Welcome to the new version of CaltechAUTHORS. Login is currently restricted to library staff. If you notice any issues, please email coda@library.caltech.edu
Published March 2013 | Accepted Version
Journal Article Open

Frontolimbic neural circuitry at 6 months predicts individual differences in joint attention at 9 months

Abstract

Elucidating the neural basis of joint attention in infancy promises to yield important insights into the development of language and social cognition, and directly informs developmental models of autism. We describe a new method for evaluating responding to joint attention performance in infancy that highlights the 9- to 10-month period as a time interval of maximal individual differences. We then demonstrate that fractional anisotropy in the right uncinate fasciculus, a white matter fiber bundle connecting the amygdala to the ventral-medial prefrontal cortex and anterior temporal pole, measured in 6-month-olds predicts individual differences in responding to joint attention at 9 months of age. The white matter microstructure of the right uncinate was not related to receptive language ability at 9 months. These findings suggest that the development of core nonverbal social communication skills in infancy is largely supported by preceding developments within right lateralized frontotemporal brain systems.

Additional Information

© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Issue published online: 23 February 2013; Article first published online: 20 December 2012; Manuscript Accepted: 2 September 2012; Manuscript Received: 11 June 2012. This research was supported by grants awarded to JP from NIH/NICHD (Autism Center of Excellence R01 #HD055741; IDDRC, P30, #HD03110), and the Foundation of Hope. JJW and DCH were supported by an NIH training grant (T32-HD40127) and JTE was supported by an NRSA award (5-T32-HD007376) from NICHD. The authors declare no competing financial interests. We thank the families who participated in this work and Whitney Weigold for her contribution to data collection.

Attached Files

Accepted Version - nihms-411483.pdf

Files

nihms-411483.pdf
Files (1.3 MB)
Name Size Download all
md5:972a8948fd4fe1fc481ed22f1d02da6e
1.3 MB Preview Download

Additional details

Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
October 23, 2023