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Cited by 132Phonetics and Phonology ResearchNeurobiology of Language and BilingualismNeuroscience and Music Perception

Neural signatures of phonetic learning in adulthood: a magnetoencephalography study

Open access
Zhang, Yang, Kuhl, Patricia K., Imada, Toshiaki, Iverson, Paul, Pruitt, John, Stevens, Erica B., Kawakatsu, Masaki, Tohkura, Yoh'ichi +1 more·2009·NeuroImage
DOI 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.01.028PMC PMC2811417
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Abstract

The present study used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine perceptual learning of American English /r/ and /l/ categories by Japanese adults who had limited English exposure. A training software program was developed based on the principles of infant phonetic learning, featuring systematic acoustic exaggeration, multi-talker variability, visible articulation, and adaptive listening. The program was designed to help Japanese listeners utilize an acoustic dimension relevant for phonemic categorization of /r-l/ in English. Although training did not produce native-like phonetic boundary along the /r-l/ synthetic continuum in the second language learners, success was seen in highly significant identification improvement over twelve training sessions and transfer of learning to novel stimuli. Consistent with behavioral results, pre-post MEG measures showed not only enhanced neural sensitivity to the /r-l/ distinction in the left-hemisphere mismatch field (MMF) response but also bilateral decreases in equivalent current dipole (ECD) cluster and duration measures for stimulus coding in the inferior parietal region. The learning-induced increases in neural sensitivity and efficiency were also found in distributed source analysis using Minimum Current Estimates (MCE). Furthermore, the pre-post changes exhibited significant brain-behavior correlations between speech discrimination scores and MMF amplitudes as well as between the behavioral scores and ECD measures of neural efficiency. Together, the data provide corroborating evidence that substantial neural plasticity for second-language learning in adulthood can be induced with adaptive and enriched linguistic exposure. Like the MMF, the ECD cluster and duration measures are sensitive neural markers of phonetic learning.

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  • Adults can improve nonnative phonetic perception under more social training conditions, and MEG shows neural efficiency increases after training.

    “Training studies show that adults can improve nonnative phonetic perception when training occurs under more social learning conditions, and MEG measures before and after training indicate that neural efficiency increases after training (Zhang et al., 2009).”

    From Brain mechanisms in early language acquisition (2010) · cites this paper as Zhang et al., 2009

    The Discussion reports improved English /r–l/ identification by Japanese adults, and the Abstract reports pre–post MEG changes consistent with increased neural efficiency. But the Materials and Methods describe computer-based training with infant-directed-speech features, not training under social learning conditions. Those features may make the training more socially informed, but the paper does not establish the claimed social condition. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Induced brain rhythms are linked to attention and cognitive effort, and adult MEG studies show increased cognitive effort when processing nonnative speech.

    “The induced brain rhythms have been linked to attention and cognitive effort, and are of primary interest since MEG studies with adults have shown that cognitive effort is increased when processing nonnative speech (Zhang et al., 2005; 2009).”

    From Brain mechanisms in early language acquisition (2010) · cites this paper as Zhang et al., 2009

    The Discussion (Relationships between Brain Plasticity, Neural Sensitivity and Efficiency; page unavailable) reports greater overall MEG activation in Japanese than American adults processing the /r-l/ contrast, consistent with less efficient processing of that nonnative contrast. It does not establish increased cognitive effort directly or link induced brain rhythms to attention and effort; its attention-related discussion concerns regional activation. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Flege J Strange W Second language speech learning: theory, findings, and problems Speech perception and linguistic experience: Theoretical and methodological issues 1995 Timonium, MD York Press 229 273
  2. Imada T Mashiko T Sekine H Nenonen J Ilmoniemi RJ Katila T Estimation errors of single dipole model applied to twin dipole activity: Computer simulation study Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Biomagnetism 2001 Finland Helsinki University of Technology, Espoo 733 737
  3. Pisoni D Lively S Strange W Variability and invariance in speech perception: a new look at some old problems in perceptual learning Speech perception and linguistic experience: Theoretical and methodological issues 1995 Timonium, MD York Press 433 459

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Authors
Zhang, Y., Kuhl, P. K., Imada, T., Iverson, P., Pruitt, J., Stevens, E. B., Kawakatsu, M., Tohkura, Y., & Nemoto, I.
Affiliations
  • University of Minnesota (US)
  • University of Washington (US)
  • Tokyo Denki University (JP)
  • University College London (GB)
  • Microsoft (United States) (US)
  • National Institute of Informatics (JP)
Corresponding author
Zhang, Yang
ORCID
Venue
NeuroImage
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-05-15
Volume
46
Issue
1
Pages
226-240
ISSN
1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.01.028
PMC
PMC2811417
OpenAlex
W2146843281
Cited by
132
References
113
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 9
FWCI
12.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • NeuroImage (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of Washington
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD037954)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Phonetics and Phonology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Music Perception
Keywords
phonetic learning, perceptual learning, second language acquisition, Japanese listeners, neuroplasticity, inferior parietal cortex, equivalent current dipole, speech discrimination, transfer of learning, adult second language learning
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Female, Humans, Learning, Male, Neuronal Plasticity, Phonetics, Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetoencephalography

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