Experimental studies in the string-context mutual segmentation hypothesis of language emergence

• Project/Area Number: 20300096
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cognitive science
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: OKANOYA Kazuo The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, 生物言語研究チーム, チームリーダー (30211121)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ABLA Dilshat 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 生物言語研究チーム研究員 (00391847) ; UEKITA Tomoko 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 生物言語研究チーム研究員 (90435628) ; TAKAHASI Miki 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 生物言語研究チーム研究員 (90415216) ; KATO Yoko 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 生物言語研究チーム研究員
• Project Period (FY): 2008 – 2010
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2010)
• Budget Amount: ¥18,850,000 (Direct Cost: ¥14,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,350,000); Fiscal Year 2010: ¥5,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,200,000); Fiscal Year 2009: ¥5,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,200,000); Fiscal Year 2008: ¥8,450,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,950,000)
• Keywords: 大脳基底核 / 海馬 / 前頭前野 / コミュニケーション / 規則学習 / 音列 / 状況 / 言語の起源 / 運動前野 / 動物 / 分節化 / 前帯状皮質 / ブロカ野 / 鳴禽類 / 統計学習

Research Abstract

In this project we tried to give experimental supports for the string-context mutual segmentation hypothesis. This hypothesis assumes the ability to segment ongoing auditory stream and the ability to segment ongoing behavioural contexts would mutually influence each other to support the emergence of proto-language. We advanced independent experiments on the two processes and found that the string segmentation involves basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex while the context segmentation is dependent on hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. However, we were not able to clarify the mechanisms of mutual segmentation process. Further research is needed to clarify the process of mutual segmentation.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] On-line statistical segmentation of a non-speech aud auditory stream in neonates as demonstrated by event-related brain potentials. (2011)
  • Author(s): Kudo N., Nonaka Y., Mizuno N., Mizuno K., Okanoya K.
  • Journal Title: Developmental Science. (inpress)
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Cross fostering experiments suggest that mice songs are innate. (2011)
  • Author(s): Kikusui T., Nakanishi K., Nakagawa R., Nagasawa M., Mogi K., Okanoya K.
  • Journal Title: PLoS One 6(3)
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Songs to syntax : the linguistics of birdsong. (2011)
  • Author(s): Berwick R.C., Okanoya K., Beckers G.J.L., Bolhuis J.J.
  • Journal Title: Trends in Cognitive Sciences 15 Pages: 113-121
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Hippocampus lesions induced deficits in social and spatial recognition in Octodon degus. (2011)
  • Author(s): Uekita T., Okanoya K.
  • Journal Title: Behavioural Brain Research 219 Pages: 302-309
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Songs to syntax : the linguistics of birdsong (2011)
  • Author(s): Berwick RC, Okanoya K, Beckers G, Bolhuis, JJ
  • Journal Title: Trends in Cognitive Sciences Volume: 15 Pages: 113-121
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Twitter evolution : converging mechanisms in birdsong and human speech. (2010)
  • Author(s): Bolhuis J.J., Okanoya K., Scharff C.
  • Journal Title: Nature Reviews Neuroscience 11 Pages: 747-759
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Song memory in female birds : neuronal activation suggests phonological cording. (2010)
  • Author(s): Kato Y., Kato M., Hasegawa T., Okanoya K.
  • Journal Title: Neuroreport 21 Pages: 404-409
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Perceptual chunking in the self-produced songs of Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata var. domestica) (2010)
  • Author(s): Suge R., Okanoya K.
  • Journal Title: Animal Cognition 13 Pages: 515-523
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Statistical and prosodic cues for song segmentation learning by Bengalese Finches (Lonchura striata var. domestica). (2010)
  • Author(s): Takahasi M., Yamada H., Okanoya K.
  • Journal Title: Ethology 116 Pages: 481-489
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Perceptual chunking in the self-produced songs of Bengalese finches (2010)
  • Author(s): Suge R, Okanoya K
  • Journal Title: Animal Cognition Volume: 13 Pages: 515-523
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Statistical and prosodic cues for song segmentation learning by Bengalese Finches (Lonchura striata var.domestica). (2010)
  • Author(s): Takahasi M., Yamada, H., Okanoya, K.
  • Journal Title: Ethology Volume: 116 Pages: 481-489
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Visual statistical learning of shape sequences : An ERP study. (2009)
  • Author(s): Abla D., Okanoya K.
  • Journal Title: Neuroscience Research 64 Pages: 185-190
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Ethological data mining : an automata-based approach to extract behavioral units and rules. (2009)
  • Author(s): Kakishita Y., Sasahara K., Nishino T, Takahasi M., Okanoya K.
  • Journal Title: Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery 18 Pages: 446-471
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Cognitive tactics of Bengalese finch (Lonchura striata var. domestica) for song discrimination in a go/no-go operant task. (2009)
  • Author(s): Morisaka T., Katahira K., Okanoya K.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Ethology 27 Pages: 11-18
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Visual statistical learning of shape sequences : An ERP study (2009)
  • Author(s): Abla, D., Okanoya, K.
  • Journal Title: Neuroscience Research 64 Pages: 185-190
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] (2009)
  • Author(s): 岡ノ谷一夫
  • Journal Title: 言語の起源と進化:脳・神経科学の立場から(朝倉書店) Pages: 73-94
• [Presentation] Biological pre-adaptations for language emergence : a view from songbirds (2011)
  • Author(s): Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Global COE International Symposium : Future Trends in the Biology of Language
• [Presentation] Segmentation and chunking in birds and humans (2010)
  • Author(s): Kazuo Okanoya
  • Organizer: AGL and FLT workshop
  • Place of Presentation: Nijmegen, Netherlands
  • Year and Date: 2010-11-24
• [Presentation] String and context mutual segmentation as a biological basis for language emergence (2010)
  • Author(s): Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Workshop on "Birdsong and the evolution of speech", 8th International conference on the Evolution of Language (Evolang8)
  • Year and Date: 2010-04-15
• [Presentation] String and context mutual segmentation as a biological basis for language emergence (2010)
  • Author(s): Kazuo Okanoya
  • Organizer: Workshop on "birdsong and the evolution of speech", Evolang8
  • Place of Presentation: Utrecht, Netherlands
  • Year and Date: 2010-04-15
• [Presentation] Developmtantal differentiation in infant cry : private and universal features reflect protolinguistic properties. (2010)
  • Author(s): Nonaka Y., Aucouturier J.-J., Katahira K., Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Paper presented at the Workshop on "Birdsong and the evolution of speech", 8th International conference on the Evolution of Language (Evolang8)
  • Year and Date: 2010-04-13
• [Presentation] Auditory processing of the element orders in self-produced songs by male Bengalese finches. (2010)
  • Author(s): Kato Y., Kato M., Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Paper presented at the 第33回日本神経科学大会(Neuro 2010)
• [Presentation] Online Statistical Learning in the Cortico-Basal ganglia Network. (2010)
  • Author(s): Abla D., Asamizuya T., Ueno K.-i., Suzuki C., Sun P., Cheng K., Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Paper presented at the 16th Annual Meeting of Organizaton for Human Brain Mapping (HBM2010)
• [Presentation] Behavioral factors finches (2010)
  • Author(s): Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: 15th Biennial Meeting International Society for Comparative Psychology (ISCP2010)
• [Presentation] Biological pre-adaptations for language emergence : what birdsongs can and can not tell us (2010)
  • Author(s): Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: The 8th International conference on the Evolution of Language (Evolang8)
• [Presentation] The role of hippocampus in social communication of Octodon degu. (2009)
  • Author(s): Uekita T., Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Paper presented at the 36th Internatinal Congress of Physiological Science(IUPS2009)
  • Year and Date: 2009-08-01
• [Presentation] Song complexity in Bengalese finches : sexual selection, domestication and brain plasticity (2009)
  • Author(s): Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Berlin Behavioural Biology symposium 2009 (BBBS2009)
  • Year and Date: 2009-04-30
• [Presentation] Finite-state song syntax in Bengalese finches (2009)
  • Author(s): Okanoya, K.
  • Organizer: Learning about vocal structure : coparative approaches to language and song learning in humans and birds
  • Place of Presentation: Leiden, Netherland
  • Year and Date: 2009-04-15
• [Presentation] 言語の基盤能力としての分節化 (2009)
  • Author(s): 岡ノ谷一夫
  • Organizer: 日欧先端科学セミナー「社会認知神経科学
  • Place of Presentation: イタリア
  • Year and Date: 2009-02-28
• [Presentation] Mechanisms for producing arbitrary sequences in Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata var. domestica). (2009)
  • Author(s): Suzuki K., Yamazaki Y., Inada M., Iriki A., Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Paper presented at the 31st International Ethological Conference (IEC2009)
• [Presentation] Visual statistical learning of shape sequences : An ERP study. (2009)
  • Author(s): Abla D., Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Paper presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of Organizaton for Human Brain Mapping(HBM2008)
• [Presentation] Neural process of statistical sequence learning : ERP and NIRS studies. (2009)
  • Author(s): Abla D., Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Paper presented at the ESF-JSPS Frontier Science Conference Series for Young Researchers, "Social Cognitive Neuroscience"
• [Presentation] Brain mechanism of social communication in Octodon degu. (2009)
  • Author(s): Uekita T., Okanoya K.
  • Organizer: Paper presented at the ESF-JSPS Frontier Science Conference Series for Young Researchers, "Social Cognitive Neuroscience"
• [Presentation] Mechanisms for producing arbitrary sequences in Bengalese finches(Lonchura striata var.domestica) (2009)
  • Author(s): Suzuki, K., Yamazaki, Y., Inada, M., Iriki, A., Okanoya, K.
  • Organizer: 31st International Ethological Conference
  • Place of Presentation: Rennes, France
• [Book] さえずり言語起源論 (2010)
  • Author(s): 岡ノ谷一夫
  • Publisher: 岩波書店
• [Book] 言葉はなぜ生まれたのか (2010)
  • Author(s): 岡ノ谷一夫, 石森愛彦
  • Publisher: 文藝春秋
• [Book] 言葉はなぜ生まれたのか (2010)
  • Author(s): 岡ノ谷一夫
  • Total Pages: 128
  • Publisher: 文藝春秋社
• [Book] シリーズ朝倉(言語の可能性)3言語と進化・変化(池内正幸, Ed.)(言語の起源と進化II:脳・神経科学の立場から) (2009)
  • Author(s): 岡ノ谷一夫
  • Publisher: 朝倉書店
• [Remarks] ホームページ
• [Remarks] 東京大学総合文化研究科
  • URL: http://bio.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/laboratories/okanoya.html
• [Remarks] 科学技術振興機構岡ノ谷情動情報プロジェクト
  • URL: http://okanoya.jst.go.jp/
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://okanoyalab.brain.riken.jp/pub/wiki/index.php
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://www.brain.riken.go.jp/en/k_okanoya.html
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://okanoyalab.brain.riken.jp/pub/wiki/index.php
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://www.brain.riken.go.jp/en/k_okanoya.html