Neuroscience 2003 Abstract
Presentation Number: | 288.8 |
---|---|
Abstract Title: | Phonemic manipulation in Japanese: a f-MRI study. |
Authors: |
Seki, A.*1
; Okada, T.2
; Koeda, T.
; Sadato, N.2
1Divi Child Neurol. , Inst. Neurological Sci, Tottori-Univ., Yonago, Japan 2Japan, 36-1 Nishi-Machi, 683-8504, |
Primary Theme and Topics |
Cognition and Behavior - Human Cognition and Behavior -- Language |
Session: |
288. Language I Poster |
Presentation Time: | Sunday, November 9, 2003 4:00 PM-5:00 PM |
Location: | Morial Convention Center - Hall F-I, Board # I27 |
Keywords: | LANGUAGE, BRAIN IMAGING, AUDITORY, VISUAL |
The phonological awareness, the ability to manipulate the abstract phonological representations of oral language, is crucial for learning process of reading. The developmental dyslexia shows the deficits during both auditory and visually presented phonological awareness tasks, and manipulating phonological representation may be the core deficits of developmental dyslexia. The neuroimaging studies have revealed the contribution of the similar neural substrates to both auditory and visual tasks. The less prevalence of dyslexia in Japanese suggests that Japanese language, which has simple letter-to-syllable relation summarized in Japanese syllabary table, has some advantages for the impaired children. To derive the neural substrates for the phonological manipulation of Japanese, we used functional MRI. The same vowel exchange tasks were performed in auditory (voices) and visual (kana letters) presentation in 19 normal volunteers. Different from previous studies in alphabetic languages, the neural substrates were completely different by the task modalities. In the auditory tasks, the posterior parts of superior temporal sulcus were activated. It suggests that phonological representations abstracted from the auditory stimuli may be manipulated in this area. On the other hand, visual tasks activated the intraparietal sulci. This indicates that phonemic manipulation of kana letters may be visuospatially performed based on the Japanese syllabary table, and the contribution of phonological representation may be less distinct. We speculated that because of the phonological and orthographical simplicities of Japanese, children can easily learn the correspondence between letters and their representing sounds by bypassing the process of phonological awareness.
Supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B, No14380370)
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2003 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. New Orleans, LA: Society for Neuroscience, 2003. Online.
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