Neuroplasticity of Language Networks

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Around the world, people speak thousands of different languages, and as well there are dozens if not hundreds of signed languages that are just as rich and complex as spoken ones. How is it that young children are able to learn such extensive vocabularies of words and complex grammatical rules, and why do some adults have so much trouble while others may speak half a dozen or more languages fluently? Dr. Aaron Newman and a team of students at Dalhousie University use advanced neuroimaging tools in the quest to answer these and other questions. Their ultimate goal is to not only understand how new languages are learned, but to use this brain imaging data to design the next generation of language training software. Dr. Newman's team studies the "neuroplasticity" of language - how our brains are shaped by our experience with language, and how patterns of brain activation relate to language abilities. In this research project, the team will track changes in brain activation as adults learn new languages using computer-based methods. They will identify changes in brain activation that occur during language learning, from the time people start learning until they achieve high fluency by using "miniature" versions of languages. They will also test different training methods to develop optimized learning systems. Rather than taking a "one size fits all" approach, they will use "neuro-cognitive profiling" to optimize training to each individual. Finally, recognizing that millions of people around the world rely on sign language as their primary means of communication, Dr. Newman and his team will study how people's brains change as they learn sign language, shifting from perceiving human actions as meaningless gestures to a richly-structured language. This research will have important implications for understanding the core neural mechanisms that underlie all human languages, and how they are shaped through learning. As well, this research will inform the future development of commercially available language training products.