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Early Neurodevelopmental Trajectories of Typical and Atypical Language Acquisition

Award Number: F31HD108987
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/19/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/21/2025

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Early Neurodevelopmental Trajectories of Typical and Atypical Language Acquisition - Project Summary/Abstract Developmental language impairments are common in the general population, affecting approximately 1 in 10 children. Despite this prevalence, little is known about the etiology of language difficulties observed in conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Earlier therapeutic interventions for language impairments have consistently been associated with better language and social outcomes, making it important to develop a better understanding of the neural apparatus supporting successful language acquisition during the first year of life. This project will improve our understanding of language development by longitudinally examining how neural language processing and language network connectivity before an infant’s first birthday relate to later trajectories of receptive and expressive language skills. This proposal will leverage data from two ongoing NIH-funded longitudinal studies to examine the neural processing of native vs. non-native language (Aim 1), functional connectivity within language networks (Aim 2), and the structure of white matter tracts supporting cross-talk between language hubs (Aim 3). Language delays have been associated with aberrant language-related neural activity and network connectivity in both typically and atypically developing populations. Yet although newborns can already distinguish their native language from other languages, no study has longitudinally examined the neural signatures of native language learning in early infancy. Importantly, infant imaging studies have seldom employed adequate sample sizes and repeated observations necessary for rigorous assessment of neurodevelopmental changes in brain connectivity within language networks. Here, fMRI data collected with a stimulus-evoked language paradigm as part of the UCLA ACE (NICHD P50 HD055784) will be used to chart neural responses associated with native language learning during the first year of life in infants at high and low risk for ASD. Longitudinal resting-state fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data from the Baby Connectome Project (1U01MH110274) will be used to thoroughly characterize the early development of functional and structural connectivity, respectively, across brain regions implicated in language processing. Finally, across all aims, differences in brain activity and connectivity during infancy will be related to later language trajectories to identify early predictors of atypical language development. The candidate, Lauren Wagner, will carry out these studies as a Neuroscience graduate student at UCLA under the tutelage of Drs. Mirella Dapretto and Lucina Uddin who, together, have vast expertise in neurodevelopment, pediatric imaging, language development, advanced neuroimaging methods, and ASD. UCLA’s infrastructure, collaborative environment, and research training resources offer the candidate an ideal training environment in which to carry out these aims. This F31 NRSA Fellowship will provide the applicant with comprehensive training in MRI, statistical modeling, teaching, and dissemination of results that, altogether, will lay the foundation for a successful academic research career focusing on neurodevelopmental disorders affecting language acquisition.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = -$11,756 )
2026	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	3	1/27/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$11,756
														Subtotal = -$11,756

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $15,339 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	3	6/5/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$564
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	002	3	6/10/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$26,192
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	3	1/16/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$40,967
														Subtotal = $15,339

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $40,967 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	2	1/22/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$39,687
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	2	4/23/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,280
														Subtotal = $40,967

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $39,687 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	003	1	2/6/2023	NEW	$942
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	1	1/30/2023	NEW	$171
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	002	1	1/30/2023	NEW	$0
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES	10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700	LOS ANGELES	CA	90024	LOS ANGELES	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	1/19/2023	NEW	$38,574
														Subtotal = $39,687

Grand Total All Awards = $84,237

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Early Neurodevelopmental Trajectories of Typical and Atypical Language Acquisition

Award Number: F31HD108987

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/19/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/21/2025

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