Earlier specialization, but not connectivity, predicts longitudinal changes in phonological and semantic specialization in 7- to 9-year-old children

• DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/g2um5_v1
• Publication Date: 2025-03-21T01:06:56Z
• Authors: Avantika Mathur; Jin Wang; James R. Booth
• Keywords: Longitudinal data

A central assumption of the Interactive Specialization model brain development postulates that earlier interaction between regions (i.e. functional connectivity) drives later specialization. The goal current study was to examine this in language domain. Longitudinal data from 32 children at 7- and 9-year age analyzed. were given a sound judgment task meaning while undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) assess children’s phonological semantic specialization connectivity brain. Unexpectedly, we found no evidence 7 predicted 9, therefore, not supporting model. However, individual differences predictive effect more pronounced for semantics than phonology. This different may be due maturation processing, as additional analyses showed greater specialization, coupled with less compared 7. Overall, shows but connectivity, is associated domain, suggesting need modifications models development. In addition, finding indicate linguistic rather should focus when it comes early identification intervention low skills.