[Phonetic discrimination ability of a native vowel contrast in preterm infants]. / Capacidades de discriminación fonética de un contraste vocálico nativo en el prematuro.

Preterm birth is considered a risk factor for cognitive and linguistic development; however, research focusing on the comparison between preterm and full term infants' early abilities in speech perception is still scarce. In this study, the ability to perceive and discriminate a native vowel contrast by a sample of preterm infants at 4 and 8 months of age (corrected for gestation) has been analyzed using the familiarization-preference procedure and complex stimuli (CV.CV, multispeakers). Results reveal differences at 4 months of age between pre-term and control groups; only the latter successfully categorize and react to the vowel change. By 8 months of age, preterm infants are able to solve the task. A positive correlation was observed between duration of attention (visual fixation measures) and a number of neonatal risk factors. Results show the effects of preterm birth on the processing of complex stimuli and suggest the need to further explore the connection between early speech perception capacities and language development in this at-risk population.

Capacidades de discriminación fonética de un contraste vocálico nativo en el prematuro / Phonetic discrimination ability of a native vowel contrast in preterm infants

La prematuridad se ha considerado un factor de riesgo para el desarrollo cognitivo y lingüístico, pero son escasas las investigaciones que analicen las diferencias entre prematuros y nacidos a término en las habilidades iniciales de la percepción del habla. En este trabajo se explora la capacidad para percibir y discriminar un contraste vocálico nativo en una muestra de prematuros a los 4 y 8 meses (edad corregida), mediante el paradigma de familiarización - preferencia con estímulos complejos (CV.CV, multi-locutoras). Los resultados muestran diferencias a los 4 meses entre prematuros y controles, solo los segundos categorizan adecuadamente y responden al cambio vocálico. A los 8 meses el grupo de prematuros ya resuelve la tarea. Se observa una correlación positiva entre duración de la atención (tiempo de fijación visual) y variables de riesgo neonatal. Los resultados muestran los efectos de la prematuridad sobre el procesamiento de estímulos complejos y plantean la necesidad de explorar con mayor detalle la relación entre las capacidades tempranas de percepción del habla y el desarrollo del lenguaje en esta población de riesgo (AU)

Preterm birth is considered a risk factor for cognitive and linguistic development; however, research focusing on the comparison between preterm and full term infants’ early abilities in speech perception is still scarce. In this study, the ability to perceive and discriminate a native vowel contrast by a sample of preterm infants at 4 and 8 months of age (corrected for gestation) has been analyzed using the familiarization-preference procedure and complex stimuli (CV.CV, multispeakers). Results reveal differences at 4 months of age between pre-term and control groups; only the latter successfully categorize and react to the vowel change. By 8 months of age, preterm infants are able to solve the task. A positive correlation was observed between duration of attention (visual fixation measures) and a number of neonatal risk factors. Results show the effects of preterm birth on the processing of complex stimuli and suggest the need to further explore the connection between early speech perception capacities and language development in this at-risk population (AU)