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Neural language networks at birth
- Source :
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- The ability to learn language is a human trait. In adults and children, brain imaging studies have shown that auditory language activates a bilateral frontotemporal network with a left hemispheric dominance. It is an open question whether these activations represent the complete neural basis for language present at birth. Here we demonstrate that in 2-d-old infants, the language-related neural substrate is fully active in both hemispheres with a preponderance in the right auditory cortex. Functional and structural connectivities within this neural network, however, are immature, with strong connectivities only between the two hemispheres, contrasting with the adult pattern of prevalent intrahemispheric connectivities. Thus, although the brain responds to spoken language already at birth, thereby providing a strong biological basis to acquire language, progressive maturation of intrahemispheric functional connectivity is yet to be established with language exposure as the brain develops.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Neural substrate
Brain activity and meditation
Nerve net
Auditory cortex
Brain mapping
Language Development
Neuroimaging
medicine
Humans
Learning
Speech
Language
Auditory Cortex
Brain Mapping
Multidisciplinary
Infant, Newborn
Biological Sciences
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Language development
medicine.anatomical_structure
Acoustic Stimulation
Multivariate Analysis
Linear Models
Female
Nerve Net
Psychology
Neuroscience
Spoken language
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....fe7514d06e9e5902724f18f85da85712