Cardiac vagal regulation in infancy predicts executive function and social competence in preschool: Indirect effects through language

Abstract

Parasympathetic nervous system functioning in infancy may serve a foundational role in the development of cognitive and socioemotional skills (Calkins, 2007). In this study (N = 297), we investigated the potential indirect effects of cardiac vagal regulation in infancy on children's executive functioning and social competence in preschool via expressive and receptive language in toddlerhood. Vagal regulation was assessed at 10 months during two attention conditions (social, nonsocial) via task-related changes in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). A path analysis revealed that decreased RSA from baseline in the nonsocial condition and increased RSA in the social condition were related to larger vocabularies in toddlerhood. Additionally, children's vocabulary sizes were positively related to their executive function and social competence in preschool. Indirect effects from vagal regulation in both contexts to both 4-year outcomes were significant, suggesting that early advances in language may represent a mechanism through which biological functioning in infancy impacts social and cognitive functioning in childhood.

Heart rate mean and variability as a biomarker for phenotypic variation in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder

“…This suggests that while autonomic activity in infancy may relate to sociocommunicative abilities later in life, autonomic variability during calm, nonsocial periods in preschool children does not contribute to variability in language skills over a 12‐month period once language has started to develop. Changes in HRV from baseline to both social and non‐social conditions at 10 months is associated with expressive and receptive language at, respectively, 2 and 3 years, which in turn relates to social competence and EF at 4 years [Whedon, Perry, Calkins, & Bell, ]. Similarly, evaluating the autonomic response to non‐social and social stimuli including language in preschoolers might provide a better predictor of later socio‐cognitive skills than trait levels of PNS activity.…”

Language and socioemotional development in early childhood: The role of conversational turns

“…First, the number of words a child hears could promote socioemotional competence indirectly through their vocabulary. It is well known that more words in the language environment predict a child's vocabulary (Hart & Risley, 1995; Hoff, 2006; Vernon‐Feagans et al., 2020), and at least three studies find an association between child vocabulary and socioemotional competence, after controlling for other cognitive characteristics (Daneri et al., 2019; Rose et al., 2018; Whedon et al., 2018). The reasons why a child's vocabulary may support socioemotional competence have not been tested, but given studies that show how language can be used to regulate emotions (Cole et al., 2010; Gottman et al., 1997; Grady & Callan, 2019), a reasonable hypothesis is that children with better language skills can use their language to better understand and manage their behavior and emotions.…”

Improving neurodevelopment in infants with complex congenital heart disease

“…Function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) offers a window into the capacity of the central nervous system to regulate physiological processes (Thayer, Ahs, Fredrikson, Sollers 3rd, & Wager, ; Williams et al, ) in order to maintain homeostasis and respond to internal and external challenges. A highly functioning ANS is associated with optimal neurodevelopment in children (Marcovitch et al, ; Porges & Furman, ; Whedon, Perry, Calkins, & Bell, ). ANS function provides the foundation for an individual's ability to regulate emotion and behavior and is associated with social engagement skills (Porges & Furman, ; Schore, ) and cognitive function (Hansen, Johnsen, & Thayer, ; Hansen, Johnsen, & Thayer, ; Thayer, Hansen, Saus‐Rose, & Johnsen, ).…”