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.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 16056-16061 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
| Volume | 108 |
| Issue number | 38 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 20 2011 |
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Keywords
- Brain activity
- Dorsal pathway
- Newborns
- Ventral pathway
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General
Cite this
Neural language networks at birth. / Perani, Daniela; Saccuman, Maria C.; Scifo, Paola; Awander, Alfred; Spada, Danilo; Baldoli, Cristina; Poloniato, Antonella; Lohmann, Gabriele; Friederici, Angela D.
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 108, No. 38, 20.10.2011, p. 16056-16061.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Neural language networks at birth
AU - Perani, Daniela
AU - Saccuman, Maria C.
AU - Scifo, Paola
AU - Awander, Alfred
AU - Spada, Danilo
AU - Baldoli, Cristina
AU - Poloniato, Antonella
AU - Lohmann, Gabriele
AU - Friederici, Angela D.
PY - 2011/10/20
Y1 - 2011/10/20
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Brain activity
KW - Dorsal pathway
KW - Newborns
KW - Ventral pathway
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80053165995&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80053165995&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.1102991108
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1102991108
M3 - Article
C2 - 21896765
AN - SCOPUS:80053165995
VL - 108
SP - 16056
EP - 16061
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
SN - 0027-8424
IS - 38
ER -