The specificity of the neural response to speech at birth

Developmental Science
Lillian MayJanet F Werker

Abstract

In this work we ask whether at birth, the human brain responds uniquely to speech, or if similar activation also occurs to a non-speech surrogate 'language'. We compare neural activation in newborn infants to the language heard in utero (English), to an unfamiliar language (Spanish), and to a whistled surrogate language (Silbo Gomero) that, while used by humans to communicate, is not speech. Anterior temporal areas of the neonate cortex are activated in response to both familiar and unfamiliar spoken language, but these classic language areas are not activated to the whistled surrogate form. These results suggest that at the time human infants emerge from the womb, the neural preparation for language is specialized to speech.

References

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Citations

Dec 20, 2019·Journal of Child Language·Brenna HenriksonMelanie Soderstrom
Mar 3, 2019·Scientific Reports·Danielle R Perszyk, Sandra R Waxman
Feb 28, 2021·Infancy : the Official Journal of the International Society on Infant Studies·Nikola PaillereauKateřina Chládková
Jul 1, 2018·Applied Psycholinguistics·Yuanyuan Wang, Derek M Houston
Aug 22, 2021·Developmental Science·Maria M ArredondoJanet F Werker
Oct 10, 2021·Scientific Reports·Iris BerentJudit Gervain

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