A1 Journal article (refereed)
Attentional modulation of interhemispheric (a)symmetry in children with developmental language disorder (2022)

Hernández, D., Kärkkäinen, S., Tulonen, T., Helenius, P., Salmelin, R., & Parviainen, T. (2022). Attentional modulation of interhemispheric (a)symmetry in children with developmental language disorder. Scientific Reports, 12, Article 17904. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22820-x

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Hernández, Doris; Kärkkäinen, Salme; Tulonen, Terhi; Helenius, Päivi; Salmelin, Riitta; Parviainen, Tiina

Journal or series: Scientific Reports

eISSN: 2045-2322

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 25/10/2022

Volume: 12

Article number: 17904

Publisher: Nature Publishing Group

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22820-x

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/84623

Abstract

The nature of auditory processing problems in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) is still poorly understood. Much research has been devoted to determining the extent to which DLD is associated with general auditory versus language-specific dysfunction. However, less emphasis has been given to the role of different task conditions in these dysfunctions. We explored whether children with DLD demonstrate atypical interhemispheric asymmetry during the auditory processing of speech and non-speech sounds and whether this interhemispheric balance is modulated by attention. Magnetoencephalography was used to record auditory evoked fields in 18 children (9 to 10 years old), 9 with DLD and 9 with language typical development, during active or passive listening to speech and non-speech sounds. A linear mixed model analysis revealed a bilateral effect of attention in both groups. Participants with DLD demonstrated atypical interhemispheric asymmetry, specifically in the later (185–600 ms) time window but only during the passive listening condition. During the active task, the DLD group did not differ from the typically developed children in terms of hemispheric balance of activation. Our results support the idea of an altered interhemispheric balance in passive auditory response properties in DLD. We further suggest that an active task condition, or top–down attention, can help to regain leftward lateralization, particularly in a later stage of activation. Our study highlights the highly dynamic and interhemispheric nature of auditory processing, which may contribute to the variability in reports of auditory language processing deficits in DLD.

Keywords: psychology; neurosciences; children (age groups); child development; dysfunctions; language development; language disorders; sense of hearing; listening; activation

Free keywords: neuroscience; psychology

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022

JUFO rating: 1