Preoperative Assessment of Language Dominance through Combined Resting-State and Task-Based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Brain lesions in language-related cortical areas remain a challenge in the clinical routine. In recent years, the resting-state fMRI (RS-fMRI) was shown to be a feasible method for preoperative language assessment. The aim of this study was to examine whether language-related resting-state components, which have been obtained using a data-driven independent-component-based identification algorithm, can be supportive in determining language dominance in the left or right hemisphere. Twenty patients suffering from brain lesions close to supposed language-relevant cortical areas were included. RS-fMRI and task-based (TB-fMRI) were performed for the purpose of preoperative language assessment. TB-fMRI included a verb generation task with an appropriate control condition (a syllable switching task) to decompose language-critical and language-supportive processes. Subsequently, the best fitting ICA component for the resting-state language network (RSLN) referential to general linear models (GLMs) of the TB-fMRI (including models with and without linguistic control conditions) was identified using an algorithm based on the Dice index. Thereby, the RSLNs associated with GLMs using a linguistic control condition led to significantly higher laterality indices than GLM baseline contrasts. LIs derived from GLM contrasts with and without control conditions alone did not differ significantly. In general, the results suggest that determining language dominance in the human brain is feasible both with TB-fMRI and RS-fMRI, and in particular, the combination of both approaches yields a higher specificity in preoperative language assessment. Moreover, we can conclude that the choice of the language mapping paradigm is crucial for the mentioned benefits.

Negation Processing in Children with ADHD: The Generic Problem of Using Negation in Instructions

Recent studies have suggested that negation comprehension falls back onto inhibitory brain systems that are also crucial for impulse control and other non-linguistic control domains (Beltran et al., 2018, 2019; de Vega et al., 2016; Liu et al., 2020). Against this backdrop, the present pilot study investigated the use of negation within directional instructions (i.e., “not left”, “now left”, “not right”, “now right”) in children with ADHD and a control group. The results indicate that children in general have a long response delay following negative compared to affirmative instructions. Additionally, there was a tendency for this effect to be more pronounced in the ADHD group. Together, these results suggest that negation processing might indeed demand inhibitory control processes, which are differently available across different subgroups. Thus, the current study provides evidence that using negation in imperatives or instructions is generally rather critical and should be avoided if possible, but that negation use is probably even more problematic in specific clinical populations. Potential implications of these results will be discussed.

Adaptation of The N170-Component of the Event-Related Brain Potential to Single Letters and Words in Adults and Children

Background. Neural specialization for print develops during learning to read and can be studied with event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Neural adaptation refers to smaller neural responses when a stimulus or a class of stimuli is repeated several times. Previously, neural specialization for print processing in adults has been shown to be reflected in the word-specific N170 component of the ERP. Furthermore, adapation of the N170 elicited by words has been found to correlate with reading speed. Here, we investigated adapation of the N170-component evoked by single letters, words and faces in seven to nine- year old German-language speaking children and in a group of adult normal readers. Results. For adults, we replicated previous reports of adaptation of N170-amplitude at posterior-temporal electrodes P7 and P8 for single letters and words. For children, we only observed adaptation of N170-amplitude for single letters. No adaptation of N170-amplitude was apparent for words. However, in both, children as well as adults, N170-adaptation did not correlate with measures of reading speed. For faces, that served as a non-linguistic control condition, no adaptation of N170 amplitude was observed. Conclusions. We conclude that adaptation of the word-specific N170 component of the ERP might be linked to increasing perceptual experience with letters and words.

Quintesence of linguistic examination as an integral component of the legislative process of Ukraine

The article examines the essence and importance of linguistic expertise as an integral part of the legislative process. In particular, it has been established that in world practice, linguistic control of rulemaking is a compulsory phenomenon. However, the legal status of the linguistic expertise of the draft laws has not yet been determined in Ukraine. It has been found out that linguistic examination of draft laws involves studying the system of linguistic representation of legal concepts and categories in normative legal acts, application of basic methods of legislative style, as well as methods of complex linguistic and stylistic processing of legal texts, editorial analysis. The object of linguistic expertise is linguistic units of different levels (word, phrase, sentence, complex semantic, text). Its main task is to prevent violations of language rules in the text of the draft law. We are talking about linguistic errors in draft normative acts, semantic ambiguity, inaccuracy and ambiguity of formulations, tautology, grammatical errors, etc. It is established that the introduction of linguistic expertise of bills is an effective method of ensuring the quality of legislation. At the same time, it is emphasized that it is inappropriate to prepare draft laws on contractual, including paid basis by appropriate scientific and research institutions at the expense of penalties from those MPs who do not attend meetings of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. In view of this, it is proposed to create a structural unit (committee) in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, which would professionally carry out linguistic examination of bills. This structural unit should be formed in the light of positive foreign experience. In particular, it is proposed to include philologists and jurists in its composition. After all, as the foreign experience has shown, the cooperation of linguists and jurists will give an opportunity to comprehensively approach the improvement of legal language. In addition, it was stressed the need to consolidate the requirement of linguistic expertise in the content of the draft Law of Ukraine «On Laws and Legislative Activity». Key words: linguistic expertise of normative legal acts, linguistic expertise of the draft law, legislative process, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, quality assurance of legal regulations.

Rhythm, synchrony, and cooperation

Previous research suggests that synchronization is a key mechanism facilitating interpersonal cooperation, and rhythmic synchronization to a regular beat is a key feature distinguishing music from language. However, whether synchronization to a regular musical beat enhances cooperation relative to a linguistic control without a regular beat remains debated and has not yet been demonstrated experimentally. We will compare the effects of reciting familiar lyrics (“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”) with and without synchronization to a musical beat on willingness to cooperate (as measured by a public goods game and by attitudinal self-report) for n=200 participants. The results of this Registered Report will provide evidence regarding the existence of causal relationships between music, language, synchrony, and cooperation. This will have important theoretical implications for understanding the origins of music and language, as well as practical implications regarding the use of music to enhance cooperation in contemporary society.

On the specificity of bilingual language control: A study with Parkinson's disease patients

This study investigates the relationship between mechanisms involved in language control within dual- and single-language contexts by examining whether they are similarly impaired in bilingual PD patients. To do so, we explored the performance of bilingual individuals affected by PD and healthy controls on two linguistic tasks: between-language and within-language switching tasks. We focused on switch and mixing costs as measures of linguistic control.The results indicate that, whereas larger switch costs were observed in PD patients, compared to controls, solely during the between-language task, larger mixing costs appeared during both the between-language task and the within-language task. These results are discussed within the framework of the dual mechanism hypothesis, which suggests that switch and mixing costs are measures of two types of control: specifically reactive and proactive control. Therefore, we conclude that reactive control for switching between languages is domain-specific while proactive control mechanisms are more domain-general.

Types of linguistic expertise of bills: prospects of implementation in Ukraine

In world practice linguistic control of rulemaking is a binding procedure, the importance of which is axiomatic. However, in Ukraine the legal status of linguistic expertise of draft laws (LEB) is still not defined owing to political, legal and social factors. Therefore, in the article the author considers LEB in linguistic and legal aspects. Classical and modern approaches to the classification of linguistic expertise of bills, also prospects of its implementation in Ukraine are considered. The article consists of the following parts: theoretical analysis, applied aspect and law dimensions of LEB. The first part of the article gives a detailed review of scientific approaches to categorization of LEB according to various criteria. Special attention is paid to those classifications that have integral nature (taking into consideration legal and linguistic factors of examining the texts of draft laws). In the second part, particular attention is given to the author's classification of LEB in the context of the legislative procedure in Ukraine. It is requested to group linguistic examination of bills in four types: discursive, semantic, grammatical and translation examinations. The kind of errors in the texts of bills was chosen as the criterion for the classification of LEB. In the third part, Ukrainian legislation governing legal relations in the area of draft laws examination in the legislative process are overviewed, flaws of legal regulation of expert activities in the field of lawmaking are noted. It is shown that legal status of LEBs in the legislative procedure is absent and the ways to legalize LEB in Ukraine are suggested. The article is of interest to specialists in the fields of the theory of state and law, constitutional law, applied linguistics, relevant experts, as well as to justice authorities and the judicial system representatives.

The effect of task complexity on linguistic and non-linguistic control mechanisms in bilingual aphasia

In this study we examined linguistic and non-linguistic control mechanisms in 20 Spanish–English neurologically healthy bilingual adults and 13 Spanish–English bilingual adults with aphasia. Participants completed two linguistic and two non-linguistic control tasks accounting for low and high complexity. Healthy bilingual results were indicative of domain general cognitive control, whereas patient results were indicative of domain specific cognitive control. The magnitude of conflict required to complete the tasks was also examined. Healthy bilinguals exhibited significant amounts of conflict on all tasks and linguistic and non-linguistic conflict ratios were correlated; whereas patient results revealed significant conflict only on non-linguistic tasks and those conflict ratios were not correlated with linguistic conflict ratios, indicating a dissociation between how patients are controlling information in these two domains. Finally, a relationship between language impairment and language control was identified and brain damage was associated with linguistic and non-linguistic task performance.