Relationship among Connectivity of the Frontal Aslant Tract, Executive Functions, and Speech and Language Impairment in Children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech

• DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13010078
• Publication Date: 2023-01-02T09:17:38Z
• Authors: Clara Bombonato; Emilio Cipriano; Chiara Pecini; Claudia Casalini; Paolo Bosco; Irina Podda; Michela Tosetti; Laura Biagi; Anna Maria Chilosi
• Keywords: Cognitive flexibility

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a subtype motor disorder usually co-occurring with language impairment. A supramodal processing difficulty, involving executive functions (EFs), might contribute to the cognitive endophenotypes and behavioral manifestations. The present study aimed profile EFs in CAS, investigating relationship between EFs, severity, connectivity frontal aslant tract (FAT), white matter involved both EFs. total 30 preschool children CAS underwent speech, language, EF assessments brain MRIs. Their FAT metrics were compared those without other neurodevelopmental disorders (NoNDs), who also Alterations some basic components found. Inhibition working memory correlated severity. Compared NoND children, weak, significant reduction fractional anisotropy (FA) left presupplementary area (preSMA) component was Only severity predicted FA values along its components, visual-spatial moderated SMA. Our supports conceptualization composite complex picture not limited core deficit, but high-order skills.