Distinct hemispheric specializations for native and non-native languages in one-day-old newborns identified by fNIRS. (April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vannasing, Phetsamone; Florea, Olivia; González-Frankenberger, Berta; Tremblay, Julie; Paquette, Natacha; Safi, Dima; Wallois, Fabrice; Lepore, Franco; Béland, Renée; Lassonde, Maryse; Gallagher, Anne
• Is Part Of: Neuropsychologia. Volume 84(2016)
• Page Start: 63
• Page End: 69
• Publication Date: 2016-04
• Subjects: Foreign language -- Language lateralization patterns -- Mother tongue -- Neonates -- Optical imaging; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Neuropsychologie -- Périodiques; Neuropsychology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.01.038
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-3932

Abstract

Abstract: This study assessed whether the neonatal brain recruits different neural networks for native and non-native languages at birth. Twenty-seven one-day-old full-term infants underwent functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recording during linguistic and non-linguistic stimulation. Fourteen newborns listened to linguistic stimuli (native and non-native language stories) and 13 newborns were exposed to non-linguistic conditions (native and non-native stimuli played in reverse). Comparisons between left and right hemisphere oxyhemoglobin (HbO2 ) concentration changes over the temporal areas revealed clear left hemisphere dominance for native language, whereas non-native stimuli were associated with right hemisphere lateralization. In addition, bilateral cerebral activation was found for non-linguistic stimulus processing. Overall, our findings indicate that from the first day after birth, native language and prosodic features are processed in parallel by distinct neural networks. Highlights: One-day-old newborns process linguistic and non-linguistic stimuli differently. Native language is processed in the left temporal language area. Non-native language is associated with right hemisphere prosodic processing. Non-linguistic stimuli elicited bilateral brain responses.