Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Research into the development of cognitive function has captivated scholars for many years. The research proposed here fits within that broad domain, but is focused mainly on the development of the auditory cortex to constrain to a feasible scope. Language acquisition and music perception are linked to the development of the auditory cortex and its associated network. Magnetic resonance imaging enables us to acquire snapshots of brain development and its rapid growth within the first two years of life. However, it also carries multiple challenges, which explains the lack of studies in the fetal or toddler age ranges. Connectivity of the fetal and neonatal brain has been studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), often using a resting state protocol (rs-fMRI). An alternate method for assessing brain functionality is to have a task fMRI to implicate specific functional capacities. However, fetuses and toddlers cannot be asked to follow a task in the magnet the same way adults would, but a pseudo-task can be provided by subjecting them to an auditory stimulus. Due to the inherent nature of increased water content in the brain of the fetus and neonate, their small size, and their position within the imaging coil, magnetic resonance imaging in this population is more challenging than for adults. The aim of this research program is study the development of the auditory network from a functional and structural point of view, and correlate it with language development. However a major portion of this proposal is focused on addressing the challenges of fetal and neonatal imaging as a precursor to further studies. Therefore our objectives are to: 1.Examine the development of gyrification around the Heschl's gyrus in fetal and neonatal brain by developing improved MR sequences 2.Develop open source motion correction, segmentation tools and registration pipelines 3.Analyze functional and structural connectivity of the Heschl's gyrus in fetal and neonatal brains 50 subjects will be imaged longitudinally on 3T scanners at the Robarts Research Institute in London, from 30 weeks of gestation to 2 years of age. Language acquisition will be followed by Ages and Stages Questionnaires filled by parents, as well as formal neurodevelopmental assessments at 1 and 2 years of age. The program will involve a multidisciplinary team of investigators over the 5 years to solve the technical challenges complicating fetal and neonatal imaging, and develop an understanding of the development of the auditory and language networks in very young children. The problems encountered in fetal and neonatal imaging are also present in pediatric and even for adult imaging, and therefore developing novel approaches will have a large-scale impact extending beyond fetal/neonatal imaging. Our motion correction and segmentation tools will be available to other researchers as open source software, and this will provide benefits to other early childhood imaging studies.