A1 Journal article (refereed)
Auditory P3a response to native and foreign speech in children with or without attentional deficit (2023)

Azaiez, N., Loberg, O., Hämäläinen, J. A., & Leppänen, P. H. (2023). Auditory P3a response to native and foreign speech in children with or without attentional deficit. Neuropsychologia, 183, Article 108506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108506

JYU authors or editors

Azaiez Zammit Chatti, Najla
Hämäläinen, Jarmo
Leppänen, Paavo

Publication details

All authors or editors: Azaiez, Najla; Loberg, Otto; Hämäläinen, Jarmo A.; Leppänen, Paavo H.T.

Journal or series: Neuropsychologia

ISSN: 0028-3932

eISSN: 1873-3514

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 09/02/2023

Volume: 183

Article number: 108506

Publisher: Elsevier

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108506

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/85602

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the attentional mechanism in speech processing of native and foreign language in children with and without attentional deficit. For this purpose, the P3a component, cognitive neuromarker of the attentional processes, was investigated in a two-sequence two-deviant oddball paradigm using Finnish and English speech items via event-related potentials (ERP) technique. The difference waves reflected the temporal brain dynamics of the P3a response in native and foreign language contexts. Cluster-based permutation tests evaluated the group differences over the P3a time window. A correlation analysis was conducted between the P3a response and the attention score (ATTEX) to evaluate whether the behavioral assessment reflected the neural activity. The source reconstruction method (CLARA) was used to investigate the neural origins of the attentional differences between groups and conditions. The ERP results showed a larger P3a response in the group of children with attentional problems (AP) compared to controls (CTR). The P3a response differed statistically between the two groups in the native language processing, but not in the foreign language. The ATTEX score correlated with the P3a amplitude in the native language contrasts. The correlation analyses hint at some hemispheric brain activity difference in the frontal area. The group-level CLARA reconstruction showed activation in the speech perception and attention networks over the frontal, parietal, and temporal areas. Differences in activations of these networks were found between the groups and conditions, with the AP group showing higher activity in the source level, being the origin of the ERP enhancement observed on the scalp level.

Keywords: mother tongue; foreign languages; auditory perceptions; speech (phenomena); cognitive processes; attention; ADHD; children (age groups); neuropsychology; EEG