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Related Concept Videos

Language Development01:22

Language Development

813
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...
813
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

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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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Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

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Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
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Brain Imaging01:14

Brain Imaging

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Brain imaging technologies provide critical insights into both the structure and function of the human brain, enabling medical professionals and researchers to diagnose, study, and treat neurological disorders or psychiatric disorders more effectively.
These technologies include computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scans), positron-emission tomography (PET scans),  magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),  functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and Transcranial Magnetic...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 11, 2026

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

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Published on: July 1, 2015

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Utilizing functional neuroimaging to study early language development.

Halie A Olson1, Trevor K M Day2, Kelly J Hiersche3

  • 1McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
|November 14, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This review explores early language development in infants and toddlers, highlighting how brain imaging research helps understand language learning and identify potential delays. Future research will further illuminate the neural basis of this critical developmental process.

Keywords:
EEGFMRIFNIRSFetalInfantLanguageMEGToddler

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental cognitive neuroscience
  • Neuroimaging
  • Human infant and toddler development

Background:

  • Early language acquisition is rapid and crucial for cognitive development.
  • Understanding the neural underpinnings of language development is key for early intervention and predicting developmental disorders.
  • Unlike other cognitive functions, human language development necessitates direct study in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on the neural basis of early language development using neuroimaging.
  • To identify key findings from fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging studies.
  • To outline critical open questions for future research in this field.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing functional neuroimaging studies on language development in early childhood.
  • Analysis of research focusing on fetal, infant, and toddler brain development related to language.
  • Synthesis of findings to understand the trajectory of language acquisition in the brain.

Main Results:

  • Functional neuroimaging has been vital in uncovering the neural basis of early language acquisition.
  • Significant progress has been made in understanding how the infant brain processes and learns language.
  • Research highlights the potential for neuroimaging to inform early identification and intervention for language delays.

Conclusions:

  • Neuroimaging provides critical insights into the developing brain's capacity for language.
  • Further research is needed to fully map the neural pathways of early language development.
  • Continued investigation in fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging is essential for advancing our understanding and clinical applications.