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Shen D, Ross B, Alain C. Temporal deployment of attention in musicians: Evidence from an attentional blink paradigm. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1530:110-123. [PMID: 37823710 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The generalization of music training to unrelated nonmusical domains is well established and may reflect musicians' superior ability to regulate attention. We investigated the temporal deployment of attention in musicians and nonmusicians using scalp-recording of event-related potentials in an attentional blink (AB) paradigm. Participants listened to rapid sequences of stimuli and identified target and probe sounds. The AB was defined as a probe identification deficit when the probe closely follows the target. The sequence of stimuli was preceded by a neutral or informative cue about the probe position within the sequence. Musicians outperformed nonmusicians in identifying the target and probe. In both groups, cueing improved target and probe identification and reduced the AB. The informative cue elicited a sustained potential, which was more prominent in musicians than nonmusicians over left temporal areas and yielded a larger N1 amplitude elicited by the target. The N1 was larger in musicians than nonmusicians, and its amplitude over the left frontocentral cortex of musicians correlated with accuracy. Together, these results reveal musicians' superior ability to regulate attention, allowing them to prepare for incoming stimuli, thereby improving sound object identification. This capacity to manage attentional resources to optimize task performance may generalize to nonmusical activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Shen
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bernhard Ross
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Claude Alain
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Sendesen İ, Sendesen E, Yücel E. Evaluation of musical emotion perception and language development in children with cochlear implants. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2023; 175:111753. [PMID: 37839291 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2023.111753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES While the primary purpose of cochlear implant (CI) fitting is to improve individuals' receptive and expressive skills, musical emotion perception (MEP) is generally ignored. This study assesses the MEP and language skills (LS) of children using CI. METHODS 26 CI users and 26 matched healthy controls between the ages of 6 and 9 were included in the study. The Test of Language Development (TOLD) was applied to evaluate the LS of the participants, and the Montreal Emotion Identification Test (MEI) was applied to evaluate the MEP. RESULTS MEI test scores and all subtests of TOLD were statistically significantly lower in the CI group. Also, there was a statistically significant and moderate correlation between the listening subtest of TOLD and the MEI test. CONCLUSIONS MEP and language skills are poor in children with CI. Although language skills are primarily targeted in CI performance, improving MEP should also be included in rehabilitation programs. The relationship between music and the TOLD's listening subtest may provide evidence that listening skills can be improved by paying attention to the MEP, which is frequently ignored in rehabilitation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- İrem Sendesen
- Department of Audiology, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey; Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Otolaryngology Department, Audiology, Speech, Balance Disorders Diagnosis and Rehabilitation Unit, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Eser Sendesen
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Esra Yücel
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
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León Méndez MDC, Fernández García L, Daza González MT. Effectiveness of rhythmic training on linguistics skill development in deaf children and adolescents with cochlear implants: A systematic review. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2023; 169:111561. [PMID: 37088038 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2023.111561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This review compiles the scientific evidence to date on the effectiveness of musical/rhythmic training for improving and/or enhancing the development of language skills in deaf children aged 6-16 years with cochlear implants. METHODS PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science were used for the research following the PRISMA protocol. RESULTS The reviewed studies indicate that rhythmic training can improve language skills (perception, production, and comprehension) in this population, as well as in other cognitive skills. CONCLUSION Although further research is still needed, the current evidence can help identify new and more effective early intervention methods for deaf children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Fernández García
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain; Center for Neuropsychological Assessment and Rehabilitation (CERNEP), University of Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - María Teresa Daza González
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain; Center for Neuropsychological Assessment and Rehabilitation (CERNEP), University of Almería, Almería, Spain.
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Elmer S, Besson M, Rodriguez-Fornells A, Giroud N. Foreign speech sound discrimination and associative word learning lead to a fast reconfiguration of resting-state networks. Neuroimage 2023; 271:120026. [PMID: 36921678 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning new words in an unfamiliar language is a complex endeavor that requires the orchestration of multiple perceptual and cognitive functions. Although the neural mechanisms governing word learning are becoming better understood, little is known about the predictive value of resting-state (RS) metrics for foreign word discrimination and word learning attainment. In addition, it is still unknown which of the multistep processes involved in word learning have the potential to rapidly reconfigure RS networks. To address these research questions, we used electroencephalography (EEG), measured forty participants, and examined scalp-based power spectra, source-based spectral density maps and functional connectivity metrics before (RS1), in between (RS2) and after (RS3) a series of tasks which are known to facilitate the acquisition of new words in a foreign language, namely word discrimination, word-referent mapping and semantic generalization. Power spectra at the scalp level consistently revealed a reconfiguration of RS networks as a function of foreign word discrimination (RS1 vs. RS2) and word learning (RS1 vs. RS3) tasks in the delta, lower and upper alpha, and upper beta frequency ranges. Otherwise, functional reconfigurations at the source level were restricted to the theta (spectral density maps) and to the lower and upper alpha frequency bands (spectral density maps and functional connectivity). Notably, scalp RS changes related to the word discrimination tasks (difference between RS2 and RS1) correlated with word discrimination abilities (upper alpha band) and semantic generalization performance (theta and upper alpha bands), whereas functional changes related to the word learning tasks (difference between RS3 and RS1) correlated with word discrimination scores (lower alpha band). Taken together, these results highlight that foreign speech sound discrimination and word learning have the potential to rapidly reconfigure RS networks at multiple functional scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Elmer
- Department of Computational Linguistics, Computational Neuroscience of Speech & Hearing, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; Competence center Language & Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Mireille Besson
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, Université Publique de France, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Antoni Rodriguez-Fornells
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; University of Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nathalie Giroud
- Department of Computational Linguistics, Computational Neuroscience of Speech & Hearing, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Center for Neuroscience Zurich, University and ETH of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Competence center Language & Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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Frey A, Lessard A, Carchon I, Provasi J, Pulido L. Rhythmic training, literacy, and graphomotor skills in kindergarteners. Front Psychol 2022; 13:959534. [PMID: 36571064 PMCID: PMC9773882 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.959534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The aim of this manuscript is twofold: first, to investigate the relationship between rhythmic, phonological and graphomotor skills in kindergarten children; and second, to evaluate the possible impact of rhythmic training on the two other skills. Methods To that end, we selected a sample of 78 children in Québec. Forty-two children received rhythmic training (experimental group) and 34 arts training (active control group) during the same period (10 weeks). Before and after training, children in both groups were assessed for general skills (forward and backward memory span, vocabulary, non-verbal ability), rhythmic skills (synchronization and discrimination tasks), literacy skills (phonological skills - syllable counting, syllable deletion, rhyme discrimination - and invented spelling skills) and graphomotor skills (legibility of letter writing, quality of copying of geometric shapes). Results Results showed correlations between the child's rhythmic and literacy skills, as well as between rhythm synchronization and pen pressure. In addition, rhythmic training showed improvement in rhythmic abilities, but this did not transfer to literacy or graphomotor development (apart from a significant increase in the duration of pauses in both groups at post-test, with a larger improvement for the rhythm group). Discussion These results are discussed in terms of duration and intensity of learning, and they highlight the possible benefits of informal rhythm practices in the classroom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Frey
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, UMR 7291, CNRS – INSPE de l’Université d’Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France,*Correspondence: Aline Frey,
| | - Andrée Lessard
- Département des sciences de l’éducation, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada,Centre de recherche interuniversitaire sur la formation et la profession enseignante (CRIFPE), Montréal, QC, Canada,Consortium régional de recherche en éducation (CRRE), Saguenay, QC, Canada,Observatoire interdisciplinaire de création et de recherche en musique, Université Laval (OICRM-ULaval), Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Isabelle Carchon
- Laboratoire CHArt, Cognitions Humaine et ARTificielle, EPHE - PSL, École Pratique des Hautes Études - Paris Sciences Lettres, Campus Condorcet, Aubervilliers, France
| | - Joëlle Provasi
- Laboratoire CHArt, Cognitions Humaine et ARTificielle, EPHE - PSL, École Pratique des Hautes Études - Paris Sciences Lettres, Campus Condorcet, Aubervilliers, France
| | - Loïc Pulido
- Consortium Régional de Recherche en Éducation (CRRE) et département des sciences de l’éducation, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, QC, Canada,Centre de Recherche et d’Intervention sur la Réussite Scolaire (CRIRES), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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Elmer S, Besson M, Rodríguez-Fornells A. The electrophysiological correlates of word pre-activation during associative word learning. Int J Psychophysiol 2022; 182:12-22. [PMID: 36167179 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Human beings continuously make use of learned associations to generate predictions about future occurrences in the environment. Such memory-related predictive processes provide a scaffold for learning in that mental representations of foreseeable events can be adjusted or strengthened based on a specific outcome. Learning the meaning of novel words through picture-word associations constitutes a prime example of associative learning because pictures preceding words can trigger word prediction through the pre-activation of the related mnemonic representations. In the present electroencephalography (EEG) study, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) to compare neural indices of word pre-activation between a word learning condition with maximal prediction likelihood and a non-learning control condition with low prediction. Results revealed that prediction-related N400 amplitudes in response to pictures decreased over time at central electrodes as a function of word learning, whereas late positive component (LPC) amplitudes increased. Notably, N400 but not LPC changes were also predictive of word learning performance, suggesting that the N400 component constitutes a sensitive marker of word pre-activation during associative word learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Elmer
- Computational Neuroscience of Speech & Hearing, Department of Computational Linguistics, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Mireille Besson
- Université Publique de France, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291) & Institute for Language and Communication in the Brain (ILCB), Marseille, France.
| | - Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Campus Bellvitge, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097 Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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Zheng K, Meng R, Zheng C, Li X, Sang J, Cai J, Wang J, Wang X. EmotionBox: A music-element-driven emotional music generation system based on music psychology. Front Psychol 2022; 13:841926. [PMID: 36106044 PMCID: PMC9465382 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.841926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
With the development of deep neural networks, automatic music composition has made great progress. Although emotional music can evoke listeners' different auditory perceptions, only few research studies have focused on generating emotional music. This paper presents EmotionBox -a music-element-driven emotional music generator based on music psychology that is capable of composing music given a specific emotion, while this model does not require a music dataset labeled with emotions as previous methods. In this work, pitch histogram and note density are extracted as features that represent mode and tempo, respectively, to control music emotions. The specific emotions are mapped from these features through Russell's psychology model. The subjective listening tests show that the Emotionbox has a competitive performance in generating different emotional music and significantly better performance in generating music with low arousal emotions, especially peaceful emotion, compared with the emotion-label-based method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruijie Meng
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chengshi Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinqiu Sang
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juanjuan Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Media Convergence and Communication, Communication University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Wang
- School of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- School of Humanities and Management, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
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Frey A, Barbaroux M, Dittinger E, Besson M. Effects of Psychoacoustic Training on the Pre-Attentive Processing of Harmonic Sounds and Syllables. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2022; 65:2003-2015. [PMID: 35503959 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-21-00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This article aimed at investigating the neural underpinnings of music-to-language transfer effects at the pre-attentive level of processing. METHOD We conducted a longitudinal experiment with a test-training-retest procedure. Nonmusician adults were trained either on frequency (experimental group) or on intensity (control group) of harmonic tones using methods from psychophysics. Pre- and posttraining, we recorded brain electrical activity and we analyzed the mismatch negativity (MMN) and the P3a component both to harmonic complex sounds and to syllables varying in frequency. RESULTS Frequency training influenced the pre-attentive perception of pitch for large harmonic deviant sounds but not for syllables. CONCLUSION Results are discussed in terms of near and far transfer effects from psychoacoustic training to pre-attentive pitch processing and as possibly showing some limits to transfer effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Frey
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), CNRS, and Aix-Marseille University, Université Publique de France
- Institute for Language and Communication in the Brain (ILCB), Aix-Marseille University, France
| | - Mylène Barbaroux
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), CNRS, and Aix-Marseille University, Université Publique de France
| | - Eva Dittinger
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), CNRS, and Aix-Marseille University, Université Publique de France
- Laboratoire Parole et Langage (LPL), CNRS, and Aix-Marseille University, Université Publique de France
| | - Mireille Besson
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), CNRS, and Aix-Marseille University, Université Publique de France
- Institute for Language and Communication in the Brain (ILCB), Aix-Marseille University, France
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The interplay between domain-general and domain-specific mechanisms during the time-course of verbal associative learning: An event-related potential study. Neuroimage 2021; 242:118443. [PMID: 34352392 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans continuously learn new information. Here, we examined the temporal brain dynamics of explicit verbal associative learning between unfamiliar items. In the first experiment, 25 adults learned object-pseudoword associations during a 5-day training program allowing us to track the N400 dynamics across learning blocks within and across days. Successful learning was accompanied by an initial frontal N400 that decreased in amplitude across blocks during the first day and shifted to parietal sites during the last training day. In Experiment 2, we replicated our findings with 38 new participants randomly assigned to a consistent learning or an inconsistent learning group. The N400 amplitude modulations that we found, both within and between learning sessions, are taken to reflect the emergence of novel lexical traces even when learning concerns items for which no semantic information is provided. The shift in N400 topography suggests that different N400 neural generators may contribute to specific word learning steps through a balance between domain-general and language-specific mechanisms.
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Links of Prosodic Stress Perception and Musical Activities to Language Skills of Children With Cochlear Implants and Normal Hearing. Ear Hear 2021; 41:395-410. [PMID: 31397704 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000000763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A major issue in the rehabilitation of children with cochlear implants (CIs) is unexplained variance in their language skills, where many of them lag behind children with normal hearing (NH). Here, we assess links between generative language skills and the perception of prosodic stress, and with musical and parental activities in children with CIs and NH. Understanding these links is expected to guide future research and toward supporting language development in children with a CI. DESIGN Twenty-one unilaterally and early-implanted children and 31 children with NH, aged 5 to 13, were classified as musically active or nonactive by a questionnaire recording regularity of musical activities, in particular singing, and reading and other activities shared with parents. Perception of word and sentence stress, performance in word finding, verbal intelligence (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) vocabulary), and phonological awareness (production of rhymes) were measured in all children. Comparisons between children with a CI and NH were made against a subset of 21 of the children with NH who were matched to children with CIs by age, gender, socioeconomic background, and musical activity. Regression analyses, run separately for children with CIs and NH, assessed how much variance in each language task was shared with each of prosodic perception, the child's own music activity, and activities with parents, including singing and reading. All statistical analyses were conducted both with and without control for age and maternal education. RESULTS Musically active children with CIs performed similarly to NH controls in all language tasks, while those who were not musically active performed more poorly. Only musically nonactive children with CIs made more phonological and semantic errors in word finding than NH controls, and word finding correlated with other language skills. Regression analysis results for word finding and VIQ were similar for children with CIs and NH. These language skills shared considerable variance with the perception of prosodic stress and musical activities. When age and maternal education were controlled for, strong links remained between perception of prosodic stress and VIQ (shared variance: CI, 32%/NH, 16%) and between musical activities and word finding (shared variance: CI, 53%/NH, 20%). Links were always stronger for children with CIs, for whom better phonological awareness was also linked to improved stress perception and more musical activity, and parental activities altogether shared significantly variance with word finding and VIQ. CONCLUSIONS For children with CIs and NH, better perception of prosodic stress and musical activities with singing are associated with improved generative language skills. In addition, for children with CIs, parental singing has a stronger positive association to word finding and VIQ than parental reading. These results cannot address causality, but they suggest that good perception of prosodic stress, musical activities involving singing, and parental singing and reading may all be beneficial for word finding and other generative language skills in implanted children.
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Stewart EC, Pittman AL. Learning and Retention of Novel Words in Musicians and Nonmusicians. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:2870-2884. [PMID: 34185549 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether long-term musical training enhances the ability to perceive and learn new auditory information. Listeners with extensive musical experience were expected to detect, learn, and retain novel words more effectively than participants without musical training. Advantages of musical training were expected to be greater for words learned in multitalker babble compared to quiet. Method Participants consisted of 20 young adult musicians and 20 age-matched nonmusicians, all with normal hearing. In addition to completing word recognition and nonword detection tasks, each participant learned 10 novel words in a rapid word-learning paradigm. All tasks were completed in quiet and in multitalker babble. Next-day retention of the learned words was examined in isolation (recall) and in the context of continuous discourse (detection). Performance was compared across groups and listening conditions. Results Performance was significantly poorer in babble than in quiet on word recognition and nonword detection, but not on word learning, learned-word recall, or learned-word detection. No differences were observed between groups (musicians vs. nonmusicians) on any of the tasks. Conclusions For young normal-hearing adults, auditory experience resulting from long-term music training did not enhance their learning of new auditory information in either favorable (quiet) or unfavorable (babble) listening conditions. This suggests that the formation of semantic and musical representations in memory may be supported by the same underlying auditory processes, such that musical training is simply an extension of an auditory expertise that both musicians and nonmusicians possess.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea L Pittman
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe
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Dittinger E, Korka B, Besson M. Evidence for Enhanced Long-term Memory in Professional Musicians and Its Contribution to Novel Word Learning. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 33:662-682. [PMID: 33378241 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies evidenced transfer effects from professional music training to novel word learning. However, it is unclear whether such an advantage is driven by cascading, bottom-up effects from better auditory perception to semantic processing or by top-down influences from cognitive functions on perception. Moreover, the long-term effects of novel word learning remain an open issue. To address these questions, we used a word learning design, with four different sets of novel words, and we neutralized the potential perceptive and associative learning advantages in musicians. Under such conditions, we did not observe any advantage in musicians on the day of learning (Day 1 [D1]), at neither a behavioral nor an electrophysiological level; this suggests that the previously reported advantages in musicians are likely to be related to bottom-up processes. Nevertheless, 1 month later (Day 30 [D30]) and for all types of novel words, the error increase from D1 to D30 was lower in musicians compared to nonmusicians. In addition, for the set of words that were perceptually difficult to discriminate, only musicians showed typical N400 effects over parietal sites on D30. These results demonstrate that music training improved long-term memory and that transfer effects from music training to word learning (i.e., semantic levels of speech processing) benefit from reinforced (long-term) memory functions. Finally, these findings highlight the positive impact of music training on the acquisition of foreign languages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Dittinger
- Université Publique de France, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC).,Université Publique de France, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire Parole et Langage (LPL).,Institute for Language and Communication in the Brain, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Betina Korka
- Cognitive and Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology - Wilhelm Wundt, Leipzig University, Germany
| | - Mireille Besson
- Université Publique de France, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC).,Institute for Language and Communication in the Brain, Aix-en-Provence, France
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Barbaroux M, Norena A, Rasamimanana M, Castet E, Besson M. From Psychoacoustics to Brain Waves: A Longitudinal Approach to Novel Word Learning. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 33:8-27. [PMID: 32985943 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Musical expertise has been shown to positively influence high-level speech abilities such as novel word learning. This study addresses the question whether low-level enhanced perceptual skills causally drives successful novel word learning. We used a longitudinal approach with psychoacoustic procedures to train 2 groups of nonmusicians either on pitch discrimination or on intensity discrimination, using harmonic complex sounds. After short (approximately 3 hr) psychoacoustic training, discrimination thresholds were lower on the specific feature (pitch or intensity) that was trained. Moreover, compared to the intensity group, participants trained on pitch were faster to categorize words varying in pitch. Finally, although the N400 components in both the word learning phase and in the semantic task were larger in the pitch group than in the intensity group, no between-group differences were found at the behavioral level in the semantic task. Thus, these results provide mixed evidence that enhanced perception of relevant features through a few hours of acoustic training with harmonic sounds causally impacts the categorization of speech sounds as well as novel word learning. These results are discussed within the framework of near and far transfer effects from music training to speech processing.
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Rasamimanana M, Barbaroux M, Colé P, Besson M. Semantic compensation and novel word learning in university students with dyslexia. Neuropsychologia 2020; 139:107358. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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15
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Leminen M, Leminen A, Smolander S, Arkkila E, Shtyrov Y, Laasonen M, Kujala T. Quick reorganization of memory traces for morphologically complex words in young children. Neuropsychologia 2019; 138:107309. [PMID: 31857117 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Formation of neural mechanisms for morphosyntactic processing in young children is still poorly understood. Here, we addressed neural processing and rapid online acquisition of familiar and unfamiliar combinations of morphemes. Three different types of morphologically complex words - derived, inflected, and novel (pseudostem + real suffix) - were presented in a passive listening setting to 16 typically developing 3-4-year old children (as part of a longitudinal Helsinki SLI follow-up study). The mismatch negativity (MMN) component of event-related potentials (ERP), an established index of long-term linguistic memory traces in the brain, was analysed separately for the initial and final periods of the exposure to these items. We found MMN response enhancement for the inflected words towards the end of the recording session, whereas no response change was observed for the derived or novel complex forms. This enhancement indicates rapid build-up of a new memory trace for the combination of real morphemes, suggesting a capacity for online formation of whole-form lexicalized representations as one of the morphological mechanisms in the developing brain. Furthermore, this enhancement increased with age, suggesting the development of automatic morphological processing circuits in the age range of 3-4 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miika Leminen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Phoniatrics, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, PO Box 250, FIN-00029, HUS, Finland; Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, PO Box 21, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Alina Leminen
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, PO Box 21, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland; Cognitive Science, Department of Digital Humanitiers, Faculty of Arts, PO Box 9, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Sini Smolander
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Phoniatrics, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, PO Box 250, FIN-00029, HUS, Finland; Research Unit of Logopedics, PO Box 8000, FIN-90014, University of Oulu, Finland.
| | - Eva Arkkila
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Phoniatrics, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, PO Box 250, FIN-00029, HUS, Finland.
| | - Yury Shtyrov
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience (CFIN), Institute for Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark; Laboratory of Behavioural Neurodynamics, St.Petersburg State University, Makarova emb, 6, St.Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation.
| | - Marja Laasonen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Phoniatrics, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, PO Box 250, FIN-00029, HUS, Finland; Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Faculty of Social Sciences, FIN-20014, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Clinical Medicine, PO Box 63, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Teija Kujala
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, PO Box 21, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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16
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Dittinger E, Scherer J, Jäncke L, Besson M, Elmer S. Testing the influence of musical expertise on novel word learning across the lifespan using a cross-sectional approach in children, young adults and older adults. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2019; 198:104678. [PMID: 31450024 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2019.104678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Word learning is a multifaceted perceptual and cognitive task that is omnipresent in everyday life. Currently, it is unclear whether this ability is influenced by age, musical expertise or both variables. Accordingly, we used EEG and compared behavioral and electrophysiological indices of word learning between older adults with and without musical expertise (older adults' perspective) as well as between musically trained and untrained children, young adults, and older adults (lifespan perspective). Results of the older adults' perspective showed that the ability to learn new words is preserved in elderly, however, without a beneficial influence of musical expertise. Otherwise, results of the lifespan perspective revealed lower error rates and faster reaction times in young adults compared to children and older adults. Furthermore, musically trained children and young adults outperformed participants without musical expertise, and this advantage was accompanied by EEG manifestations reflecting faster learning and neural facilitation in accessing lexical-semantic representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Dittinger
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291), Marseille, France; CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire Parole et Langage (LPL, UMR 7309), Aix-en-Provence, France; Brain and Language Research Institute (BLRI), Aix-en-Provence, France.
| | - Johanna Scherer
- Division Neuropsychology (Auditory Research Group Zurich, ARGZ), Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Division Neuropsychology (Auditory Research Group Zurich, ARGZ), Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program (URRP) "Dynamic of Healthy Aging", Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Mireille Besson
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291), Marseille, France.
| | - Stefan Elmer
- Division Neuropsychology (Auditory Research Group Zurich, ARGZ), Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
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17
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Looi V, Torppa R, Prvan T, Vickers D. The Role of Music in Families of Children With Hearing Loss and Normal Hearing in Australia, Finland, and the UK. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1002. [PMID: 31680796 PMCID: PMC6798058 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary aim of this current study was to compare the role, importance and value placed on music by families with normally hearing (NH) children, to those who had a child with a hearing loss (HL) who wore either hearing aids and/or cochlear implants. A secondary aim was to see whether this differed between the countries. Parents of children aged 2-6 years living in Australia, Finland, and the United Kingdom were invited to complete the Role of Music in Families Questionnaire (RMFQ). Two groups of participants were recruited from each country: (i) parents of NH children, and (ii) parents of children with a HL. The RMFQ had seven subsections covering topics such as music participation, attitudes to music, importance of music in the family, and future perspectives on music. Three hundred and twenty-two families of NH children, and 56 families of children with HL completed the questionnaire (Australia: 50 NH, 25 HL; Finland: 242 NH, 21 HL; United Kingdom: 30 NH, 10 HL). Analyses compared between NH and HL groups within each country, and between the three countries for the NH group, and the HL group, independently. Overall, there were few significant differences between the participation levels, role, or importance of music in families with NH children compared to those with a child who had a HL, regardless of whether the families lived in Australia, Finland or the United Kingdom. Children first started to respond to music at similar ages, and overall music participation frequency, and music enjoyment were relatively similar. The importance of music in the family was also similar between the NH and HL groups. In comparing between the countries, Finnish children had a tendency to have higher participation rates in musical activities, with few other differences noted. Overall, the results of this study indicate that children, regardless of hearing levels or country of residence, have similar levels of music engagement and enjoyment, and HL is not seen as a contraindication to music participation and involvement by the parents involved in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Looi
- SCIC - An RIDBC Service, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Advanced Bionics (Asia Pacific), Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ritva Torppa
- Logopedics and Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tania Prvan
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Debi Vickers
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, The University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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18
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Torppa R, Huotilainen M. Why and how music can be used to rehabilitate and develop speech and language skills in hearing-impaired children. Hear Res 2019; 380:108-122. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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19
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Barbaroux M, Dittinger E, Besson M. Music training with Démos program positively influences cognitive functions in children from low socio-economic backgrounds. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216874. [PMID: 31095606 PMCID: PMC6522123 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed at evaluating the impact of a classic music training program (Démos) on several aspects of the cognitive development of children from low socio-economic backgrounds. We were specifically interested in general intelligence, phonological awareness and reading abilities, and in other cognitive abilities that may be improved by music training such as auditory and visual attention, working and short-term memory and visuomotor precision. We used a longitudinal approach with children presented with standardized tests before the start and after 18 months of music training. To test for pre-to-post training improvements while discarding maturation and developmental effects, raw scores for each child and for each test were normalized relative to their age group. Results showed that Démos music training improved musicality scores, total IQ and Symbol Search scores as well as concentration abilities and reading precision. In line with previous results, these findings demonstrate the positive impact of an ecologically-valid music training program on the cognitive development of children from low socio-economic backgrounds and strongly encourage the broader implementation of such programs in disadvantaged school-settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mylène Barbaroux
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291), Marseille, France
| | - Eva Dittinger
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291), Marseille, France
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire Parole et Langage (LPL, UMR 7309), Aix-en-Provence, France
- Brain and Language Research Institute (BLRI), Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Mireille Besson
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291), Marseille, France
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20
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Fritz TH, Schütte F, Steixner A, Contier O, Obrig H, Villringer A. Musical meaning modulates word acquisition. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2019; 190:10-15. [PMID: 30665002 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Musical excerpts have been shown to have the capacity to prime the processing of target words and vice versa, strongly suggesting that music can convey concepts. However, to date no study has investigated an influence of musical semantics on novel word acquisition, thus corroborating evidence for a similarity of underlying semantic processing of music and words behaviourally. The current study investigates whether semantic content of music can assist the acquisition of novel words. Forty novel words and their German translation were visually presented to 26 participants accompanied by either semantically congruent or incongruent music. Semantic congruence between music and words was expected to increase performance in the subsequent forced-choice recognition test. Participants performed significantly better on the retention of novel words presented with semantically congruent music compared to those presented with semantically incongruent music. This provides first evidence that semantic "enrichment" by music during novel word learning can augment novel word acquisition. This finding may lead to novel approaches in foreign language acquisition and language rehabilitation, and further strongly supports the concept that music has a strong capacity to iconically convey meaning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hans Fritz
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Institute for Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music (IPEM), Blandijnberg 2, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Friederike Schütte
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Agnes Steixner
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Oliver Contier
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hellmuth Obrig
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1A, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Besson M, Dittinger E, Barbaroux M. How music training influences language processing: Evidence against informationnal encapsulation. ANNEE PSYCHOLOGIQUE 2018. [DOI: 10.3917/anpsy1.183.0273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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22
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Dittinger E, D'Imperio M, Besson M. Enhanced neural and behavioural processing of a nonnative phonemic contrast in professional musicians. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 47:1504-1516. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eva Dittinger
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille Université; Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291); Marseille France
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille Université; Laboratoire Parole et Langage (LPL, UMR 7309); Aix-en-Provence France
- Brain and Language Research Institute (BLRI); Aix-en-Provence France
| | - Mariapaola D'Imperio
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille Université; Laboratoire Parole et Langage (LPL, UMR 7309); Aix-en-Provence France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF); Paris France
| | - Mireille Besson
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille Université; Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291); Marseille France
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23
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Theta Coherence Asymmetry in the Dorsal Stream of Musicians Facilitates Word Learning. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4565. [PMID: 29545619 PMCID: PMC5854697 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22942-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Word learning constitutes a human faculty which is dependent upon two anatomically distinct processing streams projecting from posterior superior temporal (pST) and inferior parietal (IP) brain regions toward the prefrontal cortex (dorsal stream) and the temporal pole (ventral stream). The ventral stream is involved in mapping sensory and phonological information onto lexical-semantic representations, whereas the dorsal stream contributes to sound-to-motor mapping, articulation, complex sequencing in the verbal domain, and to how verbal information is encoded, stored, and rehearsed from memory. In the present source-based EEG study, we evaluated functional connectivity between the IP lobe and Broca's area while musicians and non-musicians learned pseudowords presented in the form of concatenated auditory streams. Behavioral results demonstrated that musicians outperformed non-musicians, as reflected by a higher sensitivity index (d'). This behavioral superiority was paralleled by increased left-hemispheric theta coherence in the dorsal stream, whereas non-musicians showed stronger functional connectivity in the right hemisphere. Since no between-group differences were observed in a passive listening control condition nor during rest, results point to a task-specific intertwining between musical expertise, functional connectivity, and word learning.
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24
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Elmer S, Jäncke L. Relationships between music training, speech processing, and word learning: a network perspective. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1423:10-18. [PMID: 29542125 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Revised: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have documented the behavioral advantages conferred on professional musicians and children undergoing music training in processing speech sounds varying in the spectral and temporal dimensions. These beneficial effects have previously often been associated with local functional and structural changes in the auditory cortex (AC). However, this perspective is oversimplified, in that it does not take into account the intrinsic organization of the human brain, namely, neural networks and oscillatory dynamics. Therefore, we propose a new framework for extending these previous findings to a network perspective by integrating multimodal imaging, electrophysiology, and neural oscillations. In particular, we provide concrete examples of how functional and structural connectivity can be used to model simple neural circuits exerting a modulatory influence on AC activity. In addition, we describe how such a network approach can be used for better comprehending the beneficial effects of music training on more complex speech functions, such as word learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Elmer
- Division of Neuropsychology (Auditory Research Group Zurich, ARGZ), Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Division of Neuropsychology (Auditory Research Group Zurich, ARGZ), Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program (URPP) "Dynamic of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Special Education, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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25
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Ding J, Liu W, Yang Y. The Influence of Concreteness of Concepts on the Integration of Novel Words into the Semantic Network. Front Psychol 2017; 8:2111. [PMID: 29255440 PMCID: PMC5723054 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
On the basis of previous studies revealing a processing advantage of concrete words over abstract words, the current study aimed to further explore the influence of concreteness on the integration of novel words into semantic memory with the event related potential (ERP) technique. In the experiment during the learning phase participants read two-sentence contexts and inferred the meaning of novel words. The novel words were two-character non-words in Chinese language. Their meaning was either a concrete or abstract known concept which could be inferred from the contexts. During the testing phase participants performed a lexical decision task in which the learned novel words served as primes for either their corresponding concepts, semantically related or unrelated targets. For the concrete novel words, the semantically related words belonged to the same semantic categories with their corresponding concepts. For the abstract novel words, the semantically related words were synonyms of their corresponding concepts. The unrelated targets were real words which were concrete or abstract for the concrete or abstract novel words respectively. The ERP results showed that the corresponding concepts and the semantically related words elicited smaller N400s than the unrelated words. The N400 effect was not modulated by the concreteness of the concepts. In addition, the concrete corresponding concepts elicited a smaller late positive component (LPC) than the concrete unrelated words. This LPC effect was absent for the abstract words. The results indicate that although both concrete and abstract novel words can be acquired and linked to their related words in the semantic network after a short learning phase, the concrete novel words are learned better. Our findings support the (extended) dual coding theory and broaden our understanding of adult word learning and changes in concept organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjuan Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yufang Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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26
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Dittinger E, Valizadeh SA, Jäncke L, Besson M, Elmer S. Increased functional connectivity in the ventral and dorsal streams during retrieval of novel words in professional musicians. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 39:722-734. [PMID: 29105247 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Current models of speech and language processing postulate the involvement of two parallel processing streams (the dual stream model): a ventral stream involved in mapping sensory and phonological representations onto lexical and conceptual representations and a dorsal stream contributing to sound-to-motor mapping, articulation, and to how verbal information is encoded and manipulated in memory. Based on previous evidence showing that music training has an influence on language processing, cognitive functions, and word learning, we examined EEG-based intracranial functional connectivity in the ventral and dorsal streams while musicians and nonmusicians learned the meaning of novel words through picture-word associations. In accordance with the dual stream model, word learning was generally associated with increased beta functional connectivity in the ventral stream compared to the dorsal stream. In addition, in the linguistically most demanding "semantic task," musicians outperformed nonmusicians, and this behavioral advantage was accompanied by increased left-hemispheric theta connectivity in both streams. Moreover, theta coherence in the left dorsal pathway was positively correlated with the number of years of music training. These results provide evidence for a complex interplay within a network of brain regions involved in semantic processing and verbal memory functions, and suggest that intensive music training can modify its functional architecture leading to advantages in novel word learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Dittinger
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille Univ, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291), Marseille, France.,CNRS & Aix-Marseille Univ, Laboratoire Parole et Langage (LPL, UMR 7309), Aix-en-Provence, France.,Brain and Language Research Institute (BLRI), Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Seyed Abolfazl Valizadeh
- Auditory Research Group Zurich (ARGZ), Division Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Sensory-Motor System Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligence Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Auditory Research Group Zurich (ARGZ), Division Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,University Research Priority Program (URRP) "Dynamic of Healthy Aging", Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mireille Besson
- CNRS & Aix-Marseille Univ, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC, UMR 7291), Marseille, France
| | - Stefan Elmer
- Auditory Research Group Zurich (ARGZ), Division Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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