Dataset Information

Fundamental Frequency Variation of Neonatal Spontaneous Crying Predicts Language Acquisition in Preterm and Term Infants.

ABSTRACT: Spontaneous cries of infants exhibit rich melodic features (i.e., time variation of fundamental frequency [F₀ ]) even during the neonatal period, and the development of these characteristics might provide an essential base for later expressive prosody in language. However, little is known about the melodic features of spontaneous cries in preterm infants, who have a higher risk of later language-related problems. Thus, the present study investigated how preterm birth influenced melodic features of spontaneous crying at term-equivalent age as well as how these melodic features related to language outcomes at 18 months of corrected age in preterm and term infants. At term, moderate-to-late preterm (MLP) infants showed spontaneous cries with significantly higher F₀ variation and melody complexity than term infants, while there were no significant differences between very preterm (VP) and term infants. Furthermore, larger F₀ variation within cry series at term was significantly related to better language and cognitive outcomes, particularly expressive language skills, at 18 months. On the other hand, no other melodic features at term predicted any developmental outcomes at 18 months. The present results suggest that the additional postnatal vocal experience of MLP preterm infants increased F₀ variation and the complexity of spontaneous cries at term. Additionally, the increases in F₀ variation may partly reflect the development of voluntary vocal control, which, in turn, contributes to expressive language in infancy.

SUBMITTER: Shinya Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5744644 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Fundamental Frequency Variation of Neonatal Spontaneous Crying Predicts Language Acquisition in Preterm and Term Infants.

Shinya Yuta Y Kawai Masahiko M Niwa Fusako F Imafuku Masahiro M Myowa Masako M

Frontiers in psychology 20171222

Spontaneous cries of infants exhibit rich melodic features (i.e., time variation of fundamental frequency [<i>F<sub>0</sub></i> ]) even during the neonatal period, and the development of these characteristics might provide an essential base for later expressive prosody in language. However, little is known about the melodic features of spontaneous cries in preterm infants, who have a higher risk of later language-related problems. Thus, the present study investigated how preterm birth influenced ...[more]

PMID: 29312060

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundEnriched language exposure may benefit infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. We hypothesized that changes in neonatal electroencephalogram (EEG) coherence during sleep, in response to maternal voice exposure, predict language development.MethodsConvalescent neonates underwent 12-h polysomnography. A recording of the mother's voice was randomized to continuous playback in the first or second 6 h. We calculated the imaginary coherence (ICOH-a measure of functional connectivity) between EEG leads. Spearman correlations were computed between ICOH and 18-month Bayley-III language scores.ResultsThirty-five neonates were included (N = 18 33-to-<35 weeks gestation; N = 17 ≥ 35 weeks). Predictive value of ICOH during neonatal non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep was left lateralized, and varied with gestational age and voice playback. ICOH in the left-hemispheric (C3-Cz; T3-Cz) channels across multiple EEG frequency bands was associated with 18-month language scores (rho = -0.34 to -0.48). The association was driven by neonates born at 33-34 weeks gestation, and a trend suggested a possible effect of maternal voice at some EEG frequencies. Right hemisphere ICOH (C4-Cz; T4-Cz) was not associated with language outcome.ConclusionsLeft-hemispheric EEG functional connectivity during neonatal NREM sleep shows early signs of physiologic asymmetry that may predict language development. We speculate that sleep analyses could have unique prognostic value.ImpactDuring neonatal NREM sleep, EEG functional connectivity predicts future language development. Left temporal and central EEG coherence-specifically the imaginary component of coherence-is predictive, whereas the same analysis from the right hemisphere is not. These results appear to vary according to the infant's gestational age, and a trend suggests they may be enhanced by measuring functional connectivity during exposure to the mother's voice. These findings identify early evidence of physiologic differentiation within the cerebral hemispheres and raise the possibility that neonatal NREM sleep has a role to play in language development.

Dataset Information

Fundamental Frequency Variation of Neonatal Spontaneous Crying Predicts Language Acquisition in Preterm and Term Infants.

Publications

Fundamental Frequency Variation of Neonatal Spontaneous Crying Predicts Language Acquisition in Preterm and Term Infants.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets