Vocabulary acquisition is such a major aspect of language learning in children, but also in adults when learning a foreign language, that a dedicated vocabulary learning device may exist within the language organ. To identify the relevant brain systems, we performed regional cerebral blood flow measurements in normal subjects while they were learning a list of neologisms or a list of word-nonword pairs. Structures implicated in phonological short-term memory (Broca's area, left temporo-parietal junction) were steadily activated during nonwords learning, while the left temporal lobe neocortical and paralimbic structures (parahippocampal region), associated with long-term memory, contributed to learning in a time-dependent manner, with maximal activation at the beginning of the process. The neural system specifically activated when learning new vocabulary was strongly lateralized to the left hemisphere. This evidence refines current models of memory function and supports theories which emphasise the importance of phonological competence in hemispheric dominance for language

Paulesu, E., Vallar, G., Berlingeri, M., Signorini, M., Vitali, P., Burani, C., et al. (2009). Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: How the brain learns words never heard before. NEUROIMAGE, 45(4), 1368-1377 [10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.12.043].

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: How the brain learns words never heard before

PAULESU, ERALDO;VALLAR, GIUSEPPE;BERLINGERI, MANUELA;FAZIO, FERRUCCIO
2009

Abstract

Vocabulary acquisition is such a major aspect of language learning in children, but also in adults when learning a foreign language, that a dedicated vocabulary learning device may exist within the language organ. To identify the relevant brain systems, we performed regional cerebral blood flow measurements in normal subjects while they were learning a list of neologisms or a list of word-nonword pairs. Structures implicated in phonological short-term memory (Broca's area, left temporo-parietal junction) were steadily activated during nonwords learning, while the left temporal lobe neocortical and paralimbic structures (parahippocampal region), associated with long-term memory, contributed to learning in a time-dependent manner, with maximal activation at the beginning of the process. The neural system specifically activated when learning new vocabulary was strongly lateralized to the left hemisphere. This evidence refines current models of memory function and supports theories which emphasise the importance of phonological competence in hemispheric dominance for language
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Working memory; Phonological buffer; Learning; Vocabulary acquisition; Phonological short-term memory; Episodic memory; Activation; Positron emission tomography
English
2009
45
4
1368
1377
none
Paulesu, E., Vallar, G., Berlingeri, M., Signorini, M., Vitali, P., Burani, C., et al. (2009). Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: How the brain learns words never heard before. NEUROIMAGE, 45(4), 1368-1377 [10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.12.043].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/5527
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