Exploring the impact of familial history of language problems on infants’ language processing.: An MMN study investigating neural responses to universal and non-universal speech contrasts.

Infants initially perceive speech sounds in a universal manner, but during the first year of life, this perception gradually narrows to the sound contrasts of their native language. The mismatch negativity (MMN), measured using EEG, is used as a tool to examine this developmental transition. This study investigated the MMN and early language development in 21 9-month-old infants (15 from a 2011 dataset, 6 from a 2025 dataset), including two with a family history of language problems. The study addressed two research questions: 1) whether MMN latency differs between universal and language-specific speech contrasts, and whether these differences are influenced by familial risk for language problems; and 2) whether receptive language abilities differ between infants with and without familial risk. An oddball paradigm was used with two types of consonant-vowel (CV) syllables (universal /po/ and less universal /pi/). EEG was recorded using a region of interest (ROI) of 12 electrodes,...Show moreInfants initially perceive speech sounds in a universal manner, but during the first year of life, this perception gradually narrows to the sound contrasts of their native language. The mismatch negativity (MMN), measured using EEG, is used as a tool to examine this developmental transition. This study investigated the MMN and early language development in 21 9-month-old infants (15 from a 2011 dataset, 6 from a 2025 dataset), including two with a family history of language problems. The study addressed two research questions: 1) whether MMN latency differs between universal and language-specific speech contrasts, and whether these differences are influenced by familial risk for language problems; and 2) whether receptive language abilities differ between infants with and without familial risk. An oddball paradigm was used with two types of consonant-vowel (CV) syllables (universal /po/ and less universal /pi/). EEG was recorded using a region of interest (ROI) of 12 electrodes, capturing the relevant neural activity for MMNs. Receptive language was assessed using the N-CDI 1. Results showed no significant differences in MMN latency between stimulus types, nor between infants with and without familial risk. Similarly, no differences were found in receptive language development. Despite the lack of significant results, the study highlights the potential of the MMN as an early neural marker for identifying infants at risk for language difficulties. Investigating MMN latency in relation to familial risk may contribute to earlier detection of children who could benefit from targeted interventions. Early identification remains critical, as interventions during sensitive developmental periods can improve long-term language, communication, and social outcomes. Future research should include larger sample sizes and longitudinal designs to provide a better understanding of the relationship between early auditory processing, risk of language problems, and later language development.Show less

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Exploring the impact of familial history of language problems on infants’ language processing. An MMN study investigating neural responses to universal and non-universal speech contrasts.