Neuroplasticity of Language Networks

在世界各地，人们说着成千上万种不同的语言，而且还有几十种甚至几百种手语，它们和口语一样丰富和复杂。幼儿是如何能够学习如此广泛的词汇和复杂的语法规则的？为什么有些成年人有这么多的麻烦，而其他人可能会流利地说六种或更多的语言？达尔豪西大学的亚伦纽曼博士和一组学生使用先进的神经成像工具来回答这些和其他问题。他们的最终目标不仅是了解新语言是如何学习的，而且要利用这些大脑成像数据来设计下一代语言训练软件。 博士纽曼的团队研究语言的“神经可塑性”--我们的大脑是如何被我们的语言经验塑造的，以及大脑激活的模式如何与语言能力相关。在这个研究项目中，研究小组将跟踪成年人使用基于计算机的方法学习新语言时大脑激活的变化。他们将识别在语言学习过程中发生的大脑激活的变化，从人们开始学习直到他们通过使用“微型”语言版本达到高度流利。他们还将测试不同的训练方法，以开发优化的学习系统。他们不会采取“一刀切”的方法，而是使用“神经认知分析”来优化对每个人的培训。最后，纽曼博士和他的团队认识到，世界上有数百万人依赖手语作为他们的主要交流手段，他们将研究人们的大脑如何在学习手语时发生变化，从将人类行为视为无意义的手势转变为结构丰富的语言。这项研究将对理解所有人类语言的核心神经机制以及它们如何通过学习形成具有重要意义。此外，这项研究将为未来商业语言培训产品的开发提供信息。

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.