title: Brain metabolite levels and language abilities in preschool children.
abstract: Language acquisition occurs rapidly during early childhood and lays the foundation for future reading success. However, little is known about the brain-language relationships in young children. The goal of this study was to investigate relationships between brain metabolites and prereading language abilities in healthy preschool-aged children.
  
  
  
  Participants were 67 healthy children aged 3.0-5.4 years scanned on a 3T GE MR750w MRI scanner using short echo proton spectroscopy with a voxel placed in the anterior cingulate gyrus (n= 56) and/or near the left angular gyrus (n= 45). Children completed the NEPSY-II Phonological Processing and Speeded Naming subtests at the same time as their MRI scan. We calculated glutamate, glutamine, creatine/phosphocreatine, choline, inositol, and NAA concentrations, and correlated these with language skills.
  
  
  
  In the anterior cingulate, Phonological Processing Scaled Scores were significantly correlated with glutamate, creatine, and inositol concentrations. In the left angular gyrus, Speeded Naming Combined Scaled Scores showed trend correlations with choline and glutamine concentrations.
  
  
  
  For the first time, we demonstrate relationships between brain metabolites and prereading language abilities in young children. Our results show relationships between language and inositol and glutamate that may reflect glial differences underlying language function, and a relationship of language with creatine. The trend between Speeded Naming and choline is consistent with previous research in older children and adults; however, larger sample sizes are needed to confirm whether this relationship is indeed significant in young children. These findings help understand the brain basis of language, and may ultimately lead to earlier and more effective interventions for reading disabilities.
authors: Department of Radiology University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada; Child & Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada.
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Lebel
authors: Child & Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada; Department of Pediatrics University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada; Department of Psychiatry University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada; Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education Hotchkiss Brain Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada; Strategic Clinical Network for Addictions and Mental Health Alberta Health Services University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada.
authors: Frank P
authors: FP
authors: MacMaster
authors: Department of Pediatrics University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada; Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute University of Calgary Calgary AB Canada.
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Dewey
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D007802:Language; D007807:Language Tests; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007294:Inositol; D003401:Creatine
keywords: choline; glutamate; language; neuroimaging; phonological processing; spectroscopy