| Title | The Cortical Maps of Hierarchical Linguistic Structures during Speech Perception |
| Authors | Sheng, Jingwei Zheng, Li Lyu, Bingjiang Cen, Zhehang Qin, Lang Tan, Li Hai Huang, Ming-Xiong Ding, Nai Gao, Jia-Hong |
| Affiliation | Peking Univ, Sch Phys, Inst Heavy Ion Phys, Beijing City Key Lab Med Phys & Engn, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China Peking Univ, Acad Adv Interdisciplinary Studies, Ctr MRI Res, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China Peking Univ, McGovern Inst Brain Res, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China Peking Univ, Dept Biomed Engn, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China Univ Cambridge, Dept Psychol, Ctr Speech Language & Brain, Cambridge CB2 3EB, England Univ Hong Kong, Dept Linguist, Hong Kong, Peoples R China Shenzhen Univ, Ctr Brain Disorders & Cognit Sci, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, Peoples R China Shenzhen Inst Neurosci, Ctr Language & Brain, Shenzhen 518057, Guangdong, Peoples R China Univ Calif San Diego, Dept Radiol, San Diego, CA 92093 USA VA San Diego Healthcare Syst, Radiol Res & Psychiat Serv, San Diego, CA 92161 USA Zhejiang Univ, Coll Biomed Engn & Instrument Sci, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang, Peoples R China Zhejiang Univ, Minist Educ, Key Lab Biomed Engn, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang, Peoples R China Zhejiang Univ, State Key Lab Ind Control Technol, Hangzhou 310027, Zhejiang, Peoples R China Shenzhen Univ, Inst Affect & Social Neurosci, Shenzhen Key Lab Affect & Social Cognit Sci, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, Peoples R China |
| Keywords | linguistic hierarchy MEG minimum L1-norm motor cortex |
| Issue Date | 2019 |
| Publisher | CEREBRAL CORTEX |
| Abstract | The hierarchical nature of language requires human brain to internally parse connected-speech and incrementally construct abstract linguistic structures. Recent research revealed multiple neural processing timescales underlying grammar-based configuration of linguistic hierarchies. However, little is known about where in the whole cerebral cortex such temporally scaled neural processes occur. This study used novel magnetoencephalography source imaging techniques combined with a unique language stimulation paradigm to segregate cortical maps synchronized to 3 levels of linguistic units (i.e., words, phrases, and sentences). Notably, distinct ensembles of cortical loci were identified to feature structures at different levels. The superior temporal gyrus was found to be involved in processing all 3 linguistic levels while distinct ensembles of other brain regions were recruited to encode each linguistic level. Neural activities in the right motor cortex only followed the rhythm of monosyllabic words which have clear acoustic boundaries, whereas the left anterior temporal lobe and the left inferior frontal gyrus were selectively recruited in processing phrases or sentences. Our results ground a multi-timescale hierarchical neural processing of speech in neuroanatomical reality with specific sets of cortices responsible for different levels of linguistic units. |
| URI | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11897/546131 |
| ISSN | 1047-3211 |
| DOI | 10.1093/cercor/bhy191 |
| Indexed | SCI(E) SSCI(E) |
| Appears in Collections: | 物理学院 医学物理和工程北京市重点实验室 前沿交叉学科研究院 工学院 |
