Language and communication functioning in children and adolescents with agenesis of the corpus callosum

• Published in: Brain and language 2024-08, Vol.255, p.105448, Article 105448
• Main Authors: Moser, Charlene, Spencer-Smith, Megan M., Anderson, Peter J., McIlroy, Alissandra, Wood, Amanda G., Leventer, Richard J., Anderson, Vicki A., Siffredi, Vanessa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Agenesis of Corpus Callosum - complications; Agenesis of Corpus Callosum - diagnostic imaging; Agenesis of Corpus Callosum - pathology; Agenesis of Corpus Callosum - physiopathology; Agenesis of the corpus callosum; Child; Children and adolescents; Communication; Communication Disorders - etiology; Communication Disorders - physiopathology; Corpus callosum; Corpus Callosum - diagnostic imaging; Corpus Callosum - pathology; Corpus Callosum - physiopathology; Developmental neuropsychology; Female; Humans; Intelligence - physiology; Language; Language and communication; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male
• ISSN: 0093-934X; 1090-2155; 1090-2155
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2024.105448

•Language, communication in a sample of children with callosal agenesis (ACC)•Children with ACC showed expressive and receptive language difficulties.•Children with ACC showed high rates of communication impairment.•Anatomical factors and social risk did not contribute to language functioning.•Complete ACC, social risk and lower IQ contributed to communication difficulties. The corpus callosum, the largest white matter inter-hemispheric pathway, is involved in language and communication. In a cohort of 15 children and adolescents (8–15 years) with developmental absence of the corpus callosum (AgCC), this study aimed to describe language and everyday communication functioning, and explored the role of anatomical factors, social risk, and non-verbal IQ in these outcomes. Standardised measures of language and everyday communication functioning, intellectual ability and social risk were used. AgCC classification and anterior commissure volume, a potential alternative pathway, were extracted from T1-weighted images. Participants with AgCC showed reduced receptive and expressive language compared with test norms, and high rates of language and communication impairments. Complete AgCC, higher social risk and lower non-verbal IQ were associated with communication difficulties. Anterior commissure volume was not associated with language and communication. Recognising heterogeneity in language and communication functioning enhances our understanding and suggests specific focuses for potential interventions.