Early brain responses to speech in babies at risk for developmental language disorder
Official title: Neural mechanisms underlying the sensitive period for phonetic learning in infants at-risk for Developmental Language Disorder
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11144377 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether babies' brain responses to speech between 6 and 12 months can signal later risk for developmental language disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $344,106 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC020419-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11144377 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are infants about 6–12 months old, particularly those with a family history of language disorders or early signs of delayed speech.
✕Less likely to help
Older children and adults, or infants outside the 6–12 month window, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will record your baby's brain responses to different speech sounds during the 6–12 month window using noninvasive methods. They will compare babies who are at higher risk for language disorder (for example, because of family history) with typically-developing babies. The team will follow language development over early childhood to see which early brain patterns link to later language problems. The goal is to find early brain markers that could point to earlier, targeted support.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help identify babies at risk earlier so they can get targeted language support sooner.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that infants' neural responses in this sensitive period can predict later language skills and risk for language disorder, but the underlying brain mechanisms are still unclear.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhao, Tian — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Zhao, Tian
Related research
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Understanding how infants’ early speech becomes language skills and how it might signal language disorders
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.