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Neural correlates of thinking in sign language
P K McGuire1, D Robertson, A Thacker
1Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College School of Medicine, London, UK.
Neuroreport
|February 10, 1997
Summary
Profoundly deaf individuals using sign language activate the left inferior frontal cortex during inner signing. This suggests inner signing engages similar brain regions as inner speech in hearing individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psycholinguistics
Background:
- Sign language utilizes the left hemisphere for language processing.
- Inner speech involves the silent articulation of language.
- The neural basis of inner signing in deaf individuals is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the brain regions activated during inner signing in profoundly deaf sign language users.
- To compare the neural correlates of inner signing with those of inner speech.
Main Methods:
- Positron emission tomography (PET) was employed to measure brain activity.
- Participants were profoundly deaf individuals who communicate using sign language.
- Subjects engaged in the mental simulation of signing sentences.
Main Results:
- Activation was observed in the left inferior frontal cortex during inner signing.
- This region is typically associated with inner speech in hearing individuals.
- Visuo-spatial brain areas were not significantly activated.
Conclusions:
- Inner signing appears to be mediated by neural regions similar to those involved in inner speech.
- These findings support the role of the left hemisphere in sign language generation.
- The study provides insights into the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying language in deaf individuals.