The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a unique model for studying psychosis risk. There are strong indications that psychosis is foreshadowed by atypical language characteristics. This project investigates language in relation to (pre)psychotic symptoms in 22q11DS, supporting our understanding of developmental mechanisms and early identification of this devastating mental illness.

Globally, 10.6% of births worldwide are preterm (<37 weeks of gestation) (Chawanpaiboon et al., 2019), which accounts for 15 million preterm births per year. Preterm born neonates are at risk for short-term and long-term morbidities (e.g., Onofrio et al., 2013; Teune et al., 2011) following disruptions in brain development (e.g., de Kievit et al., 2012; Kwon et al., 2016; Salvan et al., 2017; Woodward et al., 2012). The current project focuses on the language skills of children born preterm. Language is an important and multidimensional higher-order function that relies on the interaction between environmental factors and child-internal processes, such as gene expression, synapse formation, and cognitive mechanisms. Proper brain development early in life is highly important for successful language acquisition (DoY hub ‘1001 critical days’, 2017). Unsurprisingly, many preterm children experience persistent language difficulties (Barre et al., 2011; Van Noort-Van der Spek et al., 2012; Vandormael et al., 2018; Zimmerman, 2017).

Weak language skills impact on subsequent development in other domains with consequences far beyond language. For example, language is crucial for children’s academic and socioemotional development, for successful relationships with family and peers, overall health, wellbeing and work (e.g., Bleses et al., 2016; Longobardi et al., 2016). A better understanding of the language profile of preterm children as well as early precursors of, and mechanisms underlying their language difficulties is therefore necessary. In this project, we will analyze data from a large cohort of extremely preterm children (<28 weeks of gestation) who have been followed from birth until 8.5 years of age. 

• Marlijne Boumeester MSc
• prof. dr. Elma Blom
• dr. Elise Roze
• prof. dr. Elma Blom

• dr. Martijn van den Heuvel; dr. Jeroen Dudink; prof. dr. Manon Benders

Currently, many multilingual children are misdiagnosed. To improve this situation, LITMUS language assessment tests have been developed as part of the COST Action IS0804 - Language Impairment in a Multilingual Society: Linguistic patterns and the road to assessment. In this usability study an online environment will be developed and adapted in collaboration with speech language therapists to make the LITMUS tests available and accessible for speech-language therapists in the Netherlands.

• prof. dr. Ellen Gerrits
• prof. dr. Elma Blom
• Daan Asscheman MSc
• dr. Dave Hessen

Specific language impairment (SLI) in children is characterized by severe and persistent difficulties in acquiring a native language, unrelated to intellectual disability, physical limitations, or psychosocial deprivation. The etiology of SLI, in particular the role of neurocognitive processes such as learning and information processing, is poorly understood. Progress in this domain is difficult because of the large etiologic and phenotypic heterogeneity of the SLI population. Here, we propose to address this challenge by examining a population with developmental language impairment resulting from a uniform etiology: the 22q11.2 deletion (22q11DS). Children with 22q11DS display delayed language development, and learning- and information processing deficits similar to SLI. The fact that all 22q11DS share the same genetic etiology provides us with a unique opportunity to identify the mechanisms underlying this language disorder.

• dr. Emma Everaert MSc
• prof. dr. Ellen Gerrits
• prof. dr. Frank Wijnen

• Dr. Michiel Houben; Prof.dr. Jacob Vorstman

The first 1001 days of a child’s life, from conception to the age of two, are of vital importance for the development of our complex brain. The brain structure (e.g. different cell types, connections between brain regions) is formed, which will determine a range of skills and cognitive abilities of the child later in life. This project will focus on language development, as an example of an important skill that is dependent on proper brain development. How do stimuli in the first 1001 days influence language acquisition (and disorders)? 

• prof. dr. Frank Wijnen
• prof. dr. Ellen Gerrits
• prof. dr. Elma Blom

• Prof. dr. Jeroen Pasterkamp
• Dr. Corrette Wierenga

This study investigates relationships between language abilities and executive functions (EFs) in bilingual minority children in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, many cultural minority children learn the minority language at home and acquire Dutch, the majority language, later when they go to nursery or elementary school. Simultaneous bilingual children who are proficient in both languages have been found to have certain advantages over monolingual children in their EFs allowing them, for example, to be faster at suppressing inappropriate responses or controlling their attention (Barac & Bialystok, 2011; Adesope, Thompson & Ungerleider, 2010).

         However, it is unknown whether children in a situation of emerging bilingualism, such as minority children, develop similar cognitive advantages. Minority children are often less fluent in Dutch than children who have been exposed to Dutch from birth. Therefore, they may be confused with children who have an impairment specific to language - Specific Language Impairment (SLI). In contrast to bilingual children, children with SLI have poorer EFs than typically developing children (Lum & Bavin, 2007; Im-Bolter, Johnson & Pascual-Leone, 2006). Therefore, assessment of EF has the potential to help diagnosis of SLI in minority children whose expression in the majority language raises concerns.

         This study will systematically investigate bilingual minority children with and without SLI, and monolingual children with and without SLI in the Netherlands. The four groups of children will be compared with respect to their language abilities and EFs. To capture effects of emerging bilingualism, the study takes a developmental approach covering all elementary school years. This research will make a significant contribution by revealing whether or not bilingual minority children have an advantage over monolingual children in EF, identifying relationships between the level of bilingualism and EF, and showing whether or not EFs provide a reliable indicator of language impairment in minority children.

References

Adesope, O.O., Lavin, T., Thompson, T. & Ungerleider, C. (2010). A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Cognitive Correlates of Bilingualism. Review of Educational Research, 80, 207-245.

Barac, R. & Bialystok, E. (2011). Research timeline: Cognitive development of bilingual children. Language Teaching, 44, 36-54.

Im-Bolter, N., Johnson, J. & Pascual-Leone, J. (2006). Processing limitations in children with specific language impairment: the role of executive function. Child Development, 77, 1822-1841.

Lum, J.A.G. & Bavin, E.L. (2007). Analysis and control in children with SLI. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 50, 1618-1630.

• dr. Mona Timmermeister

This study investigates relationships between language abilities and cognitive control in bilingual minority children in the Netherlands. The aim is to better understand the cognitive effects of bilingualism and to disentangle effects of bilingualism and Developmental Language Disorder.

• dr. Mona Timmermeister
• prof. dr. Elma Blom
• prof. dr. Paul Leseman
• prof. dr. Frank Wijnen