Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Language Function in Children

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been recognised as a neuroimaging technique suitable for examination of higher cognitive function in children. It has been used to elucidate cognitive neural networks associated with various aspects of language function in several group and case studies of school-aged children. Language function has been lateralised and localised with fMRI in clinical samples, neurologically normal children and children with developmental language disorders. Issues of plasticity of language function during development and following injury have also been considered. Several paediatric case studies have also raised questions with respect to the interpretation of fMRI language activation. In spite of methodological challenges, fMRI has proved a useful technique for examination of the brain-behaviour relationship in developmental language functions. This paper reviews fMRI studies of language, including reading, in children.