Interactive-specialization of language development

该项目使用最先进的功能磁共振成像（fMRI）来研究大脑如何在发展过程中变得专门学习语言。以前的功能磁共振成像发展研究只检查了一个年龄组，检查了一个广泛的年龄范围（即，从幼儿园到青春期）和/或没有检查同一儿童的语言处理的多个方面。这个项目将通过在语言快速发展时期（5到7岁）的两个时间点研究同一个人来克服以前的缺点。纵向方法（随着时间的推移跟踪同一个体）很少用于发育性脑成像研究，但对于深入了解大脑如何获得语言至关重要。本研究还将通过使用多语言任务来克服以往的不足，揭示大脑功能专业化的发展变化。这项研究的一个重要优势是在语言发展研究中使用行为证据来产生有关大脑发育的问题。该研究评估了一种新的假设，即在发育早期大脑区域之间更大的连通性导致大脑区域在发育后期的专业化程度增加。该项目将通过培训一名博士后研究助理和几名本科生，将研究与教育结合起来。该项目将通过为来自弱势群体的高中生提供深度实习机会，扩大弱势群体的参与。项目传播将广泛进行，不仅通过专业期刊和会议，还将面向高中生、本科生、家长、教师和行政人员。该项目将从根本上促进该领域对儿童早期语言习得的神经机制的理解，同时也为未来对该年龄段语言障碍的研究奠定基础。

This project examines how the brain becomes specialized to learn language over development using state-of-the-art functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Previous fMRI developmental studies have only examined one age group, have examined a wide age range (i.e., from kindergarten through adolescence) and/or have not examined multiple aspects of language processing in the same children. This project will overcome previous shortcomings by studying the same individuals at two time points during a period of rapid language development (5 to 7 years of age). Longitudinal approaches (following the same individual over time) are rarely used in developmental brain imaging research, but are crucial for gaining insights into how the brain acquires language. This study will also overcome previous shortcomings by using multiple language tasks, revealing developmental changes in specialization of brain function. A significant strength of this research is the use of behavioral evidence in the study of language development to generate questions regarding brain development. The study evaluates the novel hypothesis that greater connectivity between brain regions early in development results in increasing specialization of brain regions later in development. This project will integrate research and education by providing training to a post-doctoral research associate and several undergraduate students. This project will broaden the participation of underrepresented groups by providing in depth internships for high school students from underrepresented minorities. Project dissemination will occur widely, not only through professional journals and conferences, but also to audiences consisting of high school students, undergraduates, parents, teachers and administrators. This project will fundamentally advance the field's understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying language acquisition in early childhood, while also laying the groundwork for future investigations of language impairment in this age range.