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fMRI evidence for cortical modification during language learning
Wang, Yue Sereno, Joan A. Jongman, Allard Hirsch, Joy
Wang, Yue
Sereno, Joan A.
Jongman, Allard
Hirsch, Joy
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Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging was employed
before and after six native English speakers completed lexical
tone training as part of a program to learn Mandarin as a second
language. Language-related areas including Broca’s area, Wernicke’s
area, auditory cortex, and supplementary motor regions
were active in all subjects before and after training and did not
vary in average location. Across all subjects, improvements in
performance were associated with an increase in the spatial
extent of activation in left superior temporal gyrus (Brodmann’s
area 22, putative Wernicke’s area), the emergence of activity in
adjacent Brodmann’s area 42, and the emergence of activity in
right inferior frontal gyrus (Brodmann’s area 44), a homologue
of putative Broca’s area. These findings demonstrate a form of
enrichment plasticity in which the early cortical effects of learning a tone-based second language involve both expansion of preexisting language-related areas and recruitment of additional
cortical regions specialized for functions similar to the new language functions.
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This is the publisher's official version, which the author has permission to share.
Date
2003-10-01
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Wang, Y., Sereno, J., Jongman, A., and Hirsch, J. (2003). fMRI evidence for cortical modification during language learning. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 15, 1019-1027. http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/089892903770007407