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Language and communication in children with agenesis of the corpus

callosum

Article  in  Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · January 2013

DOI: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2013.212.00151

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6 authors, including:

Vanessa Siffredi Vicki Anderson

University of Geneva Murdoch Children's Research Institute
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Richard J Leventer Amanda G Wood

Murdoch Children's Research Institute Deakin University
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 Language and communication in children with agenesis of the corpus callosum

Conference Abstract presented at the Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Conference in

Melbourne in November 2013

Background
Expressive and receptive language are predominantly processed by the left hemisphere.
Interhemispheric transfer is important for the integration of linguistic and communication
related information. The corpus callosum, the largest white matter pathway connecting the
two cerebral hemispheres, plays a crucial role in the transfer and integration of language and
communication information across hemispheres. Developmental absence (agenesis) of the
corpus callosum (AgCC) is a congenital brain malformation resulting from disruption of
corpus callosum formation. This study aims to: 1) describe language and communication
skills in children with AgCC; and 2) examine the role of general intellectual ability, brain
structure (partial or complete AgCC; intactness of anterior and posterior commissures) and
clinical factors (presence of seizure disorder, genetic condition) as predictors of language and
communication abilities.

Methods
Fifteen children with AgCC (partial n=8, complete n=7) aged 8 to 15 years (M= 12.03,
SD=2.16) were recruited. Language (receptive and expressive skills), general intellectual and
communication abilities were estimated using standardised measures. Brain MRI was
reviewed using a standardised coding system.

Results
Preliminary analysis showed that children with AgCC performed below the test mean on all
measures: expressive (p=.001), receptive (p=.001), communication (p=.005). There was some
variability in language and communication skills: communication ratings were higher than
expressive language scores (p=.015), which were higher than receptive language scores
(p=.016). A series of regressions showed that general intellectual ability predicted expressive
language scores (p=.001), and approached significance for receptive language scores
(p=.064). Intactness of the corpus callosum predicted communication ratings (p=.043), with
complete AgCC associated with poorer outcomes. Clinical factors and intactness of anterior
and posterior commissures were not significantly associated with language and
communication abilities.

Discussion
Language and communication abilities are reduced in children with AgCC. Contrary to
expectations, children with AgCC showed better communication than language abilities, with
greatest difficulties in expressive language. General intellectual ability predicted language but
not communication abilities. The intactness of the corpus callosum predicted communication
but not language abilities.

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