Idea Density and Grammatical Complexity as Neurocognitive Markers.

IF 2.8 3区 医学 Q3 NEUROSCIENCES
Diego Iacono, Gloria C Feltis
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Language, a uniquely human cognitive faculty, is fundamentally characterized by its capacity for complex thoughts and structured expressions. This review examines two critical measures of linguistic performance: idea density (ID) and grammatical complexity (GC). ID quantifies the richness of information conveyed per unit of language, reflecting semantic efficiency and conceptual processing. GC, conversely, measures the structural sophistication of syntax, indicative of hierarchical organization and rule-based operations. We explore the neurobiological underpinnings of these measures, identifying key brain regions and white matter pathways involved in their generation and comprehension. This includes linking ID to a distributed network of semantic hubs, like the anterior temporal lobe and temporoparietal junction, and GC to a fronto-striatal procedural network encompassing Broca's area and the basal ganglia. Moreover, a central theme is the integration of Chomsky's theories of Universal Grammar (UG), which posits an innate human linguistic endowment, with their neurobiological correlates. This integration analysis bridges foundational models that first mapped syntax (Friederici's work) to distinct neural pathways with contemporary network-based theories that view grammar as an emergent property of dynamic, inter-regional neural oscillations. Furthermore, we examine the genetic factors influencing ID and GC, including genes implicated in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. A comparative anatomical perspective across human and non-human primates illuminates the evolutionary trajectory of the language-ready brain. Also, we emphasize that, clinically, ID and GC serve as sensitive neurocognitive markers whose power lies in their often-dissociable profiles. For instance, the primary decline of ID in Alzheimer's disease contrasts with the severe grammatical impairment in nonfluent aphasia, aiding in differential diagnosis. Importantly, as non-invasive and scalable metrics, ID and GC also provide a critical complement to gold-standard but costly biomarkers like CSF and PET. Finally, the review considers the emerging role of AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) in automating these linguistic analyses, concluding with a necessary discussion of the critical challenges in validation, ethics, and implementation that must be addressed for these technologies to be responsibly integrated into clinical practice.

思想密度和语法复杂性作为神经认知标记。
语言是人类独有的一种认知能力,其基本特征是能够进行复杂的思考和有组织的表达。本文综述了语言表现的两个关键指标:思想密度(ID)和语法复杂性(GC)。ID量化了每单位语言传达的信息的丰富程度,反映了语义效率和概念处理。相反,GC度量语法的结构复杂性,指示分层组织和基于规则的操作。我们探索这些措施的神经生物学基础,确定关键的大脑区域和白质通路参与他们的产生和理解。这包括将ID连接到语义中枢的分布式网络,如前颞叶和颞顶叶交界处,将GC连接到包括布洛卡区和基底神经节的额纹状体程序网络。此外,一个中心主题是乔姆斯基的普遍语法理论(UG)的整合,该理论假定人类天生的语言天赋与其神经生物学相关。这种整合分析将最初将语法(Friederici的工作)映射到不同神经通路的基础模型与当代基于网络的理论联系起来,这些理论将语法视为动态的、跨区域的神经振荡的新兴特性。此外,我们研究了影响ID和GC的遗传因素,包括与神经发育和神经退行性疾病有关的基因。人类和非人类灵长类动物的比较解剖学视角阐明了语言准备大脑的进化轨迹。此外,我们强调,在临床上,ID和GC作为敏感的神经认知标志物,其力量在于它们通常可分离的特征。例如,阿尔茨海默氏症患者的初级认知障碍下降与非流利性失语症患者的严重语法障碍形成对比,有助于鉴别诊断。重要的是,作为非侵入性和可扩展的指标,ID和GC也为金标准但昂贵的生物标志物(如CSF和PET)提供了重要补充。最后,该综述考虑了人工智能和自然语言处理(NLP)在自动化这些语言分析中的新兴作用,最后对验证、伦理和实施方面的关键挑战进行了必要的讨论,这些挑战必须得到解决,以便将这些技术负责任地整合到临床实践中。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Brain Sciences
Brain Sciences Neuroscience-General Neuroscience
CiteScore
4.80
自引率
9.10%
发文量
1472
审稿时长
18.71 days
期刊介绍: Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425) is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles, critical reviews, research notes and short communications in the areas of cognitive neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, molecular and cellular neuroscience, neural engineering, neuroimaging, neurolinguistics, neuropathy, systems neuroscience, and theoretical and computational neuroscience. Our aim is to encourage scientists to publish their experimental and theoretical results in as much detail as possible. There is no restriction on the length of the papers. The full experimental details must be provided so that the results can be reproduced. Electronic files or software regarding the full details of the calculation and experimental procedure, if unable to be published in a normal way, can be deposited as supplementary material.
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