Does a narrative retelling task improve the assessment of language proficiency in school-aged children born very preterm?

Almost half of the children born very preterm (VP) experience language difficulties at school-age, specifically with more complex language tasks. Narrative retelling is such a task. Therefore, we explored the value of narrative retelling assessment in school-aged children born VP, compared to item-based language assessment. In 63 children born VP and 30 age-matched full-term (FT) controls Renfrew’s Bus Story Test and Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals were assessed. The retelling of the Bus Story was transcribed and language complexity and content measures were analyzed with Computerised Language Analysis software. Narrative outcomes of the VP group were worse than that of the FT group. Group differences were significant for the language complexity measures, but not for the language content measures. However, the mean narrative composite score of the VP group was significantly better than their mean item-based language score, while in the FT group the narrative score was worse than the item-based score. Significant positive correlations between narrative and item-based language scores were found only in the VP group. In conclusion, in VP children narrative retelling appears to be less sensitive to detecting academic language problems than item-based language assessment. This might be related to the mediating role of attention in item-based tasks, that appears not to affect more spontaneous language tasks such as retelling. Therefore, in school-aged children born VP we recommend using narrative assessment, in addition to item-based assessments, because it is more related to spontaneous language and less sensitive to attention problems

Hypothesis-driven genome-wide association studies provide novel insights into genetics of reading disabilities

Peer reviewe

Genome-wide analyses of individual differences in quantitatively assessed reading- and language-related skills in up to 34,000 people

The use of spoken and written language is a fundamental human capacity. Individual differences in reading- and language-related skills are influenced by genetic variation, with twin-based heritability estimates of 30 to 80% depending on the trait. The genetic architecture is complex, heterogeneous, and multifactorial, but investigations of contributions of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were thus far underpowered. We present a multicohort genome-wide association study (GWAS) of five traits assessed individually using psychometric measures (word reading, nonword reading, spelling, phoneme awareness, and nonword repetition) in samples of 13,633 to 33,959 participants aged 5 to 26 y. We identified genome-wide significant association with word reading (rs11208009, P = 1.098 x 10(-8)) at a locus that has not been associated with intelligence or educational attainment. All five reading-/language-related traits showed robust SNP heritability, accounting for 13 to 26% of trait variability. Genomic structural equation modeling revealed a shared genetic factor explaining most of the variation in word/nonword reading, spelling, and phoneme awareness, which only partially overlapped with genetic variation contributing to nonword repetition, intelligence, and educational attainment. A multivariate GWAS of word/nonword reading, spelling, and phoneme awareness maximized power for follow-up investigation. Genetic correlation analysis with neuroimaging traits identified an association with the surface area of the banks of the left superior temporal sulcus, a brain region linked to the processing of spoken and written language. Heritability was enriched for genomic elements regulating gene expression in the fetal brain and in chromosomal regions that are depleted of Neanderthal variants. Together, these results provide avenues for deciphering the biological underpinnings of uniquely human traits.Peer reviewe

Genome-wide analyses of individual differences in quantitatively assessed reading- and language-related skills in up to 34,000 people

The use of spoken and written language is a fundamental human capacity. Individual differences in reading- and language-related skills are influenced by genetic variation, with twin-based heritability estimates of 30-80%, depending on the trait. The genetic architecture is complex, heterogeneous, and multifactorial, but investigations of contributions of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were thus far underpowered. We present a multicohort genome-wide association study (GWAS) of five traits assessed individually using psychometric measures: word reading, nonword reading, spelling, phoneme awareness, and nonword repetition, in samples of 13,633 to 33,959 participants aged 5-26 years. We identified genome-wide significant association with word reading (rs11208009, p=1.098 x 10-8) at a locus that has not been associated with intelligence or educational attainment. All five reading-/language-related traits showed robust SNP-heritability, accounting for 13-26% of trait variability. Genomic structural equation modelling revealed a shared genetic factor explaining most variation in word/nonword reading, spelling, and phoneme awareness, which only partially overlapped with genetic variation contributing to nonword repetition, intelligence and educational attainment. A multivariate GWAS of word/nonword reading, spelling, and phoneme awareness maximized power for follow-up investigation. Genetic correlation analysis of multivariate GWAS results with neuroimaging traits identified association with the surface area of the banks of the left superior temporal sulcus, a brain region linked to processing of spoken and written language. Heritability was enriched for genomic elements regulating gene expression in the fetal brain, and in chromosomal regions that are depleted of Neanderthal variants. Together, these results provide new avenues for deciphering the biological underpinnings of uniquely human traits

Language outcome related to brain structures in school-aged preterm children : A systematic review

Preterm children often have language problems. This atypical language development is probably due to atypical brain development. We conducted a systematic review to provide an overview of the extensive and diverse scientific literature on the relations between language outcome and underlying brain structures in school-aged preterm-born children. Embase, Medline Ovid, Web of Science, Cochrane central and Google scholar were searched for relevant studies. Inclusion criteria were: cases are school-aged preterm children; structural MRI (T1- and T2-weighted sequences) or DTI used in combination with a neurocognitive language test; publication in an English-language peer-reviewed journal. Correlational measures between language scores and brain volume or fractional anisotropy of a brain structure were extracted. 23 studies were included. The relations between oral language, verbal fluency and/or written language and MRI/DTI measurements of white matter, gray matter, cerebellum, corpus callosum and/or the fasciculi are presented. Oral language skills and verbal fluency appear to be related to the corpus callosum. Oral language skills are also related to the uncinate fasciculus. There seems to be no clear relation between cerebellar development and verbal fluency skills. Not one single brain area is responsible for atypical language development, but several brain areas and their connections are essential. For future research it is recommended to relate brain areas to oral language skills on a microstructural level in preterm children. We also recommend to use language tests in which it is possible to distinguish between several language domains, such as perceptive and expressive language

Correction: Language outcome related to brain structures in school-aged preterm children: A systematic review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196607.]