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PubMed2005

False memory across languages: implicit associative response vs fuzzy trace views.

We investigated false recognition across languages using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. A group of English-French bilinguals studied lists of converging associates, some lists in English and some in French, and then performed a recognition test containing studied list items and nonstudied critical lures whose language matched or mismatched the language at study. Participants were instructed to answer old only if the test cue was in the same language as the studied word. The results yielded a robust false memory rate both within-language and across-languages. The effect of the study-test language shift was much larger for list items than for critical lures. This finding suggests that memory representations for critical lures contain primarily semantic gist traces and little surface information, and hence is more consistent with the fuzzy trace view than with the implicit associative response view. In sum, the study demonstrates the existence of false memory across languages, and provides information about the memory traces underlying veridical and illusory recognition.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Modality of language shapes working memory: evidence from digit span and spatial span in ASL signers.

Deaf children who are native users of American Sign Language (ASL) and hearing children who are native English speakers performed three working memory tasks. Results indicate that language modality shapes the architecture of working memory. Digit span with forward and backward report, performed by each group in their native language, suggests that the language rehearsal mechanisms for spoken language and for sign language differ in their processing constraints. Unlike hearing children, deaf children who are native signers of ASL were as good at backward recall of digits as at forward recall, suggesting that serial order information for ASL is stored in a form that does not have a preferred directionality. Data from a group of deaf children who were not native signers of ASL rule out explanations in terms of a floor effect or a nonlinguistic visual strategy. Further, deaf children who were native signers outperformed hearing children on a nonlinguistic spatial memory task, suggesting that language expertise in a particular modality exerts an influence on nonlinguistic working memory within that modality. Thus, language modality has consequences for the structure of working memory, both within and outside the linguistic domain.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1998

Studies of neural processing in deaf signers: toward a neurocognitive model of language processing in the deaf.

The ability to comprehend and produce language stands as a defining characteristic of human cognition and enables the transfer of knowledge and culture within human society. A proper characterization of the human capacity for language is required for the development of interventions that may be used to assist those individuals who have failed to achieve, or who have lost competence in, language behaviors. For signed languages, models of competent language use are lacking. This lack of knowledge hampers the development of effective assessment measures for deaf children who may be experiencing learning problems beyond those confronting the normal deaf child. I discuss two research avenues that have begun to provide a window into the neural systems involved in sign language processing: studies of language disruptions in adult deaf signers who have suffered brain injury, and studies of functional brain imaging in normal deaf signers. This research provides a basis for the development of a comprehensive neurocognitive model of sign language processing.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Cortical degeneration associated with phonologic and semantic language impairments in AD.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the pattern of cortical degeneration associated with different language deficits in cases of AD. METHODS: Cases for detailed neuropathologic analysis (Patients 1 and 2) were selected because of their detailed clinical and neuropsychological assessments of language dysfunction in AD. Patient 1 had severe phonologic impairment with relatively preserved semantic aspects of language. Patient 2 had severe semantic language impairment with relatively preserved phonologic skills. The tissue volume of cortical regions associated with speech and language function was measured using standardized three-dimensional techniques. Neuronal areal fraction was also measured from histologic tissue samples. The degree of volume atrophy and neuronal loss was calculated in comparison to control measures (n = 10 men and 11 women). Measurements more than 2 SD from controls were considered abnormal. RESULTS: Both AD cases had significant degeneration of the superior temporal gyrus and area 37. Cortical language regions affected only in Patient 1 included the anterior and posterior insula and part of Broca's area. In contrast, Patient 2 had a greater degree of degeneration in the temporal gyri and their white matter connections with the hippocampal/entorhinal complex. CONCLUSIONS: Variable patterns of neurodegeneration underlie the clinical differences observed in patients with AD. Disconnection within the temporal lobe appears associated with semantic language difficulties, whereas disconnection of the anterior and posterior language areas appears associated with phonologic and grammatical impairment.

Aged↗

PubMed1977

Psychiatric disorder in children with speech and language retardation. A critical review.

This article critically reviews the literature concerning psychiatric disorder in children with speech and language retardation. The data indicate that speech- and language-disordered children are at risk for psychiatric disorder, that there is some correlation between the presence of psychiatric disorder and the type of speech and language disturbance, and that there is a likely correlation between certain types of speech and language problems and the type of psychiatric difficulty. Firm conclusions in this area are hampered by many methodological difficulties. Finally, a review of the nature of the association between psychiatric disorder and speech and language retardation reveals that except in rare instances psychiatric disorder does not cause speech and language retardation, and that in most cases psychiatric disorder is indirectly caused by speech and language retardation.

Anxiety↗

PubMed2003

Donepezil for the treatment of language deficits in adults with Down syndrome: a preliminary 24-week open trial.

At present, there is no proven pharmacologic treatment for cognitive or language impairments in Down syndrome (DS). Cholinergic deficits have been documented in DS and linked to cognitive deficits. This study is a 24-week open-label clinical trial of donepezil hydrochloride for the treatment of language deficits in adults with DS. To our knowledge, this is the first prospective study to evaluate systematically the effects of donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor, on specific language domains in DS. The main finding that emerged was an improvement in expressive language performance following donepezil therapy. Despite the multiple methodological limitations, the results raise important questions regarding the role of the cholinergic system in language function and the specific effect of cholinergic therapy in the treatment of language impairment in DS. The results support the need for large-scale controlled studies of the effects of donepezil treatment on language and on other cognitive domains in DS.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

fMRI study of language lateralization in children and adults.

Language lateralization in the brain is dependent on family history of handedness, personal handedness, pathology, and other factors. The influence of age on language lateralization is not completely understood. Increasing left lateralization of language with age has been observed in children, while the reverse has been noted in healthy young adults. It is not known whether the trend of decreasing language lateralization with age continues in the late decades of life and at what age the inflection in language lateralization trend as a function of age occurs. In this study, we examined the effect of age on language lateralization in 170 healthy right-handed children and adults ages 5-67 using functional MRI (fMRI) and a verb generation task. Our findings indicate that language lateralization to the dominant hemisphere increases between the ages 5 and 20 years, plateaus between 20 and 25 years, and slowly decreases between 25 and 70 years.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

The role of a language scale for infant and preschool assessment.

The PLS-4 (Preschool Language Scale, 4th edition) is a psychometrically sound instrument constructed to assess language skills in children from birth to 6 years 11 months. It is a useful diagnostic and research tool that can be used to identify current comprehension and expressive language skills and can measure changes in language skills over time. The test is individually administered and includes tasks that assess skills in the areas of preverbal behaviors, as well as linguistic skills in the areas of semantics, morphology, syntax, integrative language skills, and preliteracy skills. Extensive reliability and validity evidence are presented. The test has been used extensively in research examining language development of young children from different home environments, children with identified medical conditions, and children participating in a variety of habilitation and intervention programs. Both the previous edition (PLS-3) and the new PLS-4 English and Spanish editions are used extensively in clinical, medical, and research settings to examine developmental language patterns of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Child↗

PubMed1993

Dissociation of cortical and single unit activity in spoken and signed languages.

Based on stroke and other lesion data, the cortical organization of sign language has been shown to be in the verbal language-dominant hemisphere. However, finer detail of the cortical organization of sign language is not readily available. Intraoperative cortical mapping of spoken and American Sign Language (ASL) was performed in a hearing patient proficient in ASL undergoing an awake operation for intractable epilepsy. We found the dissociation of essential cortical language sites for spoken and signed languages, the relationship of these sites to the interpretation of ASL, and the importance of the anterior temporal lobe in the language-dominant hemisphere for proper ASL handshapes. Single unit recordings in the anterior temporal lobe, at a site later identified to be important in handshape formation, showed sustained activity during naming with superimposed increases in activity during overt speech.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

A grammatical specific language impairment in children: an autosomal dominant inheritance?

The aim of this study is to provide further characterization of a subgroup of so-called "Grammatical specific language-impaired (SLI)" children. The Grammatical SLI children have a persistent and disproportionate impairment in grammatical comprehension and expression of language. Previous research has indicated that their language impairment may be characterized by a domain-specific and modular language deficit. This study provides an initial investigation as to whether there is a genetic basis underlying their disorder as has been found for other forms of SLI and for SLI in general. The incidence of familial aggregation of language impairment was investigated in 12 Grammatical SLI children (aged 9:3 to 12:10). A familial language impairment (LI) history was classified as positive if one or more of the probands' relatives had a history of a speech/language or reading/writing problem which required speech therapy or any other form of remedial help. Case history information provided an initial indication that the Grammatical SLI children had a significantly higher incidence of a positive familial LI history than could be expected by chance. A questionnaire provided evidence of a positive LI history in the first-degree relatives of the SLI probands and 49 normally developing control probands. The SLI probands had a clearly and significantly higher incidence of a positive familial LI history than the control probands (77.8 vs. 28.5%, respectively). The results are consistent with a genetic basis underlying Grammatical SLI. The pattern of impairment in the SLI probands' relatives is consistent with an autosomal dominant genetic inheritance. In contrast to the control probands, the SLI probands' impaired relatives did not show a male gender bias. Thus, the gene does not appear to be sex-linked. The data indicate that further research is warranted to investigate the nature of the LI in the relatives of the Grammatical SLI probands and the genetic characteristics of this subgroup. The implications for the biological, domain-specific, and modular bases to language are discussed.

Child↗

PubMed1991

The influence of parenting stress and child behavior problems on parental estimates of expressive and receptive language development.

This study examined the relative contributions of parental reports of child-related and parent-related stress to their estimates of expressive and receptive language skills on the Minnesota Child Development Inventory in 152 children referred to a communicative disorders clinic. Correlational analysis showed moderately high agreement between parental estimates and objective measures of expressive and receptive language ability. Multiple-regression analyses revealed that independent measures of language acquisition accounted for the greatest amount of variance in parental estimates of expressive and receptive language skills. Stressful child behavior accounted for a small but statistically significant proportion of the variance in estimates of expressive and receptive language skills. Parental stress, in contrast, did not contribute significantly to language estimates. These findings suggest that parents are able to formulate estimates of language development which are relatively independent of personal or child-related stressors.

Child↗

PubMed1981

Sensorimotor skills and language comprehension in autistic children.

The objectives of this study were to examine the level of sensorimotor concepts of young autistic children and to relate these concepts to language comprehension. A sample of 16 autistic children with a mean mental age of 24.8 months was administered a standardized scale of sensorimotor intelligence and of receptive language. The autistic children demonstrated surprisingly sophisticated sensorimotor skills, particularly object permanence. While their initial performance was inferior to that of normal controls matched on mental age, particularly in their use of objects in combination, the difference between groups diminished on the second test administration. On the receptive language measure, the autistic children were less able to identify words correctly. The sensorimotor behavior of autistic children who demonstrated language comprehension did not differ from those who showed no language comprehension, except that the former group tended to use an object as an instrument somewhat more frequently. The fact that the autistic children were so impaired in language even with fairly good sensorimotor skills suggests that these skills, particularly object permanence, play a minor role in their language acquisition.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1990

Hormonal influence on language development in physically advanced children.

Sex differences in language performance have long been noted, with females more verbal and males superior in visual-spatial tasks. Two theories seek to explain the differences in language function. Waber (1976, Science, 193, 572-574) suggests that these sex differences are secondary to differences in bilateral language function related to the faster maturation rate in girls. Geschwind and Galaburda (1985, Archives of Neurology, 42,(I), 428-459; (II), 521-552; (III), 634-654) on the other hand posit an intimate interrelationship of sex hormones, the immune system, and laterality as influencing the ultimate asymmetry of the nervous system, which in turn could account for such differences. In the present study, language function was examined in patients with accelerated maturation caused by conditions with sex hormone elevation (idiopathic precocious puberty and congenital adrenal hyperplasia). The degree of maturational advancement was similar between the two groups. However, significant language performance differences were noted between androgen- vs. estrogen-exposed patients, regardless of genetic sex or diagnosis of the patient, indicating a hormonal effect on language development over time. These data support Geschwind and Galaburda's multifactorial theory for the origin of sex differences in language performance, and argue against Waber's maturational hypothesis.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital↗

PubMed1991

Significant progress in child language intervention: an 11-year retrospective.

This literature review summarizes knowledge gained from 151 articles on child language intervention published between 1978 and 1988. A general theoretical framework for viewing language development is offered as a basis for evaluating progress in the development of language intervention efforts. New developments and issues requiring further investigations are highlighted for five themes that characterize much of the language intervention research in recent years: (1) the development of augmentative and alternative communication systems, (2) the provision of language stimulation to take advantage of observational learning, (3) the teaching of various language functions, (4) the teaching of language as a means of environmental- and self-control, and (5) the study of different types of generalization processes.

Child↗

PubMed1994

Learning and representation in speech and language.

Infants learn language with remarkable speed. By the end of their second year they speak in sentences with an 'accent' typical of a native speaker. How does an individual acquire a specific language? While acknowledging the biological preparation for language, this review focuses on the effects of early language experience on infants' perceptual and perceptual-motor systems. The data show that by the time infants begin to master the higher levels of language--sound-meaning correspondences, contrastive phonology, and grammatical rules--their perceptual and perceptual-motor systems are already tuned to a specific language. The consequences of this are described in a developmental theory at the phonetic level that holds promise for higher levels of language.

Humans↗

PubMed2006

Determining language laterality by fMRI and dichotic listening.

For imaging studies on hemispheric specialization of the human brain, data about known functional asymmetries other than handedness would be valuable for a reliable interpretation of lateralized activation in individuals or groups of subjects. As certain aspects of language processing are observed to be a function of primarily the left, it can be used as a reference for other asymmetric processes such as sensory or cognitive skills. For analyzing language laterality, there are a variety of methods, but these differ in application or accuracy. In this study, we tested the reliability of two widely used methods - dichotic listening and fMRI - to determine language dominance in 30 individual subjects. The German adaptation of a dichotic listening test (Hättig, H., Beier, M., 2000. FRWT: a dichotic listening test for clinical and scientific contexts, Zeitschr f Neuropsychologie 11. 233-245.) classified 54% of the 26 right-handed subjects as left hemispheric dominant. The results of the fMRI paradigm (Fernández, G., de Greiff, A., von Oertzen, J., et al., 2001. Language mapping in less than 15 min: real-time functional MRI during routine clinical investigation. Neuroimage 14, 585-594.) tested on the same subjects, however, classified 92% of the right-handed subjects as left dominant. The main reason for this discrepancy was that the ear dominance score of many subjects in the dichotic listening test was too low to determine a reliable ear advantage. As a consequence, this specific dichotic listening test cannot be used to determine language laterality in individual subjects. On the other hand, the fMRI results are consistent with numerous studies showing left dominant language processing in more than 90% of right-handers. In some subjects, however, language laterality critically depends on the areas used to determine the laterality index.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

PubMed2002

Shake, rattle, 'n' roll: the representation of motion in language and cognition.

Languages vary strikingly in how they encode motion events. In some languages (e.g. English), manner of motion is typically encoded within the verb, while direction of motion information appears in modifiers. In other languages (e.g. Greek), the verb usually encodes the direction of motion, while the manner information is often omitted, or encoded in modifiers. We designed two studies to investigate whether these language-specific patterns affect speakers' reasoning about motion. We compared the performance of English and Greek children and adults (a) in nonlinguistic (memory and categorization) tasks involving motion events, and (b) in their linguistic descriptions of these same motion events. Even though the two linguistic groups differed significantly in terms of their linguistic preferences, their performance in the nonlinguistic tasks was identical. More surprisingly, the linguistic descriptions given by subjects within language also failed to correlate consistently with their memory and categorization performance in the relevant regards. For the domain studied, these results are consistent with the view that conceptual development and organization are largely independent of language-specific labeling practices. The discussion emphasizes that the necessarily sketchy nature of language use assures that it will be at best a crude index of thought.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The word length effect in children with language impairment.

UNLABELLED: Two types of serial word recall tasks (full verbal recall and probed recall) were administered to 11 children with language impairment and 22 language-normal children matched for productive language or chronological age. The methods were designed to take into account age-related differences in the use of subvocal rehearsal, as measured by the word length effect. The word length effect was significant for all three groups in full recall, but not in probed recall, supporting the hypothesis that children with language impairment demonstrate limited capacity for processing verbal output. Discussion focuses on the importance of considering developmental factors in measuring short-term memory effects in children with language impairment. LEARNING OUTCOMES: As a result of this activity, the participant will be able to describe the phonological loop hypothesis and discuss the interactions between working memory and language performance in children with language disorders.

Child↗