Neural networks involved in learning lexical-semantic and syntactic information in a second language.

Jutta L Mueller,Kentaro Ono,Shirley-Ann Rueschemeyer,Motoaki Sugiura,Akinori Nakamura,Norihiro Sadato

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01209

Abstract

The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of language acquisition in a realistic learning environment. Japanese native speakers were trained in a miniature version of German prior to fMRI scanning. During scanning they listened to (1) familiar sentences, (2) sentences including a novel sentence structure, and (3) sentences containing a novel word while visual context provided referential information. Learning-related decreases of brain activation over time were found in a mainly left-hemispheric network comprising classical frontal and temporal language areas as well as parietal and subcortical regions and were largely overlapping for novel words and the novel sentence structure in initial stages of learning. Differences occurred at later stages of learning during which content-specific activation patterns in prefrontal, parietal and temporal cortices emerged. The results are taken as evidence for a domain-general network supporting the initial stages of language learning which dynamically adapts as learners become proficient.

Highlights

Learning a new language requires the mastery of many skills, including the ability to recognize and use novel words and the utilization of novel syntactic structure
The results are taken as evidence for a domain-general network supporting the initial stages of language learning which dynamically adapts as learners become proficient
Learning of syntactic rules has been assessed in artificial grammar learning (AGL) paradigms in which no semantic or contextual information is provided to the learners (Tettamanti et al, 2002; Musso et al, 2003; Opitz and Friederici, 2003, 2004)

Summary

Introduction

Learning a new language requires the mastery of many skills, including the ability to recognize and use novel words and the utilization of novel syntactic structure. Learning of syntactic rules has been assessed in artificial grammar learning (AGL) paradigms in which no semantic or contextual information is provided to the learners (Tettamanti et al, 2002; Musso et al, 2003; Opitz and Friederici, 2003, 2004). The most important finding reported consistently in all of these studies is that the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and surround prefrontal areas, i.e., Broca’s area, showed increasing activation as learning proceeded This was the case only for syntactic rules that are relevant for human languages and not for non-linguistic rules (Tettamanti et al, 2002; Musso et al, 2003). It appears that the left inferior frontal cortex comes into play as knowledge about the underlying regular structure becomes available

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Conclusion