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Updated: May 17, 2026
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Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
Published on: July 1, 2015
Structural brain changes linked to delayed first language acquisition in congenitally deaf individuals.
Sidonie Pénicaud1, Denise Klein1, Robert J Zatorre1
1Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4.
Neuroimage
|October 16, 2012
Summary
Delayed first language acquisition impacts brain structure. Early language exposure is crucial for both functional and anatomical brain development, particularly in deaf individuals learning American Sign Language (ASL).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Linguistics
Background:
- Early language exposure is critical for adult linguistic proficiency.
- Previous research demonstrated functional brain changes due to delayed first language acquisition.
- The impact of delayed language acquisition on brain structure remained unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether delayed first language acquisition influences the structural development of the brain.
- To explore the relationship between age of acquisition of American Sign Language (ASL) and brain tissue concentrations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) on congenitally deaf individuals.
- Employed Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) to analyze gray and white matter concentrations.
- Correlated age of ASL acquisition with neuroanatomical findings.
Main Results:
- Delayed first language acquisition was associated with altered tissue concentrations in the occipital cortex.
- These structural changes were observed near regions functionally recruited for language processing in late ASL learners.
- Findings indicate a link between age of language acquisition and brain anatomy.
Conclusions:
- Lack of early language experience affects both functional and anatomical brain organization.
- The brain's structural development is sensitive to the timing of first language acquisition.
- This highlights the importance of early language input for neurodevelopment.
Keywords:
Age of language acquisitionAnatomical brain imagingBrain plasticityBrain tissue concentrationSign languageVoxel-based morphometry (VBM)More Related Videos
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