{"title":"Modulating language and executive functions in bilingual aphasia with cerebellar tDCS: a case series","authors":"Silke Coemans , Esli Struys , Kyrana Tsapkini , Vânia de Aguiar , Sebastiaan Engelborghs , Jean-Christophe Bier , Philippe Paquier , Stefanie Keulen","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105617","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105617","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This case series explores the effects of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on language and executive functions in bilinguals with aphasia. We present seven Dutch-French bilingual participants diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) or post-stroke aphasia, including one non-fluent variant PPA (nfvPPA), three logopenic variant PPA (lvPPA), one semantic variant PPA (svPPA), and two post-stroke non-fluent aphasia patients. 20 min of 2 mA anodal tDCS to the right posterolateral cerebellum was combined with speech and language therapy. We administered subtests of the Bilingual Aphasia Test, Boston Naming Test, Stroop, and Attention Network Tests. Cerebellar tDCS compared to sham led to greater enhancement of language recovery in both languages, and inhibitory control, providing evidence for the cerebellum’s role in both language and executive processes. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of cerebellar stimulation as a therapeutic tool in bilingual aphasia, with implications for future research and clinical interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"269 ","pages":"Article 105617"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144633871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mental simulation in bilingual and second language processing: New directions in the Competition Model","authors":"Helen Zhao , Norbert Vanek , Brian MacWhinney","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105619","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105619","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"269 ","pages":"Article 105619"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144633870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jinfeng Yang , Dandan Wu , Keya Ding , Xinyi Dong , Jinwen Li , Hui Li
{"title":"Distinct and overlapping neural correlates of English L2 and coding learning in Chinese preschoolers: An fNIRS study","authors":"Jinfeng Yang , Dandan Wu , Keya Ding , Xinyi Dong , Jinwen Li , Hui Li","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105611","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105611","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This fNIRS study investigated the neural correlates of English L2 vocabulary and coding learning in 51 Chinese-speaking preschoolers (28 boys; <em>M <sub>age</sub></em> = 5.78 years, <em>SD <sub>age</sub></em> = 0.92). We hypothesized that L2 vocabulary learning would engage language-related brain regions while Coding would activate visuospatial areas. Results revealed distinct activation patterns: L2 vocabulary learning elicited decreased activation in right prefrontal regions (BA10, BA46), potentially reflecting increased neural efficiency, while coding increased activation in left prefrontal and premotor areas (BA6, BA9, BA44), consistent with visuospatial and planning demands. Functional connectivity analyses revealed stronger interhemispheric connectivity during word learning. Chinese literacy skills negatively correlated with brain activation during L2 word learning, suggesting greater neural efficiency in children with stronger L1 skills. This relationship was less robust for Coding. These findings elucidate the distinct neural substrates of early language and coding acquisition and inform educational strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"269 ","pages":"Article 105611"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144623859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brian Nestor , Ayah Elaboudi , Sara Milligan , Elizabeth R. Schotter
{"title":"Parafoveally perceived orthographic cues facilitate foveal semantic processing: Evidence from event-related potentials","authors":"Brian Nestor , Ayah Elaboudi , Sara Milligan , Elizabeth R. Schotter","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105609","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105609","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Readers extract information from words viewed parafoveally, but it is unclear whether this processing is limited to orthography or if it extends to lexico-semantic content. In the current ERP study, we measured the N400 responses to words that were perceived parafoveally and/or foveally using the RSVP-with-flankers paradigm and a parafoveal masking manipulation. We compared anomalous orthographically related (neighbor) and unrelated (non-neighbor) words to expected words to determine whether the N400 responses were driven by orthographic and/or semantic processing. We observed a large parafoveal N400 effect in response to the non-neighbors (versus expected), and a smaller, later parafoveal N400 for neighbors, suggesting that the parafoveal response is largely orthographic in nature. We also observed a significant reduction in foveal N400 magnitude when non-neighbor words were previously visible parafoveally (but not for the foveal N400 response to neighbors), suggesting that facilitation of foveal processing is driven by parafoveal detection of orthographic violations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105609"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144605248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Six advances in research on bilingualism","authors":"Brian MacWhinney , Zhe Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105614","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105614","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the 30 years since the publication of Cognitive Processing in Bilinguals (Harris, 1992), the study of cognitive processing in bilingual speakers has branched out in several new directions. Each of these new directions has involved advances in theories, conceptualizations, methods, and findings. The six new directions we will highlight are these:<ul><li><span>1.</span><span><div>The shift from a focus on experiments with word lists to a focus on utterances,</div></span></li><li><span>2.</span><span><div>Relating models of human performance to Artificial Intelligence (AI) models,</div></span></li><li><span>3.</span><span><div>Understanding patterns of bilingual development across the lifespan,</div></span></li><li><span>4.</span><span><div>The effects of cross-language transfer,</div></span></li><li><span>5.</span><span><div>The shaping of bilingual cognition and age effects through social and motivational forces, and.</div></span></li><li><span>6.</span><span><div>New methods for <em>in vivo</em> online tracking of language learning.</div></span></li></ul></div></div>","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105614"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144579306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dissociating the time courses of age of acquisition effect and word frequency effect during Chinese spoken word production","authors":"Yuxi Zhou, Qingfang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105618","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105618","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Comprehension and production research robustly demonstrates a processing advantage of early-acquired and more frequent words than late-acquired and infrequent words separately. Because age of acquisition (AoA) and word frequency (WF) are correlated in nature, to what extent both factors jointly and independently affect speech production remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate underlying mechanisms behind AoA and WF effects in Chinese spoken word production with electrophysiological measures. We orthogonally manipulated AoA and WF to examine when and how these variables jointly affect spoken production. Results illustrated an interaction between AoA and WF in a time window of conceptual preparation (around 78–170 ms after picture onset) and subsequently an independent AoA effect at lexical selection (240–322 ms) and a WF effect at phonological encoding (462–566 ms). Our findings therefore provide supports for interactive and isolated origins for AoA and WF effects in speech production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105618"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144571799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of object familiarity on children’s silent gestures","authors":"Elena Nicoladis , Josiah Goetze","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105612","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105612","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>When gesturing (with or without speech) actions done with objects, young children and adults with apraxia often produce a body-part-as-object (BPO), like an extended finger for a toothbrush. In contrast, older children and neurotypical adults often produce an imagined object (IO), like pretending to hold a toothbrush. The purpose of this study was to test whether IOs are produced when children have a rich conceptual understanding of the functions of an object. If so, children should produce more IOs (relative to BPOs) with familiar than with unfamiliar objects. Children between three and five years old were asked to demonstrate what to do with either familiar or unfamiliar objects. As predicted, the children produced more IOs with familiar than unfamiliar objects. These results are consistent with the argument that children’s handshape when gesturing reflects the richness of their understanding. Developmental change likely occurs as children develop a rich understanding of many objects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105612"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144571075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brittany Lee , Sofia E. Ortega , Priscilla M. Martinez , Katherine J. Midgley , Phillip J. Holcomb , Karen Emmorey
{"title":"Neural associations between fingerspelling, print, and signs: An ERP priming study with deaf readers","authors":"Brittany Lee , Sofia E. Ortega , Priscilla M. Martinez , Katherine J. Midgley , Phillip J. Holcomb , Karen Emmorey","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105610","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105610","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fingerspelling is a leading predictor of reading ability for deaf people who use a signed language, but few neuroimaging studies have examined how it supports reading. We used event-related potentials to investigate how fingerspelled words prime printed words. Twenty-four skilled deaf adult readers completed a Go/No-Go task while viewing printed English word targets following related and unrelated primes in one of three conditions: printed English words, American Sign Language (ASL) signs, and fingerspelled words. N400 priming effects were strong across all three conditions. Early N400 effects were similar for printed word primes and fingerspelled word primes, suggesting shared orthographic representations. Late N400 effects were strongest for printed word primes, reflecting less effortful processing when primes and targets were in the same printed modality. These findings provide evidence for cross-language and cross-modal priming between fingerspelled and printed words and underscore the importance of fingerspelling in developing word representations for skilled reading.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105610"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144548427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhenghui Sun , Yajiao Shi , Xiaopu Hou , Dawei Xiang , Yiming Yang
{"title":"Temporal dynamics of syntax and semantics during minimal hierarchical structure processing","authors":"Zhenghui Sun , Yajiao Shi , Xiaopu Hou , Dawei Xiang , Yiming Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105608","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105608","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ability to construct hierarchical structures through syntactic Merge and semantic processes is a cornerstone of human language. Despite decades of debate over serial vs. parallel interaction processing models, the temporal dynamics underlying the interaction between syntax and semantics during even minimal hierarchical structure construction remain unclear. To address this, we employed a 2 (Sequence rules: hierarchical vs. linear) × 2 (Semantics: associated vs. unassociated) design in verb-noun sequences to disentangle syntax and semantics processing. We recorded the EEG data while 48 Chinese speakers read two words successively under a one-word probe task. The results from ERP and multivariate pattern classification analysis demonstrated (1) early syntactic Merge processing, and (2) the progressively intensifying interplay between syntax and semantics, where syntactic processing establishes structure stably from the early-stage while semantic processing incrementally intensifies over time. These findings challenge traditional serial and parallel processing models by uncovering simultaneous yet distinct temporal trajectory of syntactic and semantic processing. By bridging principles of the Minimalist Program with empirical evidence, we propose a dynamic parallel interaction processing model, highlighting the distinct but interdependent roles of syntax and semantics, with syntax serving as a foundational scaffold and semantics contributing the depth and variability needed for meaningful communication.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105608"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neural dynamics decoding of the influence of modal properties on referential shifting: A univariate and multivariate EEG analysis","authors":"Yanbing Hu , Xiaofeng Ma , Aibao Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105600","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105600","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In linguistics, the referential target of pronouns can shift depending on context, known as “shifting.” Previous research has mainly focused on how contextual factors affect this shift, without exploring whether different perceptual modalities (e.g., visual and auditory) also influence shifting. To address this, the current study used an oddball paradigm to examine the neural dynamics of different pronouns across perceptual modalities. Results showed that in the visual modality, first-person and third-person pronouns differed significantly in neural activity during the N400 window, indicating self-other separation. MVPA results confirmed this separation in ERP and theta signals. In the auditory modality, second-person and third-person pronouns also exhibited significant separation in the N400 window, similar to the visual pattern. In the alpha band, significant separation between second-person and third-person pronouns was observed only in the auditory modality. These findings suggest that shifting effects are influenced by perceptual modalities in addition to context.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55330,"journal":{"name":"Brain and Language","volume":"267 ","pages":"Article 105600"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144124730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}