The relationship between brain structure and function during novel grammar learning across development

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Linguistics

Background:

• Second language acquisition involves complex cognitive processes.
• Brain structure undergoes significant development during adolescence and young adulthood.
• Previous research has linked brain activation patterns to grammar learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between structural brain development and grammar learning ability.
• To explore how gray matter volume and thickness relate to second language grammar proficiency.
• To identify specific brain regions involved in the developmental trajectory of grammar learning.

Main Methods:

• Utilized structural MRI data from 159 Dutch-speaking participants aged 8-25 years.
• Analyzed cortical gray matter volume and thickness in relation to grammar learning performance.
• Correlated brain structure with grammaticality judgment task performance and L2 vocabulary knowledge.

Main Results:

• Grammar learning ability was negatively correlated with cortical gray matter volume and thickness.
• Hippocampal volume positively related to grammar learning and English vocabulary knowledge.
• Gray matter maturation in parietal regions positively correlated with grammar and vocabulary proficiency, overlapping with previously identified functional activation areas.

Conclusions:

• Brain maturation, particularly in parietal regions, is crucial for second language grammar learning.
• Structural and functional brain changes during development underpin improvements in language acquisition.
• These findings highlight the interplay between neurodevelopment and linguistic abilities.