The (Co)Evolution of Language and Music Under Human Self-Domestication

Human Nature, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 34(2), P. 229 - 275

Published: April 25, 2023

Abstract Together with language, music is perhaps the most distinctive behavioral trait of human species. Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain why only humans perform and how this ability might evolved in our In paper, we advance a new model evolution that builds on self-domestication view evolution, according which phenotype is, at least part, outcome process similar domestication other mammals, triggered by reduction reactive aggression responses environmental changes. We specifically argue can account for some cognitive changes, particularly behaviors conducive complexification through cultural mechanism. hypothesize four stages under forces: (1) collective protomusic; (2) private, timbre-oriented music; (3) small-group, pitch-oriented (4) collective, tonally organized music. This line development encompasses worldwide diversity types genres parallels what has hypothesized languages. Overall, emerged gradual fashion effects enhanced niche construction as shaped progressive decrease (i.e., impulsive, fear or anger) increase proactive premeditated, goal-directed) aggression.

Language: Английский

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Linguistic inputs must be syntactically parsable to fully engage the language network

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: June 22, 2024

Abstract Human language comprehension is remarkably robust to ill-formed inputs (e.g., word transpositions). This robustness has led some argue that syntactic parsing largely an illusion, and incremental more heuristic, shallow, semantics-based than often assumed. However, the available data are also consistent with possibility humans always perform rule-like symbolic simply deploy error correction mechanisms reconstruct when needed. We put these hypotheses a new stringent test by examining brain responses a) stimuli should pose challenge for reconstruction but allow complex meanings be built within local contexts through associative/shallow processing (sentences presented in backward order), b) grammatically well-formed semantically implausible sentences impede heuristic processing. Using novel behavioral paradigm, we demonstrate backward- indeed recovery of grammatical structure during comprehension. Critically, backward-presented elicit relatively low response areas, as measured fMRI. In contrast, areas similar magnitude naturalistic (plausible) sentences. other words, ability build structures both necessary sufficient fully engage network. Taken together, results provide strongest date support generalized reliance human on parsing. Significance statement Whether relies predominantly structural (syntactic) cues or meaning- related (semantic) remains debated. shed light this question areas’ where semantic pitted against each other, using find respond weakly composition cannot parsed syntactically—as confirmed paradigm—and they strongly sentences, like famous ‘Colorless green ideas sleep furiously’ sentence. These findings accounts suggest can foregone favor shallow

Language: Английский

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Brain-imaging evidence for compression of binary sound sequences in human memory

eLife, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: Nov. 1, 2023

According to the language-of-thought hypothesis, regular sequences are compressed in human memory using recursive loops akin a mental program that predicts future items. We tested this theory by probing for 16-item made of two sounds. recorded brain activity with functional MRI and magneto-encephalography (MEG) while participants listened hierarchy variable complexity, whose minimal description required transition probabilities, chunking, or nested structures. Occasional deviant sounds probed participants’ knowledge sequence. predicted task difficulty would be proportional complexity derived from length our formal language. Furthermore, should increase learned sequences, decrease deviants. These predictions were upheld both fMRI MEG, indicating sequence highly dependent on structure become weaker delayed as increases. The proposed language recruited bilateral superior temporal, precentral, anterior intraparietal, cerebellar cortices. regions overlapped extensively localizer mathematical calculation, much less spoken written processing. propose these areas collectively encode repetitions variations their composition into

Language: Английский

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Brain areas for reversible symbolic reference, a potential singularity of the human brain

eLife, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: Feb. 12, 2025

The emergence of symbolic thinking has been proposed as a dominant cognitive criterion to distinguish humans from other primates during hominisation. Although the proper definition symbol subject much debate, one its simplest features is bidirectional attachment: content accessible symbol, and vice versa. Behavioural observations scattered over past four decades suggest that this might not be met in non-human primates, they fail generalise an association learned temporal order (A B) reverse (B A). Here, we designed implicit fMRI test investigate neural mechanisms arbitrary audio–visual visual–visual pairing monkeys probe their spontaneous reversibility. After learning unidirectional association, showed surprise signals when was violated. Crucially, effect occurred spontaneously both reversed directions, within extended network high-level brain areas, including, but also going beyond, language network. In monkeys, by contrast, violations effects solely direction were largely confined sensory areas. We propose human-specific may have evolved capacity for reversible reference.

Language: Английский

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The role of musical aspects of language in human cognition

Frontiers in Psychology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16

Published: March 21, 2025

This paper reviews musicology, linguistics, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience research on the importance of music in developing human speech cognition. It cites from several scientific fields how brain processes reacts to melody, rhythm, harmony, loudness, dynamics types articulation timbre. also discusses musical concepts prosodic features such as intonation, rhythm stress related linguistic terminology summarises results earlier two systems interact strengthen or weaken an individual’s ability function without nurturing stimulation. Music is important preventive therapeutic factor for life. The author describes interplay between language nervous system, improving hindering communication it affects us personally impacts societal mental health.

Language: Английский

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LanA (Language Atlas): A probabilistic atlas for the language network based on fMRI data from >800 individuals

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 7, 2022

Abstract Two analytic traditions characterize fMRI language research. One relies on averaging activations voxel-wise across individuals. This approach has limitations: because of inter-individual variability in the locations areas, a location common brain space cannot be meaningfully linked to function. An alternative identifying areas each individual using functional ‘localizer’. Because its greater sensitivity, resolution, and interpretability, localization is gaining popularity, but it not always feasible, applied retroactively past studies. We provide solution for bridging these currently disjoint approaches form probabilistic atlas created from data an extensively validated localizer 806 enables estimating probability that any given belongs network, thus can help interpret group-level peaks meta-analyses such peaks, lesion patient investigations. More meaningful comparisons findings studies should increase robustness replicability

Language: Английский

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Tracking Components of Bilingual Language Control in Speech Production: An fMRI Study Using Functional Localizers

Neurobiology of Language, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 5(2), P. 315 - 340

Published: Nov. 21, 2023

Abstract When bilingual speakers switch back to speaking in their native language (L1) after having used second (L2), they often experience difficulty retrieving words L1. This phenomenon is referred as the L2 after-effect. We after-effect a lens explore neural bases of control mechanisms. Our goal was twofold: first, whether draws on domain-general or language-specific mechanisms; second, investigate precise mechanism(s) that drive precision fMRI approach based functional localizers measure extent which brain activity reflects overlaps with network (Fedorenko et al., 2010) and multiple demand (Duncan, 2010), well three task-specific networks tap into interference resolution, lexical retrieval, articulation. Forty-two Polish–English bilinguals participated study. results show increased engagement but not resources. Furthermore, contrary previously proposed interpretations, we did find evidence effect related access, articulation, resolution interference. propose speech production picture naming paradigm—manifested after-effect—reflects at nonlinguistic level task schemas general increase cognitive during L1 L2.

Language: Английский

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High-level language brain regions are sensitive to sub-lexical regularities

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: June 11, 2021

ABSTRACT A network of left frontal and temporal brain regions supports ‘high-level’ language processing— including the processing word meanings, as well word-combinatorial processing—across presentation modalities. This ‘core’ has been argued to store our knowledge words constructions constraints on how those combine form sentences. However, linguistic additionally includes information about sounds (phonemes) they clusters, syllables, words. Is this phoneme combinatorics also represented in these regions? Across five fMRI experiments, we investigated sensitivity high-level sub-lexical sound patterns by examining responses diverse nonwords—sequences sounds/letters that do not constitute real (e.g., punes, silory, flope). We establish robust visually (Experiment 1a, n=605) auditorily (Experiments 1b, n=12, 1c, n=13) presented nonwords relative baseline. In Experiment 2 (n=16), find stronger obey phoneme-combinatorial English. Finally, 3 (n=14) a post-hoc analysis 2, provide suggestive evidence Experiments 1 are due activation share some phonology with nonwords. The results suggest representations stored within same fronto-temporal stores higher-level sentence comprehension.

Language: Английский

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Graded sensitivity to structure and meaning throughout the human language network

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 13, 2021

Abstract Human language has a remarkable capacity to encode complex ideas. This arises because is compositional : the form and arrangement of words in sentences (structure) determine conceptual relations that hold between words’ referents (meaning). A foundational question human cognition whether brain regions support are similarly factored into structure-selective meaning-selective areas. In an influential study, Pallier et al. (2011, PNAS) used fMRI investigate response sequences real pseudowords reported sharp dissociation regions. present we argue no such emerges when individual differences anatomy considered. We report three experiments (including close replication al.’s original study) use precision methods capture separation or overlap function brains participants. Our results replicate finding brain’s modulated by sequential structure but paint different picture with respect structure-meaning relationship. Instead distinct areas, find distributed sensitivity both linguistic meaning throughout broad frontotemporal network. join growing body evidence for integrated network within which internal specialization primarily matter degree rather than kind, contrast proposals advocate areas types functions. Significance Statement Using fMRI, show frontal temporal left hemisphere sensitive it encodes. challenges many current theories neurobiology language, propose meaning. Instead, distribution word- sentence-level processing across language. PDF file includes: Main Text Figures 1 3 Tables

Language: Английский

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Non-literal language processing is jointly supported by the language and Theory of Mind networks: Evidence from a novel meta-analytic fMRI approach

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 10, 2022

Abstract Going beyond the literal meaning of utterances is key to communicative success. However, mechanisms that support non-literal inferences remain debated. Using a novel meta-analytic approach, we evaluate contribution linguistic, social-cognitive, and executive interpretation. We identified 74 fMRI experiments (n=1,430 participants) from 2001-2021 contrasted language comprehension with control condition, spanning ten phenomena (e.g., metaphor, irony, indirect speech). Applying activation likelihood estimation approach 825 peaks yielded six left-lateralized clusters. then evaluated locations both individual-study clusters against probabilistic functional atlases (cf. macroanatomy, as typically done) for three candidate brain networks—the language-selective network (Fedorenko et al., 2011), which supports processing, Theory Mind (ToM) (Saxe & Kanwisher, 2003), social inferences, domain-general Multiple-Demand (MD) (Duncan, 2010), control. These were created by overlaying individual maps participants who performed robust extensively validated ‘localizer’ tasks target each in question (n=806 language; n=198 ToM; n=691 MD). found ALE fell primarily within ToM network. results suggest processing supported i) process linguistic meaning, ii) general inference. They thus undermine strong divide between aspects challenge claim requires additional resources.

Language: Английский

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