Functional connectivity of the superior temporal sulcus at term-equivalent age: effects of gestational age and sex

The superior temporal sulcus (STS) plays a central role in auditory and linguistic processing and undergoes rapid development during the last trimester of gestation. Yet, the extent to which its development is shaped by early sensory experience remains unclear. Premature birth offers a unique opportunity to address this question, as it exposes the brain to an extra-uterine auditory environment at a critical stage of network maturation. We analyzed resting-state fMRI data in 116 neonates (63 males), scanned at term-equivalent age but born at varying gestational age (24.3 to 41.7 weeks gestational age) using the developing Human Connectome Project (dHCP) database. Functional connectivity was computed in native space using regions of interest based on each infant's sulcal anatomy to assess the respective contributions of STS subregions. Our analyses reveal a functional division between the inferior and superior banks of the STS, with the inferior bank showing stronger connectivity to distant parietal and frontal areas along the dorsal language pathway. The left posterior STS emerged as a functional hub, displaying broad inter-area connectivity. Longer gestations correlated with increased local connectivity, notably in the right temporal region, despite equal age at scan. Additionally, female neonates exhibited stronger connectivity from the left posterior STS compared to males. These findings highlight the early emergence of adult-like auditory-linguistic networks and their sensitivity to the in-utero environment. Further research is needed to investigate the consequences of these early differences and to determine which postnatal interventions might help compensate, if necessary.