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Laka: 'Language exists in the brain'

The La Mente Bilingüe research team, led by Dr. Itziar Laka, investigates language acquisition and processing in bilingual brains. They use experimental methodologies to understand how languages are organized and processed, including analyzing word order and syntax, and exploring the effect of age on phonology, vocabulary, and grammar.

Study shows variety of approaches help children overcome auditory processing and language problems

A new study sponsored by NIDCD found that intensive educational approaches, including play with peers, can significantly improve language abilities in children with unusual difficulty understanding and using language. The study compared four intervention strategies and found that all resulted in long-term improvements.

Mandarin language is music to the brain

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that the brain processes pitch in Mandarin Chinese music before processing semantics in language. This finding highlights why people with cochlear implants struggle to understand tonal languages like Mandarin.

SourceUniversity of California - Irvine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 12, 2006

Study confirms males/females use different parts of brain in language & visuospatial tasks

A new study published in Brain and Language confirmed that men and women use distinct brain areas when processing language and visuospatial information. Females showed more bilateral activation in the inferior frontal gyrus for language tasks, while males demonstrated more bilateral activation in the parietal lobe for visuospatial tasks.

SourceKennedy Krieger Institute·JournalBrain and Language·DateJul 18, 2006

Words help deterimine what we see

Researchers found that language affects perception in the right half of the visual field, but not in the left. The study suggests that linguistic differences can sharpen visual distinctions in the right visual field.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 31, 2006

Both languages active in bilingual speakers

Researchers found that bilingual speakers' brains actively use both languages when speaking, not suppressing one over the other. This challenge traditional views on how languages are managed in the brain. By presenting subjects with pictures and tones, the study demonstrated that both languages are active at once.

Babies' hands move to the rhythm of language

Researchers found that babies exposed to signed language produce distinct hand movements with low-frequency rhythmic activity, indicating an innate sensitivity to linguistic patterns. This discovery suggests that parents' sing-song way of speaking and playful rhyming games can aid the language learning process.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalNature·DateSep 5, 2001

Hopkins Scientists Clock The Speed Of Comprehension

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine discovered that it took a volunteer patient about 250-300 milliseconds to begin understanding a pictured object, and another 250-450 milliseconds to fully comprehend its meaning. The study suggests that information accumulates gradually in the brain, rather than in a strictly all-or-none fashion.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 26, 1998