Language Processing

Physician-reported safety outcomes of AI-generated hospital course summaries

Reversible words can lower consumer disbelief in ads

A new study reveals that using reversible words in marketing messages can significantly impact how confident consumers feel about believing a claim. Researchers found that when words differ in their reversibility, it can trigger different mental processes when consumers evaluate marketing language.

Uncovering structural cue use in second-language sentence processing

A study led by Waseda University's Associate Professor Chie Nakamura investigated how listeners interpret structurally ambiguous sentences using eye-tracking technology. The researchers found that listeners actively build sentence structure in real-time, predicting how the sentence will continue before all information is available.

From genetics to AI: Integrated approaches to decoding human language in the brain

Cognitive neuroscientists are integrating genetics and AI to study language development and disorders. AI-based models can predict language development in children, while genetics research links rhythm disorders and dyslexia. The brain's wiring connecting language regions also reveals that language is a system, not a single 'thing'.

UH researcher disputes claim that multilingualism promotes better brain aging

A University of Houston researcher disputes a study claiming multilingualism promotes healthy brain aging, finding that wealth and healthcare systems may drive longevity instead. Hernandez argues that individual behavioral solutions, such as learning a language, are oversold and distract from structural factors that support healthy aging.

Language mixing has no negative effect on toddlers’ vocabulary development, Concordia research shows

A study by Concordia University found that language mixing in bilingual and multilingual homes does not harm a child's ability to learn words. In fact, parents who mix languages more often tend to use it as an intentional strategy to encourage language development.

AI language models show bias against regional German dialects

Large language models systematically rate speakers of German dialects less favorably than those using Standard German, associating dialects with negative traits. The bias grows when dialects are explicitly mentioned, and larger models display even stronger biases.

English text readability can be estimated using basic linguistic features

The study analyzed eye movement data to predict processing effort and found that word and sentence length are effective predictors of text readability among English learners. This approach provides valuable insights for selecting reading materials and developing reading tests.

Patient-physician messaging by race, ethnicity, insurance type, and preferred language

A cross-sectional study of primary care patients found significant disparities in patient-portal message responsiveness by race and ethnicity, insurance type, and preferred language. Slower response times at underserved practice settings contributed to these disparities.

Identifying factors affecting word processing during second-language English reading at different processing stages

Researchers analyzed eye-tracking data to identify key factors influencing word processing during English reading. Word length was found to be the most critical factor in determining skipped words and total reading time, while word frequency and predictability played a significant role in initial processing and rereading.

KU researcher examines the ties between language and emotion

Researcher Katie Hoemann proposes a framework for studying language and emotion, dividing it into three aspects: attention, construal, and appraisal. This framework suggests a more productive understanding of the relationship between language and emotion is possible.

Automatized vocabulary knowledge in predicting speech fluency

A new study by Waseda University researchers suggests that learners need to automatize word meanings in context to achieve fluent speech. By assessing automatized vocabulary knowledge (AVK) and declarative vocabulary knowledge (DVK), the team found AVK to be a stronger predictor of L2 speaking fluency.

Speech and hearing tests allow early detection of rare type of dementia that affects language

Researchers identified key tasks in a speech assessment battery to detect primary progressive aphasia, a rare neurodegenerative disease. Early detection can lead to slower disease progression and improved communication skills.

Listeners use gestures to predict upcoming words

Researchers found that listeners use gestures to predict upcoming words, facilitating language processing and indicating the multimodal nature of human communication. This study highlights the importance of co-speech hand gestures in understanding artificial agents like robots or virtual avatars.

Research Spotlight: Using artificial intelligence to reveal the neural dynamics of human conversation

Researchers investigated how brains process language during real-life conversations, employing AI to analyze neural activity and linguistic features. They found that speaking and listening engage widespread networks of brain areas in the frontal and temporal lobes, with highly specific patterns changing depending on words and context.

To the brain, Esperanto and Klingon appear the same as English or Mandarin

A new study by MIT researchers finds that constructed languages such as Esperanto and Klingon elicit similar responses in the brain's language-processing network, suggesting that meaning is a key feature of language. This discovery helps define some of the key properties of language and narrows down the question of what a language is.

Mastery of language could predict longevity

Researchers found that verbal fluency, a measure of vocabulary and ability to use it, is significantly linked to longevity. Verbal fluency was found to be a complex process that relies on multiple cognitive abilities, including long-term memory, vocabulary, efficiency, and visual memory.

ChatGPT on the couch? How to calm a stressed-out AI

Studies show that AI chatbots, when exposed to traumatic content, exhibit increased anxiety levels. However, researchers at the University of Zurich have found that therapeutic prompts can significantly reduce these elevated anxiety levels in language models like ChatGPT.

New insights into the mechanisms of language recovery after stroke

Researchers identified three key principles in language recovery after stroke: rapid reinforcement of damaged areas by unaffected network regions, activation of homologous mirror-image areas, and increased communication between affected areas.

Like human brains, large language models reason about diverse data in a general way

Researchers found that large language models use a semantic hub mechanism to process diverse data, integrating information from various modalities. They demonstrated that models can change their outputs by intervening with text in the dominant language, even when processing other languages.

Study maps new brain regions behind intended speech

Researchers identified specific non-frontal brain areas involved in speech intent, which can be used to distinguish between language production and perception. This study is a crucial step towards developing a brain-computer interface to treat patients with Broca's aphasia.

Towards a new generation of human-inspired language models

A team of researchers proposes a new generation of language models inspired by human language acquisition. They demonstrate how artificial agents learn linguistic constructions linked to their environment and sensory perceptions, leading to more realistic language understanding.

Pacific Islander teens assert identity through language

Researchers found greater phonetic markers among Pacific Islander teens in a more diverse school, indicating prominent ethnic boundaries. The study suggests that language shifts serve as subtle signals to establish identity and connect with cultural communities.

Boosting physical fitness increases language comprehension in older adults

A six-month exercise programme improved language comprehension in older monolingual adults, with a 7% increase in detection speed. In contrast, bilingual participants did not show the same improvement, suggesting a complex relationship between fitness and language processing in bilingual brains.

Children learn language from wholes to parts, challenging traditional views of language acquisition

A new study reveals that children often begin with holistic learning, identifying whole phrases before breaking them down into parts. This approach challenges the traditional view that language is acquired by assembling smaller parts into larger structures.

Scanning, scrolling, and swiping: New research uncovers why our brains are effective at quickly processing short messages

Researchers found that the brain's language comprehension system can detect the basic structure of a short sentence in roughly 150 milliseconds, similar to visual scene perception. This rapid processing capacity suggests that our brains may be able to make snap decisions based on quick messages.

Testing and evaluation of health care applications of large language models

The study evaluated large language models for healthcare applications, highlighting dimensions such as fairness, bias, and toxicity. It emphasizes the need for standardized applications and metrics to ensure real patient care data is considered.

Singing repairs the language network of the brain after a cerebrovascular accident

Researchers at the University of Helsinki found that singing repairs the structural language network of the brain after a cerebrovascular accident. Singing also improved tract connectivity and increased grey matter volume in language regions, leading to improved speech production in patients with aphasia.

Name that odor

Identical odors are processed differently in the brain based on their assigned labels, according to new research. The study found that participants rated odors with different names as more dissimilar than those labeled with the same name.

Investigating the loss of musical ability

A new study has identified the likely origin of tone deafness in the brain, finding that strokes causing amusia affect the right hemisphere and a specific region called the superior temporal gyrus. This discovery highlights the differences between processing music and language in the brain, with implications for diagnosis and treatment.

Conversations in a MR scanner provides a novel view of the brain’s language network

A study using fMRI found that speaking and listening rely on the same brain regions, but with crucial differences in activity levels across the language network. Regions associated with social processing were more involved when speaking.

Do you have an ear for languages? It may be related to how you perceive the rhythms

Researchers found that individuals who excel at synchronizing speech rhythms can learn new words more efficiently and have stronger connections between brain areas involved in language processing. This ability is stable across time and not dependent on language experience.

For people who speak many languages, there’s something special about their native tongue

A new study found that the brains of polyglots process their native language with minimal effort, while more proficient languages activate the language network stronger. The researchers explored how polyglots' brains respond to different languages and proficiency levels.

Screen time and parent-child talk when children are ages 12 to 36 months

A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics found a strong negative association between screen time and parent-child talk among children aged 12-36 months. Children exposed to more screen time had fewer adult words, vocalizations, and back-and-forth interactions with parents.

How cognition changes before dementia hits

Researchers found that individuals with mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) struggle with ambiguous sentences, indicating a key deficit in processing complex language. This deficit is independent of memory loss and may serve as an additional 'cognitive biomarker' for early detection.

How emotions affect word retrieval in people with aphasia

People with aphasia struggle to come up with words when prompted by images and words carrying negative emotional meaning. Researchers found that neutral prompts yield the best results, with negative emotional context disrupting word retrieval. The study has implications for clinical assessments and therapy.

Gaps in the vision screening pathway for school-aged children

Gaps in vision screening pathways disproportionately affect historically marginalized groups, leading to poor outcomes and inadequate care. The study highlights the need for improved strategies to address these disparities.

Complex, unfamiliar sentences make the brain’s language network work harder

A new study finds that complex and unfamiliar sentences generate stronger responses in the brain's language processing centers. Sentences with higher surprisal and linguistic complexity evoke more activation, while extremely simple or nonsensical sequences elicit little response.

Chronic childhood ear infections delay language development

A new study from University of Florida scientists reveals that chronic ear infections can lead to deficits in auditory processing and language development in children years later. Children with multiple ear infections before three years old had smaller vocabularies and difficulty matching similar sounding words.

Artificial intelligence can predict events in people's lives

A recent study using AI to analyze registry data on people's residence, education, income, health, and working conditions can predict life events such as personality and time of death. The model outperforms other advanced neural networks and provides precise answers despite ethical concerns about sensitive data and bias.

Using AI-related technologies can significantly enhance human cognition, finds new study

A new study published in Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence found that training in Interlingual Respeaking, a new practice combining human collaboration with speech recognition software, can improve language professionals' cognitive abilities. The research, conducted by the University of Surrey, showed significant enhancements in wor...

What happens when the brain loses a hub?

A recent study reveals the importance of brain hubs in neural networks and their rapid compensation when lost. The researchers obtained direct recordings of human brain activity before and after surgically disconnecting a critical language hub.

Why reading nursery rhymes and singing to babies may help them to learn language

Researchers found that phonetic encoding in babies emerged gradually over the first year of life, beginning with labial sounds and nasal sounds. Parents should speak to their babies using sing-song speech as soon as possible to help them learn language.

How adults understand what kids are saying

Researchers used computational models to analyze thousands of hours of transcribed audio recordings of children and adults interacting. The findings suggest that adults' ability to make context-based interpretations provides crucial feedback for babies acquiring language. These interpretations are critical for understanding what small ...

Race and ethnicity and primary language in emergency department triage

Researchers analyzed 249,000 emergency department visits and found that patients of color received lower acute scores despite similar workups. Clinical decision support systems may help reduce these disparities, but require careful calibration to avoid bias.

New insights into how the human brain organises language

A Leipzig-based meta-analysis of over 400 neuroscientific experiments has provided new insights into the organisation of language processing in the human brain. The study found that brain regions below the cerebral cortex, including the cerebellum and amygdala, play a key role in language processes, influencing emotion and memory.

Social vs. language role: researchers question function of two brain areas

A study found that two brain areas, typically associated with language processing, are also linked to social-semantic working memory. This challenge traditional views of language comprehension and its connection to social cognition.

Effects of meditation training and non-native language training on cognition in older adults

Researchers investigated the effects of meditation training and non-native language training on cognition in older adults. Despite initial expectations, these interventions failed to demonstrate salutary cognitive effects, casting doubt on their potential as a preventative measure for aging-related decline.

Different areas of the brain activated depending on structural complexity of music, language

Research from UTHealth Houston reveals that different brain regions are engaged when processing simple versus complex melodies and sentences. The study used intracranial electrodes to map brain activity during music and language tasks, finding shared temporal lobe activity but distinct sensitivities to melodic and syntactic complexity.

Assessment of a peer support group intervention for undocumented Latinx immigrants with kidney failure

A peer support group intervention has been shown to be feasible and acceptable among undocumented Latinx immigrants with kidney failure. The study found that the intervention built camaraderie and provided emotional support, which is particularly important for socially marginalized uninsured populations.

Automated interpretation of clinical electroencephalograms using AI

An AI model called SCORE-AI achieved human expert level performance in fully automated electroencephalogram interpretation. This technology has the potential to improve diagnosis and patient care in underserved areas and increase efficiency in specialized epilepsy centers.

Using emoji to measure health

Researchers argue that emoji-based language systems can improve communication between patients and physicians, particularly for vulnerable populations such as those with stroke or vocal impairments. The use of emoji can condense surveys and questionnaires, increasing response rates and appealing to patients.

New AI boosts teamwork training

Researchers developed a new AI framework that significantly improves the ability to analyze team communication, enabling adaptive training technologies to facilitate effective team collaboration. The framework performed substantially better than previous AI technologies in classifying dialogue and following information flow.

Racial, ethnic, and language disparities in identifying and mitigating central line–associated bloodstream infections

A study of 8,269 pediatric patients reveals persistent disparities in central line–associated bloodstream infection rates for Black patients and those who speak a language other than English. Stratifying outcomes to assess for disparities may inform targeted interventions to improve equity.

AI study finds that patients with Parkinson’s disease speak differently to healthy patients

Researchers used AI to analyze speech patterns of patients with Parkinson's disease, finding they spoke in shorter sentences with more verbs and fewer common nouns. The study suggests potential early detection methods for the condition through conversational analysis.

Brain activity decoder can reveal stories in people’s minds

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin developed a semantic decoder that translates brain activity into text, allowing individuals with speech disabilities to communicate. The system has been trained on extensive hours of podcasts and can decode continuous language, capturing the gist of what is being said or thought.

Speaking a tonal language could boost your melodic ability, but at the cost of rhythm

A global study found that tonal language speakers are better able to discern between subtly different melodies, while non-tonal speakers are better able to tell whether a rhythm is beating in time with the music. Tonal speakers actually perform worse on rhythm perception tasks.

New neural network uses common sense to make fake bird images from text

A new neural network, CD-GAN, uses common sense knowledge to enhance text descriptions and generate images of birds at three resolution levels. The system achieved competitive scores against other image generation methods, producing vivid and natural-looking images.

A brain-inspired computer model that understands speech like humans

Researchers developed a computer model based on human brain mechanisms to improve speech comprehension. The model extracts multilevel information from ongoing speech and uses non-linguistic knowledge for disambiguating word meanings. This approach is more human-like than existing language models like ChatGPT.

New AI model transforms understanding of metal-organic frameworks

Researchers have created a transformer model for Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), allowing for faster results and less data. The MOFTransformer model predicts key properties such as hydrogen storage capacity with improved accuracy.