NCS-FO: Neural mechanisms underlying second language learning

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Second language learning is critically important in our increasingly global society. Success in second language learning varies substantially across individuals, but the reasons for this variability are unclear. An improved understanding of how language learning works, from neurons to behavior, will enable the development of highly efficient learning strategies that take into account differences across individuals. In this project, the investigators focus on one key aspect of acquiring a new language, namely learning to differentiate new sounds; for example, when an English speaker must learn the difference between a trilled 'r' in 'perro' and tapped 'r' in 'pero' in Spanish. Current approaches to investigate second language learning typically use human behavior to infer what factors affect language acquisition. However, neuroscience tools for research in humans lack the necessary precision to directly uncover how changes in the brain underlie these factors. To address this limitation, the research team will combine insights from human behavior with observations of how animals process sound to allow for precise measurement of the brain processes underlying learning to differentiate new sounds.The proposed work will compare learning performance under different learning scenarios in both mice and humans to identify which scenarios are most efficient, and to evaluate to what extent the way mice learn to differentiate sounds is comparable to that of humans. The research team will then use advanced techniques for measuring the activity of individual neurons as mice learn new sounds to investigate the neural changes responsible for effective learning. The project also includes a range of outreach objectives toward integration with education, broadening participation in STEM, and bridging theory and practice of language learning.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.