Language, gesture, and the developing brain
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 2, 2026

Examining Gesture Production in the Presence of Communication Challenges
Published on: January 26, 2024
Elizabeth Bates1, Frederic Dick
1Center for Research in Language and Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0526, USA.
Abstract:
Do language abilities develop in isolation? Are they mediated by a unique neural substrate, a "mental organ" devoted exclusively to language? Or is language built upon more general abilities, shared with other cognitive domains, and mediated by common neural systems? Here, we review results suggesting that language and gesture are "close family", then turn to evidence that raises questions about how real those "family resemblances" are, summarizing dissociations from our developmental studies of several different child populations. We then examine both these veins of evidence in light of some new findings from the adult neuroimaging literature and suggest a possible reinterpretation of these dissociations as well as new directions for research with both children and adults.
More Related Videos
06:07Exploring Infant Sensitivity to Visual Language using Eye Tracking and the Preferential Looking Paradigm
Published on: May 15, 2019
11:14A Novel Experimental and Analytical Approach to the Multimodal Neural Decoding of Intent During Social Interaction in Freely-behaving Human Infants
Published on: October 4, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Gestures During Infancy and Toddlerhood
Language Development
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
Perceiving Language Sounds and Structure During Infancy
Early Vocalization During Infancy
Language Development II: Nativist Perspective
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...