Jerzy P. Szaflarski|Mekibib Altaye|Amirtham Rajagopal|Kenneth Eaton|Xiangxiang Meng|Elena Plante|Scott K. Holland
A 10-year longitudinal fMRI study of narrative comprehension in children and adolescents
University of Cincinnati|University of Cincinnati Medical Center|Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center|Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center|Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center|Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center|SAS Institute (United States)|University of Arizona|Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
comprehension spoken narratives requires coordination multiple language skills normal children narrative skills develop well school years period particularly vulnerable face brain injury developmental disorder reasons sought determine developmental trajectory narrative processing using longitudinal fmri scanning 30 healthy children ages 5 18 enrolled ages 5 6 7 examined annually 10 years fmri session children presented set five 30slong stories containing 9 10 11 sentences designed understood 5 year old child fmri data analysis conducted based hierarchical linear model hlm modified investigate developmental changes accounting missing data controlling factors age linguistic performance iq performance testing conducted scan indicated well chance p0002 comprehension performance linear increase increasing age bilateral superior temporal cortical activation bas 21 22 linked narrative processing conversely agerelated decreases cortical activation observed bilateral occipital regions cingulate cuneus possibly reflecting changes default mode networks dynamic changes observed longitudinal fmri study support increasing role bilateral bas 21 22 narrative comprehension involving nondomainspecific integration order achieve final story interpretation presence continued linear development area throughout childhood teenage years apparent plateau indicates full maturation narrative processing skills yet occurred may delayed early adulthood