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Language Development01:22

Language Development

375
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
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...
375
Brain Waves01:23

Brain Waves

1.5K
Brain waves are electrical signals generated by the neurons in the brain, which are regularly monitored to measure mental activities. Brain waves and their frequency ranges can be measured using an electroencephalogram or EEG. There are four main types of brain waves, each with distinct characteristics:
1.5K
Hearing01:31

Hearing

52.4K
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
52.4K
The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

45.1K
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
45.1K
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

884
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...
884
Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location01:21

Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location

218
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by...
218

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations
06:34

Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations

Published on: July 1, 2015

16.5K

Neural oscillations and speech processing at birth.

Maria Clemencia Ortiz-Barajas1, Ramón Guevara2, Judit Gervain1,3

  • 1Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, CNRS & Université Paris Cité, 45 rue des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris, France.

Iscience
|November 15, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Newborns possess an innate ability to distinguish languages by rhythm, indicated by distinct delta and theta neural oscillations. This suggests these brainwave patterns are fundamental for early speech processing from birth.

Keywords:
LinguisticsMathematical biosciencesNeuroscience

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Speech Processing

Background:

  • Neural oscillations, including delta, theta, and low-gamma bands, are known to support speech unit processing in adults.
  • The developmental origin of these neural oscillations for speech processing—whether innate or experience-dependent—remains an open question.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and function of neural oscillations in the newborn brain for speech processing.
  • To determine if newborns can discriminate languages based on rhythm using neural oscillations.
  • To explore the role of neural oscillations in early auditory learning and memory.

Main Methods:

  • Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to record brain activity in newborns.
  • Newborns were exposed to languages with differing rhythmic properties.
  • Analysis focused on delta and theta frequency bands during auditory stimulation and rest periods.

Main Results:

  • Delta and theta oscillations in newborns showed significant differences when processing rhythmically distinct languages.
  • Higher theta activity was observed in the post-stimulus period compared to pre-stimulus rest.
  • These findings suggest an innate neural basis for rhythm-based language discrimination in newborns.

Conclusions:

  • Neural oscillations, specifically delta and theta bands, appear to be biologically endowed for processing speech rhythm from birth.
  • Newborns exhibit an inherent capacity to differentiate languages based on rhythmic cues.
  • Evidence suggests that neural stimulation after-effects, reflected in theta activity, are present at birth, indicating early auditory learning mechanisms.