Brain encoding of speech sounds in newborns with complex congenital heart disease: Towards the identification of early biomarkers of language delay

Introduction

Newborns with complex congenital heart disease (CCCHD) are at high risk of neurodevelopmental disorders of multifactorial aetiology, including brain immaturity comparable to moderately pre-term infants. Nearly one third of children with CCCHD have a language delay, which negatively impacts their academic performance, communication, and social interactions.

Objective

Our team has shown that moderate preterm newborns have impaired cortical encoding of vowels compared to term newborns. Newborns with CCCHD may have a similar early encoding profile to preterm infants, which might serve as an early functional biomarker of language delay in this population.

Methods

We recruited 15 newborns with CCHD, between March and December 2022 within the department of Paediatric Cardiology in La Timone Children's Hospital. These neonates were passively exposed to a sequence of syllables using an earpiece, while cortical and subcortical event-related potentials were simultaneously recorded.

Results/Expected results

CCCHD newborns had a significantly longer neural conduction time between the cochlea and the first brainstem relay (inferior colliculus), compared with term newborns. We hypothesize that the amplitude of cortical event-related potentials will be lower in newborns with CCCHD compared to term newborns.

Conclusion/Perspectives

This altered encoding pattern is likely to be caused by immature auditory pathways. Thus, the detection of early alteration of perception could help to identify newborns at risk of language delay, allowing the implementation of targeted rehabilitation before the onset of speech disorder.