先天性失乐症相关的语言声调加工障碍及其脑机制的研究

先天性失乐症是一种以音乐的音高加工困难为主的发展性音乐学习障碍。近几年的研究表明先天性失乐症还可能影响语言的音高加工，包括声调和语调。汉语是一种典型的声调语言，研究汉语人群（成人与儿童）的先天性失乐症既有重要的科学意义又有特殊的教育应用价值。我们发现汉语母语先天性失乐症约占人口的4%左右，同时合并不同程度的语言声调加工障碍（Nan et al.,2010），然而其相关脑机制目前尚不清楚。研究先天性失乐症语言声调障碍的脑机制是理解失乐症本质的关键突破口。本项目以汉语母语成人与儿童先天性失乐症为研究对象，通过行为、事件相关电位以及核磁结构成像等研究手段，全面且深入地探索先天性失乐症语言声调加工障碍的脑机制。更重要的是，本项目将明确先天性失乐症在儿童期的发生率及其对儿童语言发展的具体影响，为将来在儿童期即开展有效的先天性失乐症鉴别与干预等实践应用提供必要理论支持。

Congenital amusia is a developmental music learning disorder mostly affects the processing of musical pitch. Recent research suggests that it may also affect linguistic pitch processing, including intonation and lexical tones. Mandarin is a typical tone language. To study congenital amusia in adults and children among Mandarin speakers provides not only important theoretical insights of amusia but also practical significance in educational application. We found that about 4% of Mandarin speakers may be afflicted with amusia and most of them are also having difficulties in lexical tones (Nan et al.,2010). However, the related brain mechanism underlying congenital amusia's tone deficits is not yet clear. In the current project we will study congenital amusia in adults and children, using behavioral, event-related brain potentials and structural magnetic resonance imaging techniques. We will fully understand the brain mechanism involved in congenital amusia's lexical tone deficits. More importantly, the current project will help us estimate the prevalence of congenital amusia among Mandarin speaking children and clarify the potential impact of congenital amusia upon children's language development. This will eventually offer necessary theoretical support to future effective early identification and intervention of congenital amusia in childhood.