The biology of linguistic expression impacts neural correlates for spatial language

Karen Emmorey; Stephen McCullough; Sonya Mehta; Laura L B Ponto; Thomas J Grabowski

doi:10.1162/jocn_a_00339

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The biology of linguistic expression impacts neural correlates for spatial language

Journal article

Peer reviewed

The biology of linguistic expression impacts neural correlates for spatial language

Karen Emmorey, Stephen McCullough, Sonya Mehta, Laura L B Ponto and Thomas J Grabowski

Journal of cognitive neuroscience, Vol.25(4), pp.517-533

04/2013

DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_00339

PMCID: PMC3715382

PMID: 23249348

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/3715382View

Open Access

Abstract

Biological differences between signed and spoken languages may be most evident in the expression of spatial information. PET was used to investigate the neural substrates supporting the production of spatial language in American Sign Language as expressed by classifier constructions, in which handshape indicates object type and the location/motion of the hand iconically depicts the location/motion of a referent object. Deaf native signers performed a picture description task in which they overtly named objects or produced classifier constructions that varied in location, motion, or object type. In contrast to the expression of location and motion, the production of both lexical signs and object type classifier morphemes engaged left inferior frontal cortex and left inferior temporal cortex, supporting the hypothesis that unlike the location and motion components of a classifier construction, classifier handshapes are categorical morphemes that are retrieved via left hemisphere language regions. In addition, lexical signs engaged the anterior temporal lobes to a greater extent than classifier constructions, which we suggest reflects increased semantic processing required to name individual objects compared with simply indicating the type of object. Both location and motion classifier constructions engaged bilateral superior parietal cortex, with some evidence that the expression of static locations differentially engaged the left intraparietal sulcus. We argue that bilateral parietal activation reflects the biological underpinnings of sign language. To express spatial information, signers must transform visual-spatial representations into a body-centered reference frame and reach toward target locations within signing space.

Psychomotor Performance

Humans

Persons With Hearing Impairments - rehabilitation

Deafness - physiopathology

Male

Positron-Emission Tomography

Functional Laterality

Persons With Hearing Impairments - psychology

Cerebral Cortex - diagnostic imaging

Cerebral Cortex - physiopathology

Deafness - pathology

Young Adult

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Regression Analysis

Gestures

Semantics

Brain Mapping

Adult

Female

Photic Stimulation

Sign Language

Details

Title: Subtitle: The biology of linguistic expression impacts neural correlates for spatial language
Creators: Karen Emmorey - San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA. kemmorey@mail.sdsu.edu
Stephen McCullough
Sonya Mehta
Laura L B Ponto
Thomas J Grabowski
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of cognitive neuroscience, Vol.25(4), pp.517-533
DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_00339
PMID: 23249348
PMCID: PMC3715382
NLM abbreviation: J Cogn Neurosci
ISSN: 0898-929X
eISSN: 1530-8898
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 DC010997 / NIDCD NIH HHS R01 DC006708 / NIDCD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 04/2013
Academic Unit: Radiology; Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics
Record Identifier: 9984051886402771

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