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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Neurodevelopment
Volume 18 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1390987

Executive functions in children with developmental language disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Provisionally accepted
Tengfei Niu Tengfei Niu 1Shiqiang Wang Shiqiang Wang 2*Jingxi MA Jingxi MA 3Xiaoping Zeng Xiaoping Zeng 4*Ruiling Xue Ruiling Xue 3*
  • 1 Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing, China
  • 2 Cancer Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, Anhui, China
  • 3 Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
  • 4 Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The purpose of the current study was to assess the differences between children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and typically developing (TD) children in their performance of executive functions from working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. Methods: We performed a systematical search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science for case control studies (published in English between January 1, 1950, and October 11, 2023) comparing the differences in the performance of executive functions between DLD and TD children. Results: Forty eligible studies were included in the present study (N=3168 participants). In comparison with TD children, DLD children exhibited significantly poorer performances in all six verbal working memory tasks (backward digit recall task, SMD -1.4321, 95% CI -2.2692 to -0.5950; listening recall task, SMD -1.4469, 95% CI -1.7737 to -1.1202; counting recall task, SMD -0.9192, 95% CI -1.4089 to -0.4295; digit recall task, SMD -1.2321, 95% CI -1.4397 to -1.0244; word list recall task, SMD -1.1375, 95% CI -1.5579 to -0.7171; nonword recall task, SMD -1.5355, 95% CI -1.8122 to -1.2589). However, regarding inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility, the differences between DLD and TD children depended on specific circumstances. In subgroup analyses of all verbal working memory tasks, DLD children presented notably lower performance than TD children in both the monolingual English and monolingual non-English groups, and in both the preschooler and school-aged groups. Conclusion: This study proves that verbal working memory deficits can be seen as a marker for children with DLD and are not affected by age or language type.

    Keywords: developmental language disorder, executive functions, Children, Systematic review, metaanalysis

    Received: 24 Feb 2024; Accepted: 29 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Niu, Wang, MA, Zeng and Xue. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Shiqiang Wang, Cancer Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, Anhui, China
    Xiaoping Zeng, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 400081, China
    Ruiling Xue, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.