross‐sectional design, language laterality was measured during an animation description task using functional transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. Data were available for 75 children with an SCT (47,XXX females [n=26], 47,XXY males [n=25], 47,XYY males [n=24]; mean age 11y 4mo [SD 3y 10mo]) and 132 comparison children with typical karyotypes (69 males, 63 females; mean age 9y 1mo [SD 1y 7mo]).ResultsLateralization for language did not differ between the SCT and comparison groups, either in mean laterality index or relative frequency of each laterality category. There were no differences when splitting the group with an SCT by trisomy. Handedness showed no group effects.InterpretationOur data provide no evidence for disrupted lateralization for language in SCTs. The brain basis of the cognitive phenotype in SCTs is unlikely to be a failure of the left hemisphere to specialize for language, as previously suggested.What this paper adds Children with a sex chromosome trisomy (SCT) have typically lateralized language.This disproves theories linking language problems to hemispheric specialization in SCTs.
Highlights
Sample characteristics Children (n) Age (y:mo) Male sex Performance IQ Language statusc functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound (fTCD) language laterality Total trials completed Total words produced per trial Laterality index Left language Bilateral language Right language
The present study found no differences in cerebral lateralization for language in 75 children with an sex chromosome trisomy (SCT)
We can be confident that fTCD is detecting taskrelated vascular reactivity. In this relatively large study of children with SCTs, we found no evidence for atypical lateralization for language
Summary
ParticipantsUsing a cross-sectional design, we compared language laterality and handedness in children with an SCT aged between 6 years and 15 years 11 months (n=75) with a group of twin children aged between 6 years and 11 yearsWhat this paper adds Children with a sex chromosome trisomy (SCT) have typically lateralized language. This disproves theories linking language problems to hemispheric specialization in SCTs.11 months (n=132). Children with a sex chromosome trisomy (SCT) have typically lateralized language. During the initial telephone interviews, caregivers were asked how their child was diagnosed, in particular whether this followed postnatal testing motivated by neurodevelopmental/behavioural problems. The phenotype of such children may be more severe, potentially biasing the sample, and so we grouped them prospectively as a high-risk-of-bias subgroup. All other children formed the low-risk-of-bias subgroup. This analysis strategy follows previous research in this population.[20]
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