Anatomical correlates of normal and impaired language in a set of dizygotic twins.
This report presents findings for a set of dizygotic twins at age 4 years 9 months. The male was diagnosed as specifically language impaired. For both children, the left-right perisylvian configuration was atypical. Only the male's configuration was symmetrical, a finding in line with autopsy data reported for subjects with "developmental dyslexia" who also may have had a form of language impairment. In addition, the male had an atypical (L greater than R) configuration of the cerebral hemispheres, a finding not seen in his twin, or in a series of volunteers without a history of developmental language impairment. The in utero effects of gonadal hormones that may account for these findings are discussed.
Plante
E
E
Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721.
Swisher
L
L
Vance
R
R
D001931:Brain Mapping; D002535:Cerebral Aqueduct / Q000503:physiopathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology