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Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Exploring Infant Sensitivity to Visual Language using Eye Tracking and the Preferential Looking Paradigm

Exploring Infant Sensitivity to Visual Language using Eye Tracking and the Preferential Looking Paradigm

Published on: May 15, 2019

Low-Frequency Entrainment to Visual Motion Underlies Sign Language Comprehension.

E A Malaia, S C Borneman, J Krebs

IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering : a Publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society

|November 11, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Sign language comprehension relies on tracking visual signal dynamics. Lower brainwave frequencies (0.2-4 Hz) are key for processing visual information, suggesting fluent signers use predictive processing.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Linguistics
Cognitive Science

Background:

Neural activity in listeners tracks acoustic envelope fluctuations, aiding speech comprehension.
This neural entrainment to the acoustic signal is fundamental for language processing.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate cortical tracking of visual dynamics in sign language comprehension.
To determine the contribution of different EEG response frequencies to sign language understanding.
To explore the role of predictive processing in fluent signers.

Main Methods:

Used electroencephalography (EEG) to record brain activity in sign language users.
Analyzed brain responses to both forward and time-reversed sign language videos.
Employed machine learning for brain state classification to assess frequency contributions.

Main Results:

Lower EEG frequencies (0.2-4 Hz) achieved 100% classification accuracy in identifying brain states related to comprehension.
Higher EEG frequencies provided less informative data regarding cortical tracking of the visual envelope.
Cortical tracking of the visual envelope is primarily driven by lower frequency responses.

Conclusions:

Sign language comprehension is strongly associated with neural tracking of lower visual frequencies.
Fluent signers likely utilize a predictive processing strategy based on their linguistic knowledge.
The findings highlight the importance of visual envelope dynamics in sign language processing.