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University of Montana researchers study using birding to improve stroke outcomes

Researchers at the University of Montana are using birding as a low-pressure setting to encourage communication and conversation among stroke survivors with aphasia. The Big Sky Aphasia Program, which combines community- and curiosity-driven bird-related activities, has shown promising results in improving outcomes for participants. Th...

SourceThe University of Montana·JournalFrontiers in Bird Science·DateSep 25, 2026

Low-frequency deep brain stimulation improves speech and swallowing after traumatic brain injury, Pitt study shows

A new University of Pittsburgh study found that low-frequency deep brain stimulation improves control of facial and tongue muscles involved in speaking and swallowing after traumatic brain injury. The treatment showed small but significant improvements in word intelligibility for one participant with TBI.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 21, 2026

Dementia affecting younger persons strikes Hispanics more than previously thought, UT Health San Antonio-led study shows

A new study from UT Health San Antonio found that Hispanic populations experience higher rates of frontotemporal dementia, with significant delays in diagnosis due to educational disparities. The research highlights the importance of culturally sensitive diagnostic tools and interventions for equitable dementia care.

Beyond the blueprint: Early brain activity helps shape vocal circuits linked to a gene associated with speech and communication

Researchers at NYCU found that early brain activity contributes to the maturation of communication circuits, regulating Foxp2 expression. The study identifies a previously underappreciated circuit linking the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and striatum, which is active before vocalizations.

Studies find connection between impaired musical rhythm abilities and developmental speech-language disorders

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center found a correlation between impaired musical rhythm perception and developmental speech-language disorders, including dyslexia and stuttering. The studies suggest that musical rhythm ability can be used to design targeted therapeutic interventions for affected individuals.

SourceVanderbilt University Medical Center·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 2, 2025

Novel treatment approach for language disorder shows promise

Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed a new treatment approach for primary progressive aphasia (PPA) that combines traditional speech therapy with noninvasive brain stimulation. The technique, called transcranial direct current stimulation, was found to be more effective in managing PPA compared to speech therapy alone.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalJournal of Speech Language and Hearing Research·TypeObservational study·DateApr 21, 2025

It’s not just what you say – it’s also how you say it

A Northwestern University study discovered a region of the brain processes subtle changes in voice pitch, transforming them into meaningful linguistic information that guides human understanding. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about speech perception and have implications for speech rehabilitation, AI-powered voice assist...

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 3, 2025

New brain-computer interface allows man with ALS to ‘speak’ again

Researchers developed a new brain-computer interface that translates brain signals into speech with up to 97% accuracy, enabling a man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to communicate with friends and family. The system was tested in real-time conversations with continuous updates, achieving high word accuracy rates.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateAug 14, 2024

Babies babble squeals and growls in clustering patterns observable from birth through the first year, suggesting this active vocal exploration is important to speech development

Researchers analyzed 130 English-learning infants' vocalizations and found significant cluster patterns of squeals and growls, indicating active play and sound practice. These findings suggest that infant vocal category exploration is a fundamental pathway for language development.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeObservational study·DateMay 29, 2024

New research unveils three distinct language comprehension phenotypes in autistic children

A new study published in npj Mental Health Research reveals three distinct language comprehension mechanisms in autistic children, challenging the common linear trajectory of language development. The findings support the idea that intensive language therapy should start earlier and highlight the importance of improving language compre...

SourceBoston University·Journalnpj Mental Health Research·TypeObservational study·DateApr 22, 2024

Children with language disorders may fall victims to false friends, study warns

A study by the University of Exeter warns that children with language disorders are susceptible to making false friends due to a lack of awareness about peers' motives and thoughts. Children consider peers as friends because they play with them, without fully understanding what constitutes a good or bad friend.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalInternational Journal of Language & Communication Disorders·TypeObservational study·DateMar 22, 2024

Early vocabulary size is genetically linked to ADHD, literacy, and cognition

A genome-wide meta-analysis study found that early vocabulary size is genetically linked to ADHD, literacy and cognitive abilities in children. The study used data from over 17,000 English-, Danish- or Dutch-speaking children and identified multiple genetic factors underlying vocabulary size in infancy and toddlerhood.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics·JournalBiological Psychiatry·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2024

Children born moderately early are at an increased risk of developmental disorders, according to new research

A new study found that children born moderately early are at an increased risk of developmental disorders, including language delay, cognitive impairment, ADHD, and cerebral palsy. The study analyzed data from over 8 million children and identified a small but significant increase in risk for most developmental disorders.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalPEDIATRICS·TypeMeta-analysis·DateDec 7, 2023

AI language models could help diagnose schizophrenia

Researchers developed AI tools to analyze speech patterns in people with schizophrenia and found that these patterns can be distinguished from those of healthy individuals. The study uses an AI language model trained on internet text to represent the meaning of words, and it was able to predict the words generated by control participan...

SourceUniversity College London·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 9, 2023

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.

Children’s language development doesn’t just happen through words

Research by Professor Mila Vulchanova reveals associations between language development and cognitive skills in children. Non-verbal tests show that severity of language difficulties can be predicted based on cognitive markers, supporting the importance of measuring both verbal and non-verbal skills.

SourceNorwegian University of Science and Technology·JournalInternational Journal of Language & Communication Disorders·TypeObservational study·DateApr 20, 2023

Brain diseases are better classified using analysis of gene activity

Researchers at McGill University found that analyzing gene activity can classify brain diseases into five primary groups, improving diagnosis accuracy. The study identified previously unknown relationships among diseases, such as language development disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder, which share common genes and cell types.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeObservational study·DateApr 20, 2023

Research shows why some children may be slower to learn words

A new study from the University of East Anglia found that children with larger vocabularies look quickly towards objects when learning new words, while those with smaller vocabularies take more time and look back and forth. The research team hopes to identify children at risk for language delay earlier and provide targeted support.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalDevelopmental Science·TypeObservational study·DateApr 18, 2023

Mothers’ alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy is linked to changes in children’s face shapes

A recent study published in Human Reproduction found a significant association between prenatal alcohol exposure and changes in children's facial features. The research used AI to analyze three-dimensional images of children's faces at ages nine and thirteen, revealing that mothers' alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy can h...

SourceEuropean Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology·JournalHuman Reproduction·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 15, 2023

New research reveals tradeoff between complex words and complex grammar in sentences

A new study of patients with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) shows that those who struggle with complex words compensate by using simpler ones. Healthy volunteers also exhibit a similar balance between word complexity and syntactic structure, suggesting a fundamental property of language production.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 16, 2022

Researchers have developed a Russian-language method for the preoperative mapping of language areas

Researchers have created a Russian-language protocol for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to map individual language areas before neurosurgical operations. The study successfully validated the protocol in a control group, showing its ability to comprehensively map brain regions and reveal lateralisation of language function.

SourceNational Research University Higher School of Economics·JournalFrontiers in Human Neuroscience·DateApr 8, 2022

Study finds infants later diagnosed with autism show reduced social communication before their first birthday

A new study documents that observable social-communication differences for infants with ASD unfold by 9 months, pointing to a critical window for targeted intervention. Infants with ASD exhibit significantly fewer social and early speech skills than their typically-developing peers at 9 months of age.

SourceSociety for Research in Child Development·JournalChild Development·TypeObservational study·DateNov 17, 2021

National study aims to document relationship between language and cognition in childhood language disorders

Researchers aim to understand language development in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and Fragile X syndrome by examining grammar skills and executive functions. The study will gather data on a two-year developmental window, providing comprehensive insights for families and potential improvements in communication.

HSE researchers compared expressive and receptive language abilities of Russian-speaking children with ASD for the first time

Researchers from HSE Centre for Language and Brain compared expressive and receptive language abilities in Russian-speaking children with ASD. The study shows that there is no single expressive-receptive language pattern in children with ASD, but the difference depends on linguistic level.

SourceNational Research University Higher School of Economics·JournalResearch in Developmental Disabilities·DateAug 27, 2021

HSE University researchers track language abilities of russian children with ASD

A study published in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders describes the language abilities of Russian children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at various linguistic levels. The researchers found significant differences between groups in all subtests, except for the simplest word repetition. Children with ASD had lower accu...

SourceNational Research University Higher School of Economics·JournalJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·DateApr 14, 2021

New test to study language development in youth with Down syndrome

A new test, expressive language sampling (ELS), has been validated as a reliable tool to measure communication development in youth with Down syndrome. The study found that ELS measures were generally valid and reliable across ages and IQ levels, demonstrating strong validity for vocabulary, syntax, and speech intelligibility variables.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalJournal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders·DateApr 8, 2021

Behavioral intervention, not lovastatin, improves language skills in youth with fragile X

Researchers found that a telehealth-delivered behavioral intervention improved language skills in youth with fragile X syndrome, while lovastatin showed no efficacy. The study used Parent-Implemented Language Intervention (PILI) to enhance parent-child interactions and promote language development.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis Health·JournalJournal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders·DateApr 21, 2020

Researchers develop language test for people with Fragile X syndrome

A new test measures expressive language skills in individuals with Fragile X syndrome, helping increase participation in clinical studies aimed at improving intellectual and cognitive functioning. The test's reliability and validity were demonstrated through consistent scores across multiple administrations.