Speech-Language-Hearing Scholarly Workshttps://hdl.handle.net/1808/7752024-03-29T09:37:54Z2024-03-29T09:37:54ZInnovative Family-Based Genetically Informed Series of Analyses of Whole-Exome Data Supports Likely Inheritance for Grammar in Children with Specific Language ImpairmentAndres, Erin M.Earnest, Kathleen KelseyXuan, HaoZhong, CuncongRice, Mabel L.Raza, Muhammad Hashimhttps://hdl.handle.net/1808/347192023-08-15T06:08:10Z2023-06-28T00:00:00ZInnovative Family-Based Genetically Informed Series of Analyses of Whole-Exome Data Supports Likely Inheritance for Grammar in Children with Specific Language Impairment
Andres, Erin M.; Earnest, Kathleen Kelsey; Xuan, Hao; Zhong, Cuncong; Rice, Mabel L.; Raza, Muhammad Hashim
Individuals with specific language impairment (SLI) struggle with language acquisition despite average non-verbal intelligence and otherwise typical development. One SLI account focuses on grammar acquisition delay. The current study aimed to detect novel rare genetic variants associated with performance on a grammar assessment, the Test of Early Grammatical Impairment (TEGI), in English-speaking children. The TEGI was selected due to its sensitivity and specificity, consistently high heritability estimates, and its absence from all but one molecular genetic study. We performed whole exome sequencing (WES) in eight families with SLI (n = 74 total) and follow-up Sanger sequencing in additional unrelated probands (n = 146). We prioritized rare exonic variants shared by individuals with low TEGI performance (n = 34) from at least two families under two filtering workflows: (1) novel and (2) previously reported candidate genes. Candidate variants were observed on six new genes (PDHA2, PCDHB3, FURIN, NOL6, IQGAP3, and BAHCC1), and two genes previously reported for overall language ability (GLI3 and FLNB). We specifically suggest PCDHB3, a protocadherin gene, and NOL6 are critical for ribosome synthesis, as they are important targets of SLI investigation. The proposed SLI candidate genes associated with TEGI performance emphasize the utility of precise phenotyping and family-based genetic study.
2023-06-28T00:00:00ZA cross-sectional investigation of disfluencies in typically developing Spanish-English bilingual childrenRojas, RaúlIrani, FarzanGusewski, SvenjaCamacho, Nataliahttps://hdl.handle.net/1808/347062023-08-11T06:05:52Z2023-06-15T00:00:00ZA cross-sectional investigation of disfluencies in typically developing Spanish-English bilingual children
Rojas, Raúl; Irani, Farzan; Gusewski, Svenja; Camacho, Natalia
Purpose
This study examined the language skills and the type and frequency of disfluencies in the spoken narrative production of typically developing Spanish-English bilingual children.
Method
A cross-sectional sample of 106 bilingual children (50 boys; 56 girls) enrolled in kindergarten through Grade 4, produced a total of 212 narrative retell language samples in English and Spanish. A specialized fluency coding system was implemented to index the percentage of total (%TD) and stuttering-like disfluencies (%SLD) in each language. Large-scale reference databases were used to classify children’s dual language proficiency profiles (balanced, English dominant, Spanish dominant) based on language sample analysis measures of morphosyntax and lexical diversity.
Results
The bilingual Spanish-English children in this study did not demonstrate significant cross-linguistic differences for mean %TD or %SLD. However, the mean %TD and %SLD in both languages exceeded the risk threshold based on monolingual English-speaking norms. English dominant bilingual children demonstrated significantly lower %TD in English than Spanish. Spanish dominant children demonstrated significantly lower %SLD in Spanish than English.
Conclusions
This study included the largest sample size of bilingual Spanish-English children investigated to date from a fluency perspective. The frequency of disfluencies was found to be variable across participants and change dynamically as a function of grade and dual language proficiency profiles, indicating the need for studies that employ larger sample sizes and longitudinal designs.
2023-06-15T00:00:00ZSex differences in infant vocalization and the origin of languageOller, D. KimbroughGilkerson, JillRichards, Jeffrey A.Hannon, SteveGriebel, UlrikeBowman, Dale D.Brown, Jane A.Yoo, HyunjooWarren, Steven F.https://hdl.handle.net/1808/345702023-07-11T06:06:57Z2023-06-16T00:00:00ZSex differences in infant vocalization and the origin of language
Oller, D. Kimbrough; Gilkerson, Jill; Richards, Jeffrey A.; Hannon, Steve; Griebel, Ulrike; Bowman, Dale D.; Brown, Jane A.; Yoo, Hyunjoo; Warren, Steven F.
Seeking to discern the earliest sex differences in language-related activities, our focus is vocal activity in the first two years of life, following up on recent research that unexpectedly showed boys produced significantly more speech-like vocalizations (protophones) than girls during the first year of life.We now bring a much larger body of data to bear on the comparison of early sex differences in vocalization, data based on automated analysis of all-day recordings of infants in their homes. The new evidence, like that of the prior study, also suggests boys produce more protophones than girls in the first year and offers additional basis for informed speculation about biological reasons for these differences. More broadly, the work offers a basis for informed speculations about foundations of language that we propose to have evolved in our distant hominin ancestors, foundations also required in early vocal development of modern human infants.
2023-06-16T00:00:00ZExploring individual differences in musical rhythm and grammar skills in school-aged children with typically developing languageNitin, RachanaGustavson, Daniel E.Aaron, Allison S.Boorom, Olivia A.Bush, Catherine T.Wiens, NatalieVaughan, ChloePersici, ValentinaBlain, Scott D.Soman, UmaHambrick, David Z.Camarata, Stephen M.McAuley, J. DevinGordon, Reyna L.https://hdl.handle.net/1808/343632023-06-14T06:06:50Z2023-02-07T00:00:00ZExploring individual differences in musical rhythm and grammar skills in school-aged children with typically developing language
Nitin, Rachana; Gustavson, Daniel E.; Aaron, Allison S.; Boorom, Olivia A.; Bush, Catherine T.; Wiens, Natalie; Vaughan, Chloe; Persici, Valentina; Blain, Scott D.; Soman, Uma; Hambrick, David Z.; Camarata, Stephen M.; McAuley, J. Devin; Gordon, Reyna L.
A growing number of studies have shown a connection between rhythmic processing and language skill. It has been proposed that domain-general rhythm abilities might help children to tap into the rhythm of speech (prosody), cueing them to prosodic markers of grammatical (syntactic) information during language acquisition, thus underlying the observed correlations between rhythm and language. Working memory processes common to task demands for musical rhythm discrimination and spoken language paradigms are another possible source of individual variance observed in musical rhythm and language abilities. To investigate the nature of the relationship between musical rhythm and expressive grammar skills, we adopted an individual differences approach in N = 132 elementary school-aged children ages 5–7, with typical language development, and investigated prosodic perception and working memory skills as possible mediators. Aligning with the literature, musical rhythm was correlated with expressive grammar performance (r = 0.41, p < 0.001). Moreover, musical rhythm predicted mastery of complex syntax items (r = 0.26, p = 0.003), suggesting a privileged role of hierarchical processing shared between musical rhythm processing and children’s acquisition of complex syntactic structures. These relationships between rhythm and grammatical skills were not mediated by prosodic perception, working memory, or non-verbal IQ; instead, we uncovered a robust direct effect of musical rhythm perception on grammatical task performance. Future work should focus on possible biological endophenotypes and genetic influences underlying this relationship.
2023-02-07T00:00:00Z