title: Characterizing Information Flux Within the Distributed Pediatric Expressive Language Network: A Core Region Mapped Through fMRI-Constrained MEG Effective Connectivity Analyses.
abstract: Using noninvasive neuroimaging, researchers have shown that young children have bilateral and diffuse language networks, which become increasingly left lateralized and focal with development. Connectivity within the distributed pediatric language network has been minimally studied, and conventional neuroimaging approaches do not distinguish task-related signal changes from those that are task essential. In this study, we propose a novel multimodal method to map core language sites from patterns of information flux. We retrospectively analyze neuroimaging data collected in two groups of children, ages 5-18 years, performing verb generation in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) (n = 343) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) (n = 21). The fMRI data were conventionally analyzed and the group activation map parcellated to define node locations. Neuronal activity at each node was estimated from MEG data using a linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer, and effective connectivity within canonical frequency bands was computed using the phase slope index metric. We observed significant (p ≤ 0.05) effective connections in all subjects. The number of suprathreshold connections was significantly and linearly correlated with participant's age (r = 0.50, n = 21, p ≤ 0.05), suggesting that core language sites emerge as part of the normal developmental trajectory. Across frequencies, we observed significant effective connectivity among proximal left frontal nodes. Within the low frequency bands, information flux was rostrally directed within a focal, left frontal region, approximating Broca's area. At higher frequencies, we observed increased connectivity involving bilateral perisylvian nodes. Frequency-specific differences in patterns of information flux were resolved through fast (i.e., MEG) neuroimaging.
authors.affiliation: 1 Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.|2 Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.|3 Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Darren S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kadis
authors.affiliation: 4 Communication Sciences Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.|5 Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.|6 Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimitrijevic
authors.affiliation: 1 Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Claudio A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Toro-Serey
authors.affiliation: 7 Department of Psychology, University of Toronto , Toronto, Ontario, Canada .|8 Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children , Toronto, Ontario, Canada .
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: 1 Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.|3 Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati, Ohio.|4 Communication Sciences Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.|9 Division of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Scott K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Holland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D015225:Magnetoencephalography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Broca's area; causal network; children; functional magnetic resonance imaging; linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer; magnetoencephalography; multimodal; parcellation; phase slope index