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Theta Power at 10 Months of Age Predicts Developmental Change in Language in Infants with and without an Elevated Likelihood for Autism

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Title: Theta Power at 10 Months of Age Predicts Developmental Change in Language in Infants with and without an Elevated Likelihood for Autism
Language: English
Authors: Eirini Papageorgopoulou (ORCID 0009-0006-7520-2004), Jannath Begum Ali, Greg Pasco, Amy Goodwin, Luke Mason, Mark H. Johnson, Tony Charman (ORCID 0000-0003-1993-6549), Kalinka Timmer, Emily J. H. Jones, STAARS team
Source: Developmental Science. 2026 29(3).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Infants, At Risk Persons, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Language Impairments, Developmental Delays, Brain, Child Development, Language Acquisition, Language Skills, Predictor Variables
DOI: 10.1111/desc.70194
ISSN: 1363-755X
1467-7687
Abstract: Infants with an Elevated Likelihood (EL) for autism are more likely to experience language delays, but their language developmental trajectories are highly heterogeneous. The neurodevelopmental processes driving this variability remain unclear, yet understanding them is important for parsing the heterogeneity in language and informing earlier intervention. However, no studies have examined how developmental changes in brain function are related to changes in language ability across time in this population. In this prospective longitudinal study, we investigated the developmental associations between electroencephalography (EEG) and language measures in a sample of infants enriched for varied language outcomes: Infants with EL and Typical Likelihood (TL) for autism (EL = 99, TL = 60). Measures of EEG power in the relative frontal theta and alpha ranges during natural viewing of social and nonsocial naturalistic videos and observer assessment of language ability were collected at 10, 14, 24 and 36 months. As expected, the EL and TL groups differed in the slope of language ability, with the EL group showing less steep increases in language compared to the TL group. Further, 10-month theta power (but not alpha) was a significant predictor of developmental change in language; autism likelihood group did not moderate this association and theta development was not related to language. Overall, findings suggest slowed language development as an autism trait symptom and that theta power is a predictor of general language ability, not specific to autism. Future research should consider incorporating additional measures to examine the potential environmental or genetic contributions to these associations.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504513
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Theta Power at 10 Months of Age Predicts Developmental Change in Language in Infants with and without an Elevated Likelihood for Autism
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eirini+Papageorgopoulou%22">Eirini Papageorgopoulou</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7520-2004">0009-0006-7520-2004</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jannath+Begum+Ali%22">Jannath Begum Ali</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Greg+Pasco%22">Greg Pasco</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amy+Goodwin%22">Amy Goodwin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Luke+Mason%22">Luke Mason</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mark+H%2E+Johnson%22">Mark H. Johnson</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tony+Charman%22">Tony Charman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1993-6549">0000-0003-1993-6549</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kalinka+Timmer%22">Kalinka Timmer</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emily+J%2E+H%2E+Jones%22">Emily J. H. Jones</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22STAARS+team%22">STAARS team</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Science%22"><i>Developmental Science</i></searchLink>. 2026 29(3).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 15
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infants%22">Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22At+Risk+Persons%22">At Risk Persons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism+Spectrum+Disorders%22">Autism Spectrum Disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Impairments%22">Language Impairments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Developmental+Delays%22">Developmental Delays</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Brain%22">Brain</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Development%22">Child Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Acquisition%22">Language Acquisition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Skills%22">Language Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predictor+Variables%22">Predictor Variables</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/desc.70194
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  Data: 1363-755X<br />1467-7687
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Infants with an Elevated Likelihood (EL) for autism are more likely to experience language delays, but their language developmental trajectories are highly heterogeneous. The neurodevelopmental processes driving this variability remain unclear, yet understanding them is important for parsing the heterogeneity in language and informing earlier intervention. However, no studies have examined how developmental changes in brain function are related to changes in language ability across time in this population. In this prospective longitudinal study, we investigated the developmental associations between electroencephalography (EEG) and language measures in a sample of infants enriched for varied language outcomes: Infants with EL and Typical Likelihood (TL) for autism (EL = 99, TL = 60). Measures of EEG power in the relative frontal theta and alpha ranges during natural viewing of social and nonsocial naturalistic videos and observer assessment of language ability were collected at 10, 14, 24 and 36 months. As expected, the EL and TL groups differed in the slope of language ability, with the EL group showing less steep increases in language compared to the TL group. Further, 10-month theta power (but not alpha) was a significant predictor of developmental change in language; autism likelihood group did not moderate this association and theta development was not related to language. Overall, findings suggest slowed language development as an autism trait symptom and that theta power is a predictor of general language ability, not specific to autism. Future research should consider incorporating additional measures to examine the potential environmental or genetic contributions to these associations.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1504513
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      – SubjectFull: Infants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: At Risk Persons
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      – SubjectFull: Autism Spectrum Disorders
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      – SubjectFull: Predictor Variables
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