Reduced brain activation during spoken language processing in children with developmental language disorder and children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

Language difficulties of children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) have been associated with multiple underlying factors and are still poorly understood. One way of investigating the mechanisms of DLD language problems is to compare language-related brain activation patterns of children with DLD to those of a population with similar language difficulties and a uniform etiology. Children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) constitute such a population. Here, we conducted an fMRI study, in which children (6-10yo) with DLD and 22q11DS listened to speech alternated with reversed speech. We compared language laterality and language-related brain activation levels with those of typically developing (TD) children who performed the same task. The data revealed no significant differences between groups in language lateralization, but task-related activation levels were lower in children with language impairment than in TD children in several nodes of the language network. We conclude that language impairment in children with DLD and in children with 22q11DS may involve (partially) overlapping cortical areas. •The origin of language impairment in Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is unclear.•Language problems in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) and DLD show similarities.•Language laterality in children with 22q11DS or DLD is similar to that in controls.•Task related activity in language areas is lower in 22q11DS and DLD than in controls.•Language impairment in 22q11DS and DLD may involve similar cortical areas.