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The typical and atypical development of the visual word form area: the role of innate connectivity and experience

Li, Jin
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1593448336086218

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Psychology.
What determines the functional organization of cortex? One hypothesis is that innate connectivity patterns set up a scaffold upon which functional specialization can later take place. In the present work, we tested this hypothesis by asking whether the visual word form area (VWFA), an experience-driven region, was already connected to proto language networks in neonates scanned within one week of birth (Study 1); and further we asked what happens if the site of putative VWFA doesn’t have access to temporal language regions (Study 2). In Study 1, with resting-state fMRI, we found that neonates showed adult-like functional connectivity, and observed that i) language regions connected more strongly with the putative VWFA than other adjacent ventral visual regions that also show foveal bias, and ii) the VWFA connected more strongly with frontotemporal language regions than with regions adjacent to these language regions. In Study 2, with task-based fMRI, we examined the functional response from an individual born without the left temporal lobe (EG), and compared it to typical adults and school-age kids. We first replicated the functional connectivity results from Study 1 in an independent group of adults and in school-age kids. Next, we found that i) before becoming selective to words, the site of future VWFA responds to objects in typically developed young kids; ii) in the individual with the dorso-temporal lesion, we failed to identify any word selective response in the canonical VWFA location; and iii) with multivariate pattern analysis, we found that there was a reliable response pattern in the ventral occipitotemporal cortex that can distinguish words from other categories in EG. Altogether, these findings suggest that the location of the VWFA is earmarked at birth due to its connectivity with the language network and the failure of connection to temporal language regions might lead to displacement of the word-selective region.
Zeynep Saygin, Dr. (Advisor)
Julie Golomb, Dr. (Committee Member)
Dylan Wagne, Dr. (Committee Member)
64 p.
Cognitive Psychology; Neurosciences; Psychology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Li, J. (2020). The typical and atypical development of the visual word form area: the role of innate connectivity and experience [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1593448336086218

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Li, Jin. The typical and atypical development of the visual word form area: the role of innate connectivity and experience. 2020. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1593448336086218.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Li, Jin. "The typical and atypical development of the visual word form area: the role of innate connectivity and experience." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1593448336086218

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1593448336086218
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.