Mapping Critical Language Sites in Children Performing Verb Generation: Whole-Brain Connectivity and Graph Theoretical Analysis in MEG

A classic left frontal-temporal brain network is known to support language processes. However, the level of participation of constituent regions, and the contribution of extra-canonical areas, is not fully understood; this is particularly true in children, and in individuals who have experienced early neurological insult. In the present work, we propose whole-brain connectivity and graph-theoretical analysis of magnetoencephalography (MEG) source estimates to provide robust maps of the pediatric expressive language network. We examined neuromagnetic data from a group of typically-developing young children (n = 15, ages 4–6 years) and adolescents (n = 14, 16–18 years) completing an auditory verb generation task in MEG. All source analyses were carried out using a linearly-constrained minimum-variance (LCMV) beamformer. Conventional differential analyses revealed significant (p < 0.05, corrected) low-beta (13–23 Hz) event related desynchrony (ERD) focused in the left inferior frontal region (Broca’s area) in both groups, consistent with previous studies. Connectivity analyses were carried out in broadband (3–30 Hz) on time-course estimates obtained at the voxel level. Patterns of connectivity were characterized by phase locking value (PLV), and network hubs identified through eigenvector centrality (EVC). Hub analysis revealed the importance of left perisylvian sites, i.e., Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, across groups. The hemispheric distribution of frontal and temporal lobe EVC values was asymmetrical in most subjects; left dominant EVC was observed in 20% of young children, and 71% of adolescents. Interestingly, the adolescent group demonstrated increased critical sites in the right cerebellum, left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and left putamen. Here, we show that whole brain connectivity and network analysis can be used to map critical language sites in typical development; these methods may be useful for defining the margins of eloquent tissue in neurosurgical candidates.