Behavioral and Neurologic Factors in Speech Learning

言语学习中的行为和神经因素

• 批准号: 7790640
• 负责人: PATRICK C M WONG
• 金额: $ 35.99万
• 依托单位: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-04-01 至 2013-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7790640
• 关键词: Acoustics; Adult; Applications Grants; Area; Auditory; Behavior; Behavioral; Brain; Cerebrum; Characteristics; Communication; Event; Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Funding; Goals; Gray unit of radiation dose; Hand; Individual; Laboratories; Language; Language Development; Lead; Learning; Left; Link; Measurement; Measures; Mediating; Methods; Modeling; Nature; Neurologic; Neurosciences; Outcome; Paper; Parietal Lobe; Pattern; Phonetics; Principal Investigator; Process; Published Comment; Publishing; Relative (related person); Research; Resources; Scanning; Speech; Speech Perception; Speech Sound; Stimulus; Techniques; Testing; Training; Training Programs; Voice; Work; association cortex; base; comparative efficacy; cost effective; foreign language; gray matter; hemodynamics; interest; language processing; lexical; phonology; programs; relating to nervous system; remediation; research study; response; sound; success; theories; white matter

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed research focuses on the behavioral and neurologic factors influencing spoken language (sound-to-word) learning, specifically the learning of non-native lexical tones and consonants in word identification in adulthood. Our behavioral-neural approach will enable the pursuit of our long-term goal of seeking the most desirable learning outcome mediated by behavioral training. The ten planned experiments in this grant application employ techniques that include behavioral training, neuroanatomic characterizations of learners of different learning abilities, and measurements of neurophysiologic (cerebral hemodynamic) changes associated with learning. The specific aims are to: 1) Compare the efficacy of non-native lexical tone and consonant training programs that emphasize low- versus high-stimulus variability in the training stimuli, and to compare neurophysiologic responses (measured by event-related fMRI) associated with the two training programs; 2) Investigate whether poor lexical learning can be remediated by additional training that focuses on phonetic (non-lexical pitch and consonant) learning and to examine neurophysiologic changes associated with such remediation; and 3) Characterize neuroanatomic differences between learners of different abilities. Guided by our newly proposed model of spoken language processing and learning called the Integrated Spoken Language Acquisition Network, we hypothesize the following: 1) Training with high-stimulus variability is the most efficacious, which is indicated by increased brain responses in auditory association cortex and the recruitment of the parietal lobe; 2) poor word learning resulting from a lack of phonetic representation and can be remediated by first training to establish such representations before word learning; and 3) poor learners can be identified by a relatively smaller left Heschl's Gyrus (driven by grey or white matter depending on the acoustic feature); however, successful learning can still be achieved with the appropriate remedial training. By understanding the efficacy of different training programs and how they benefit individuals of different learning profiles, as well as by identifying the neural characteristics of the different learners before and after training, we move a step closer to being able to place learners into training programs that are likely to be the most cost- effective and will likely lead to the most desirable learning outcomes. In an increasingly multi-lingual/multi-cultural world, many people, including adults, are interested in learning a foreign language even though it is difficult for them to do so. Learning a foreign language requires resources in our brain and changes occur as a result of learning. Our proposed research seeks to understand the changes that occur in the brain as adults learn to use foreign sounds in words, what effects different training methods have on the brain, and why certain individuals can learn more successfully (e.g., whether they have different brain organization before and after training).

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议的研究重点是影响口语学习的行为和神经系统因素，特别是在成年后的单词识别中学习非母语词汇和辅音。我们的行为神经方法将使我们能够追求我们的长期目标，即寻求由行为训练介导的最理想的学习成果。该赠款申请中的十个计划实验采用了包括行为训练的技术，不同学习能力的学习者的神经解剖学特征以及与学习相关的神经生理学（脑血液动力学）变化的测量。具体目的是：1）比较非本地词汇音调和辅音训练计划的功效，这些培训计划强调训练刺激中低于高刺激性的可变性，并比较与两个训练计划相关的神经生理学反应（通过事件相关的FMR）进行比较； 2）研究是否可以通过额外的培训来补救差的词汇学习，该培训的重点是语音（非时光音调和辅音）学习，并检查与这种补救相关的神经生理学变化； 3）表征不同能力学习者之间的神经解剖学差异。在我们新提出的口语处理和学习的模型的指导下，我们假设以下方法：1）具有高刺激变异性的训练是最有效的，这表明了听觉关联皮层中的大脑响应的增加，以及匹配质叶的招募； 2）由于缺乏语音表现而导致的贫穷单词学习，可以通过第一次培训来补救以在单词学习之前建立这种表示； 3）可以通过相对较小的左HESCHL回旋（由灰色或白质驱动，取决于声学特征驱动）可以识别出贫穷的学习者；但是，通过适当的补救培训，仍然可以实现成功的学习。通过了解不同培训计划的疗效以及他们如何使不同学习概况的个人受益，以及通过识别培训前后不同学习者的神经特征，我们将更加迈出了一步，即使学习者能够将学习者纳入可能是最具成本效益的培训计划，并可能导致最需要的学习效果。在越来越多的多语言/多元文化世界中，包括成年人在内的许多人对学习外语感兴趣，尽管他们很难做到这一点。学习外语需要我们的大脑中的资源，并且由于学习而发生变化。我们提出的研究试图了解大脑中发生的变化，因为成年人学会用语言使用外国声音，不同的训练方法对大脑产生了什么影响，以及为什么某些人可以更成功地学习（例如，他们在培训前和培训后都有不同的大脑组织）。