HEMISPHERIC-SPECIALIZATION FOR ENGLISH AND ASL - LEFT INVARIANCE RIGHT VARIABILITY

Citation
D. Bavelier et al., HEMISPHERIC-SPECIALIZATION FOR ENGLISH AND ASL - LEFT INVARIANCE RIGHT VARIABILITY, NeuroReport, 9(7), 1998, pp. 1537-1542
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
09594965
Volume
9
Issue
7
Year of publication
1998
Pages
1537 - 1542
Database
ISI
SICI code
0959-4965(1998)9:7<1537:HFEAA->2.0.ZU;2-8
Abstract
FUNCTIONAL magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to compare the c erebral organization during sentence processing in English and in Amer ican sign language (ASL). Classical language areas within the left hem isphere were recruited by both English in native speakers and ASL in n ative signers. This suggests a bias of the left hemisphere to process natural languages independently of the modality through which language is perceived. Furthermore, in contrast to English, ASL strongly recru ited right hemisphere structures. This was true irrespective of whethe r the native signers were deaf or hearing. Thus, the specific processi ng requirements of the language also in part determine the organizatio n of the language systems of the brain. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.