Morpho-Functional Basis of Complex Sentence Processing in Adults and Children

Abstract

The review discusses the neurophysiological basis of the analysis of complex sentences, such as passives or reverse word order sentences. We adhere to the hypothesis that reanalysis is an obligatory stage of complex sentence processing and is based on the context analysis and integration of semantic and syntactic sentence features. Brain activation patterns observed during the analysis were compared for different complex sentences. It was concluded that, in adults, the same brain regions are involved in the processing of syntactically complex and simple sentences and that only the degree of activation of cerebral structures differs (mostly in the left middle temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, and left angular gyrus). The review describes the ontogenesis of brain zones involved in sentence analysis and the pathways that connect the zones. The available data demonstrate that complex sentence processing mechanisms may change with age. A transition to a more productive analysis strategy is based on the ability to use syntactic markers and develops after 6–7 years of age, when the dorsal pathway of speech processing is formed.