Prior structural imaging studies found initial evidence for the link between structural gray matter changes and the development of language performance in children. However, previous studies generally only focused on sentence comprehension. Therefore, little is known about the relationship between structural properties of brain regions relevant to sentence processing and more specific cognitive abilities underlying complex sentence comprehension. In this study, whole-brain magnetic resonance images from 59 children between 5 and 8 years were assessed. Scores on a standardized sentence comprehension test determined grammatical proficiency of our participants. A confirmatory factory analysis corroborated a grammar-relevant and a verbal working memory-relevant factor underlying the measured performance. Voxel-based morphometry of gray matter revealed that while children's ability to assign thematic roles is positively correlated with gray matter probability (GMP) in the left inferior temporal gyrus and the left inferior frontal gyrus, verbal working memory-related performance is positively correlated with GMP in the left parietal operculum extending into the posterior superior temporal gyrus. Since these areas are known to be differentially engaged in adults' complex sentence processing, our data suggest a specific correspondence between children's GMP in language-relevant brain regions and differential cognitive abilities that guide their sentence comprehension.

Anja Fengler

Lars Meyer

Angela D. Friederici

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

该杂志发表关于认知大脑发育的理论和研究论文，从婴儿期到儿童期和青春期，再到成年期。它涵盖了典型和非典型发展中的神经认知发展和神经认知加工，包括社会和情感方面。该期刊的适当方法包括但不限于功能性神经影像学（FMRI 和 MEG）、电生理学（EEG 和 ERP）、NIRS 和经颅磁刺激，以及使用细胞和动物模型直接解决认知问题的其他基本神经科学方法大脑发育、患者研究、案例研究、验尸研究和药理学研究。

The journal 'Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience' publishes theoretical and research papers on cognitive brain development, covering various stages from infancy to childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. It addresses neural cognitive development and processing in both typical and atypical development, including social and emotional aspects. Appropriate methodologies include, but are not limited to, functional neuroimaging (such as fMRI and MEG), electrophysiology (such as EEG and ERP), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and transcranial magnetic stimulation. The journal also welcomes fundamental neuroscience research that directly addresses cognitive issues using cellular and animal models, including studies on brain development, patient research, case studies, autopsy studies, and pharmacological research.

《Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience》期刊发表关于认知大脑发育的理论和研究论文，涵盖从婴儿期到儿童期、青春期，再到成年期的各个阶段。期刊内容涉及典型和非典型发展中的神经认知发展与加工，包括社会和情感方面的研究。适用的方法包括但不限于功能性神经影像学（如FMRI和MEG）、电生理学（如EEG和ERP）、近红外光谱（NIRS）和经颅磁刺激等。此外，期刊还欢迎使用细胞和动物模型直接探讨认知问题的基础神经科学研究，包括大脑发育、患者研究、案例研究、尸检研究和药理学研究。

Brain structural correlates of complex sentence comprehension in children

Gray matter in inferior temporal and frontal areas predicts thematic role assignment and left temporo-parietal area's gray matter predicts working memory-related performance in children between 5 and 8 years.

Category	Quartile
医学	2
医学, 神经科学	2
医学, 心理学发育	2

Brain structural correlates of complex sentence comprehension in children

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Category	Quartile
PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL	1