The Influence of Auditory and Language Exposures on Brain Development in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
by Brian Monson, Ph.D.
Carle Illinois College of Medicine - Innovation Grand Rounds
Friday, September 11, 2020
noon – 1:00 p.m. Hear from Dr. Monson
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. Reflection & Dialogue
Zoom Call-in: go.illinois.edu/innovationgrandrounds
Abstract: Fetuses can listen to and learn from auditory exposures in utero. Premature birth disrupts typical ontogenetic development of the fetus during a period of rapid neurodevelopment, with long-term behavioral consequences. For example, language deficits are a hallmark of children born very preterm. Characterizing brain development in vivo in preterm infants using neuroimaging techniques reveals that auditory cortical maturation might be particularly susceptible to preterm birth-related disturbances. By measuring preterm auditory exposures in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), we have been able to describe atypical auditory experience associated with premature transition from the intrauterine acoustic environment to that of the NICU. We are also able to relate perinatal exposures to long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for preterm infants. Optimizing auditory exposures in the NICU may foster healthy neurodevelopment and outcomes for this fragile population.
Biography:
Dr. Brian Monson is an assistant professor of Speech and Hearing Science and Neuroscience at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Utah State University. His Master’s degree is in Acoustical Physics, with a minor in Vocal Performance, from Brigham Young University. He received his Ph.D. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Science from the University of Arizona with minors in Neuroscience and Theatre Arts. Following his PhD, Dr. Monson completed a postdoc in Theoretical Neuroscience with Dale Purves at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore. He then completed a second postdoc in Pediatric Newborn Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, working with Terrie Inder and Jeff Neil. Prior to joining the University of Illinois, Dr. Monson had been on the research faculty at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
