Overview

• In a randomized trial of 46 very preterm babies, recordings of mothers reading were played in 10‑minute intervals for about 160 minutes nightly over several weeks.
• MRI scans showed more mature development of the left arcuate fasciculus in exposed infants, with smaller effects on the right side consistent with language lateralization.
• Playback occurred overnight to keep parents blinded to group assignment, and the brief intervention was feasible in routine hospital care without disrupting sleep.
• Researchers will expand testing to medically fragile infants, investigate mechanisms, and follow participants to assess later language and communication outcomes.
• Independent experts welcomed the promise but urged caution, citing the small sample size and the need for additional control conditions such as other voices or non‑speech sounds.