Neurobiology of Language explores the study of language, a field that has seen tremendous progress in the last two decades. Key to this progress is the accelerating trend toward integration of neurobiological approaches with the more established understanding of language within cognitive psychology, computer science, and linguistics. This volume serves as the definitive reference on the neurobiology of language, bringing these various advances together into a single volume of 100 concise entries. The organization includes sections on the field's major subfields, with each section covering both empirical data and theoretical perspectives. "Foundational" neurobiological coverage is also provided, including neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, genetics, linguistic, and psycholinguistic data, and models. - Foundational reference for the current state of the field of the neurobiology of language - Enables brain and language researchers and students to remain up-to-date in this fast-moving field that crosses many disciplinary and subdisciplinary boundaries - Provides an accessible entry point for other scientists interested in the area, but not actively working in it – e.g., speech therapists, neurologists, and cognitive psychologists - Chapters authored by world leaders in the field – the broadest, most expert coverage available

The first comprehensive guide to research methods and technologies in psycholinguistics and the neurobiology of language Bringing together contributions from a distinguished group of researchers and practitioners, editors Annette M. B. de Groot and Peter Hagoort explore the methods and technologies used by researchers of language acquisition, language processing, and communication, including: traditional observational and behavioral methods; computational modelling; corpus linguistics; and virtual reality. The book also examines neurobiological methods, including functional and structural neuroimaging and molecular genetics. Ideal for students engaged in the field, Research Methods in Psycholinguistics and the Neurobiology of Language examines the relative strengths and weaknesses of various methods in relation to competing approaches. It describes the apparatus involved, the nature of the stimuli and data used, and the data collection and analysis techniques for each method. Featuring numerous example studies, along with many full-color illustrations, this indispensable text will help readers gain a clear picture of the practices and tools described. Brings together contributions from distinguished researchers across an array of related disciplines who explain the underlying assumptions and rationales of their research methods Describes the apparatus involved, the nature of the stimuli and data used, and the data collection and analysis techniques for each method Explores the relative strengths and weaknesses of various methods in relation to competing approaches Features numerous real-world examples, along with many full-color illustrations, to help readers gain a clear picture of the practices and tools described

The evolution of human language has been discussed for centuries from different perspectives. Linguistic theory has proposed grammar as a core part of human language that has to be considered in this context. Recent advances in neurosciences have allowed us to take a new neurobiological look on the similarities and dissimilarities of cognitive capacities and their neural basis across both closely and distantly related species. A couple of decades ago the comparisons were mainly drawn between human and non-human primates, investigating the cytoarchitecture of particular brain areas and their structural connectivity. Moreover, comparative studies were conducted with respect to their ability to process grammars of different complexity. So far the available data suggest that non-human primates are able to learn simple probabilistic grammars, but not hierarchically structured complex grammars. The human brain, which easily learns both grammars, differs from the non-human brain (among others) in how two language-relevant brain regions (Broca’s area and superior temporal cortex) are connected structurally. Whether the more dominant dorsal pathway in humans compared to non-human primates is causally related to this behavioral difference is an issue of current debate. Ontogenetic findings suggest at least a correlation between the maturation of the dorsal pathway and the behavior to process syntactically complex structures, although a causal prove is still not available. Thus the neural basis of complex grammar processing in humans remains to be defined. More recently it has been reported that songbirds are also able to distinguish between sound sequences reflecting complex grammar. Interestingly, songbirds learn to sing by imitating adult song in a process not unlike language development in children. Moreover, the neural circuits supporting this behavior in songbirds bear anatomical and functional similarities to those in humans. In adult humans the fiber tract connecting the auditory cortex and motor cortex dorsally is known to be involved in the repetition of spoken language. This pathway is present already at birth and is taken to play a major role during language acquisition. In songbirds, detailed information exist concerning the interaction of auditory, motor and cortical-basal ganglia processing during song learning, and present a rich substrate for comparative studies. The scope of the Research Topic is to bring together contributions of researchers from different fields, who investigate grammar processing in humans, non-human primates and songbirds with the aim to find answers to the question of what constitutes the neurobiological basis of grammar learning. Open questions are: Which brain networks are relevant for grammar learning? Is there more than one dorsal pathway (one from temporal cortex to motor cortex and one to Broca’s area) and if so what are their functions? Has the ability to process sequences of a given hierarchical complexity evolved in different phylogenetic lines (birds, primates, other vocal production learners such as bats)? Is the presence of a sensory-to-motor circuit in humans a precondition for development of a dorsal pathway between the temporal cortex and Broca’s area? What role do subcortical structures (Basal Ganglia) play in vocal and grammar learning?

Cognitive Neuroscience of Language provides an up-to-date, wide-ranging, and pedagogically practical survey of the most important developments in this exciting field. It guides students through all of the major areas of investigation, beginning with the fundamental aspects of brain structure and function and then following with key topics such as classic and progressive aphasia syndromes; speech perception and production; the meanings of object nouns, action verbs, and abstract words; the formulation and comprehension of complex expressions, including grammatically inflected words, complete sentences, and entire stories; and several other domains of neurolinguistic research, including reading and writing, sign language, and the bilingual brain. Drawing heavily on prominent theoretical models, the core chapters illustrate how such frameworks are supported, and sometimes challenged, by experiments employing diverse brain mapping techniques. This edition has been thoroughly updated throughout, and now includes a dedicated chapter on the neural substrates of bilingualism. Chapters have been revised to reflect the most salient developments in the field, and the book has undergone a thoughtful restructure to mirror course teaching. While the study of language can be challenging, the text has been written accessibly and requires no previous knowledge of either neuroscience or linguistics and includes definitions of technical terms and explanations of important principles from both disciplines along the way. Accompanied by online resources for students and instructors, it is an essential companion for graduate or upper-level undergraduate students.

"Neurobiology of Cognition and Behavior" is a cognitive neuroscience that maps cognitive/behavioral units with anatomical regions in the human brain. The brain-behavioral associations are based on functional neuroimaging combined with lesion studies. The findings will be used to explain differences in clinical syndromes with videos of patients included.

In the decade since the first edition of The Neurobiology of Autism was published, research has revealed valuable new information about the nature and origins of autism, including genetics and abnormalities in such neurotransmitters as acetylcholine and serotonin. For this long-anticipated new edition, neurologists Margaret L. Bauman and Thomas L. Kemper bring together leading researchers and clinicians to present the most current scientific knowledge and theories about autism. The contributors cover genetics, imaging studies, physiology, neuroanatomy and neurochemistry, immunology, brain function, the epidemiology of the disease, and related disorders. Thoroughly updated, The Neurobiology of Autism remains the best single-volume work on the wide array of research being conducted into the causes, characteristics, and treatment of autism. Contributors: George M. Anderson, Yale Child Study Center; Tara L. Arndt, University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC); Trang Au, University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMC); Jocelyne Bachevalier, University of Texas Health Science Center; Irina N. Bespalova, Seaver Autism Research Center, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine (SARC); Gene J. Blatt, Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM); Susan E. Bryson, IWK Health Centre–Dalhousie University; Timothy M. Buie, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH); Joseph D. Buxbaum, SARC; Kathryn M. Carbone, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSM); Diane C. Chugani, Wayne State University; Daniel F. Connor, UMMC; Edwin H. Cook, Jr., University of Chicago; S. Hossein Fatemi, University of Minnesota Medical School; Susan E. Folstein, Tufts University School of Medicine; Eric Fombonne, McGill University; Randi Jenssen Hagerman, UC Davis Medical Center; Elizabeth Petri Henske, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia; Jeannette J. A. Holden, Queen's University; Ronald J. Killiany, BUSM; Omanand Koul, UMMC; Mandy Lee, Newcastle General Hospital, U.K.; Xudong Liu, Queen's University; Tara L. Moore, BUSM; Mark B. Moss, BUSM; Karin B. Nelson, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Phillip G. Nelson, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Elaine Perry, Newcastle General Hospital; Jonathan Pevsner, JHUSM; Mikhail V. Pletnikov, JHUSM; Stephen W. Porges, University of Illinois at Chicago; Lucio Rehbein, Universidad de la Frontera, Chile; Jennifer Reichert, SARC; Patricia M. Rodier, URMC; Beth Rosen-Sheidley, MGH; Susan L. Smalley, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Research Institute; Ronald J. Steingard, UMMC; Helen Tager-Flusberg, BUSM; Gary L. Wenk, University of Arizona; Andrew W. Zimmerman, JHUSM

This 2003 book puts forth a systematic model of language to bridge the gap between linguistics and neuroscience.

Neurobiology of Social Communication in Primates: An Evolutionary Perspective presents evidence on the neural basis of communicative behavior in primates, reevaluating the relationship between human language and animal communication in view of the linguistic abilities of chimpanzees. This book consists of 10 chapters. Chapter 1 discusses some of the persistent problems in evolutionary neurobiology of primate communication. The effects of brain lesions and stimulation on vocalization in New and Old World monkeys, relation between species differences in peripheral vocal structures and species contrasts in vocal performance, and anatomy and physiology of the nonhuman primate auditory system are reviewed in Chapters 2 to 4. Chapters 5 to 7 examine the effects of electrical brain stimulation on human verbal communication and facial expression, clinical data pertaining to language pathologies, and neural mechanisms of manual and oral control. The last three chapters summarize the materials presented in earlier chapters. This publication is recommended for neuroscientists, behavioral biologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, and students interested in the evolutionary heritage of human speech and language.

The definitive guide to 21st century investigations of multilingual neuroscience The Handbook of the Neuroscience of Multilingualism provides a comprehensive survey of neurocognitive investigations of multiple-language speakers. Prominent scholar John W. Schwieter offers a unique collection of works from globally recognized researchers in neuroscience, psycholinguistics, neurobiology, psychology, neuroimaging, and others, to provide a multidisciplinary overview of relevant topics. Authoritative coverage of state-of-the-art research provides readers with fundamental knowledge of significant theories and methods, language impairments and disorders, and neural representations, functions, and processes of the multilingual brain. Focusing on up-to-date theoretical and experimental research, this timely handbook explores new directions of study and examines significant findings in the rapidly evolving field of multilingual neuroscience. Discussions on the bilingual advantage debate, recovery and rehabilitation patterns in multilingual aphasia, and the neurocognitive effects of multilingualism throughout the lifespan allow informed investigation of contemporary issues. Presents the first handbook-length examination of the neuroscience and neurolinguistics of multilingualism Demonstrates how neuroscience and multilingualism intersect several areas of research, such as neurobiology and experimental psychology Includes works from prominent international scholars and researchers to provide global perspective Reflects cutting-edge research and promising areas of future study in the dynamic field of multilingual neuroscience The Handbook of the Neuroscience of Multilingualism is an invaluable resource for researchers and scholars in areas including multilingualism, psycholinguistics, second language acquisition, and cognitive science. This versatile work is also an indispensable addition to the classroom, providing advanced undergraduate and graduate students a thorough overview of the field.