The Elucidation of Brain Mechanism of Language Focusing on Syntactic Processing

2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17022013
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Biological Sciences
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: SAKAI KuniyoshiL. The University of Tokyo, 大学院・総合文化研究科, 准教授 (10251216)
• Project Period (FY): 2005 – 2009
• Keywords: 言語神経科学 / 文法処理

Research Abstract

We found that the patients with a lesion in "the Grammar Center", which is a part of left frontal cortex, showed pure deficits in the syntactic comprehension of sentences. Using a picture-sentence matching task, we examined 21 patients with a glioma in the left frontal cortex, who preoperatively underwent a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The Grammar Center-damaged patients showed profound deficits in the comprehension of non-canonical and object-initial scrambled sentences. These results establish that a lesion in this region is sufficient to cause agrammatic comprehension, even for patients with no apparent disability in verbal/written communication according to the standard clinical assessment.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Agrammatic comprehension caused by a glioma in the left frontal cortex. (2009)
  • Author(s): Kinno, R., Muragaki, Y., Hori, T., Maruyama, T., Kawamura, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Journal Title: Brain Language 110 Pages: 71-80
• [Journal Article] Greater leftward lateralization of the inferior frontal gyrus in second language learners with higher syntactic abilities. (2009)
  • Author(s): Nauchi, A., Sakai, K.L.
  • Journal Title: Hum.Brain Mapp. 30 Pages: 3625-3635
• [Journal Article] The cortical dynamics in building syntactic structures of sentences : An MEG study in a minimal-pair paradigm. (2009)
  • Author(s): Iijima, K., Fukui, N., Sakai, K.L.
  • Journal Title: Neurolmage 44 Pages: 1387-1396
• [Journal Article] Distinct roles of left inferior frontal regions that explain individual differences in second language acquisition. (2009)
  • Author(s): Sakai, K.L., Nauchi, A., Tatsuno, Y, Hirano, K., Muraishi, Y, Kimura, M., Bostwick, M., Yusa, N.
  • Journal Title: Hum.Brain Mapp. 30 Pages: 2440-2452
• [Journal Article] Language and music : Differential hemispheric dominance in detecting unexpected errors in the lyrics and melody of memorized songs. (2009)
  • Author(s): Yasui, T., Kaga, K., Sakai, K.L.
  • Journal Title: Hum.Brain Mapp. 30 Pages: 588-601
• [Journal Article] Neural correlates of non-canonical syntactic processing revealed by a picture-sentence matching task. (2009)
  • Author(s): Kinno, R., Kawamura, M., Shioda, S., Sakai, K.L.
  • Journal Title: Hum.Brain Mapp. 29 Pages: 1015-1027
• [Journal Article] Syntax in a native language still continues to develop in adults : Honorification judgment in Japanese. (2008)
  • Author(s): Momo, K., Sakai, H., Sakai, K.L.
  • Journal Title: Brain Language 107 Pages: 81-89
• [Journal Article] Sign and speech : Amodal commonality in left hemisphere dominance for comprehension of sentences. (2005)
  • Author(s): Sakai, K.L., Tatsuno, Y, Suzuki, K., Kimura, H., Ichida, Y.
  • Journal Title: Brain 128 Pages: 1407-1417
• [Journal Article] Language-related activations in the left prefrontal regions are differentially modulated by age, proficiency, and task demands. (2005)
  • Author(s): Tatsuno, Y., Sakai, K.L.
  • Journal Title: J.Neurosci. 25 Pages: 1637-1644
• [Journal Article] Language acquisition and brain development. (2005)
  • Author(s): Sakai, K.L.
  • Journal Title: Science 310 Pages: 815-819
• [Presentation] The effect of canonical word orders on the neural processing of double object sentences : An MEG study. (2009)
  • Author(s): Inubushi, T., Iijima, K., Koizumi, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.65, Suppl.1, S48, O1-J2-2
  • Year and Date: 20090000
• [Presentation] Differential reorganization of cortical activity associated with a glioma in syntax-related regions. (2009)
  • Author(s): Kinno, R., Muragaki, Y, Hori, T., Maruyama, T., Kawamura, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci Res.65, Suppl.1, S48, O1-J2-4
  • Year and Date: 20090000
• [Presentation] Agrammatism revisited : Reorganization of cortical activity associated with a glioma in syntax-related regions. (2009)
  • Author(s): Kinno, R., Muragaki, Y., Hori, T., Maruyama, T., Kawamura, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: The Neurobiology of Language Conference
  • Place of Presentation: Chicago, USA
  • Year and Date: 20090000
• [Presentation] Visualization of temporal events in syntactic and semantic analyses for two-word sentences. (2008)
  • Author(s): Iijima, K., Fukui, N., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.59, Suppl.1, O1-F10
  • Year and Date: 20080000
• [Presentation] Unexpected grammatical deficits in patients with a focal glioma in the left frontal cortex. (2008)
  • Author(s): Kinno, R., Muragaki, Y., Hori, T., Maruyama, T., Kawamura, M., Sakai, K.L
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.59, Suppl.1, P3-q07
  • Year and Date: 20080000
• [Presentation] The cortical dynamics selective for syntactic structures of sentences in a minimal-pair paradigm : An MEG study. (2008)
  • Author(s): Iijima, K., Fukui, N., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: BIOMAG 2008, Abstr.16, 129-130, 1-7-19
  • Place of Presentation: Sapporo, Japan
  • Year and Date: 20080000
• [Presentation] Selective deficits in the comprehension of sentences with dependency relations caused by a glioma in the left dorsolateral frontal cortex. (2008)
  • Author(s): Kinno, R., Muragaki, Y., Hori, T., Maruyama, T., Kawamura, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: The 46^<th> Annual Meeting of the Academy of Aphasia
  • Place of Presentation: Turuku, Finland
  • Year and Date: 20080000
• [Presentation] 左前頭葉に局在した神経膠腫による統語処理障害 (2008)
  • Author(s): 金野竜太、村垣善浩、堀智勝、丸山隆志、河村満、酒井邦嘉
  • Organizer: 第32回日本神経心理学会総会学術集会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京
  • Year and Date: 2008-09-18
• [Presentation] Language and music: Differential hemispheric dominance in detecting unexpected errors in the lyrics and melody of memorized songs. (2008)
  • Author(s): Yasui, T., Kaga, K., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: The 12th Japan-Korea Joint Meeting of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
  • Place of Presentation: 奈良
  • Year and Date: 2008-04-05
• [Presentation] Selective impairment of syntactic processing in patients with brain tumor. (2007)
  • Author(s): Kinno, R., Muragaki, Y., Hori, T., Maruyama, T., Kawamura, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.58, Suppl.1, S46, O1P-G15
  • Year and Date: 20070000
• [Presentation] Prefrontal activations predict future performance improvement in learning phonics rules of English orthography and phonology. (2007)
  • Author(s): Muto, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.58, Suppl.1, S46, O1P-G16
  • Year and Date: 20070000
• [Presentation] Early hierarchical syntactic processing in Broca's area for merging words. (2007)
  • Author(s): Iijima, K., Fukui, N., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.58, Suppl.1, S116, P1-h21
  • Year and Date: 20070000
• [Presentation] The leftward structural asymmetry in the inferior frontal gyrus as an indicator of acquiring syntax in second language : A VBM study. (2007)
  • Author(s): Nauchi A., Hirano, K., Muraishi, Y., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.58, Suppl.1, S172, P2-h15
  • Year and Date: 20070000
• [Presentation] Cortical plasticity in juveniles for learning English phonics rules as a part of second language acquisition. (2007)
  • Author(s): Muto, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: Soc.Neurosci.Abstr.Program No.738.16
  • Year and Date: 20070000
• [Presentation] Correlation between regional grey matter volume and proficiency increase in second language : A VBM study. (2006)
  • Author(s): Nauchi, A., Hirano, K., Muraishi, Y., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.55, Suppl.1, S49, OS2A-8-04
  • Year and Date: 20060000
• [Presentation] Grammar center activation in honorification judgment of Japanese sentences. (2006)
  • Author(s): Momo, K., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.55, Suppl.1, S49, OS2A-8-05
  • Year and Date: 20060000
• [Presentation] Top-down modulation for melody-related activity in the right auditory areas : An MEG study. (2006)
  • Author(s): Yasui, T., Kaga, K., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.55, Suppl.1, S50, 0S2A-8-06
  • Year and Date: 20060000
• [Presentation] Cortical plasticity in adulthood for learning phonics rules for English orthography and phonology. (2006)
  • Author(s): Muto, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.55, Suppl.1, S50, OS2A-8-07
  • Year and Date: 20060000
• [Presentation] Hierarchical syntactic processing in the left frontal region : An MEG study. (2006)
  • Author(s): Iijima, K., Fukui, N., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.55, Suppl.1, S50, OS2A-8-08
  • Year and Date: 20060000
• [Presentation] Differential top-down modulation for language and melody-related activity in the auditory areas : An MEG study. (2006)
  • Author(s): Yasui, T., Kaga, K., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: BIOMAG 2006,Abstr.15, 65, C1-2
  • Place of Presentation: Vancouber, Canada
  • Year and Date: 20060000
• [Presentation] Cortical plasticity for learning English rules between spelling and pronunciation during second-language acquisition. (2006)
  • Author(s): Muto, M., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: Soc.Neurosci.Abstr.Program No.263.7
  • Year and Date: 20060000
• [Presentation] Differential lateralization of error-induced fields in speech and melody processing : An MEG study. (2005)
  • Author(s): Yasui, T., Kaga, K., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.52, Suppl.1, S61,03B-01
  • Year and Date: 20050000
• [Presentation] Spatio-temporal dynamics of cortical activation at the prelexical stage. (2005)
  • Author(s): Iijima, K., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.52, Suppl.1, S61, 03B-02
  • Year and Date: 20050000
• [Presentation] Activation of the grammar center in new picture-sentence matching tasks. (2005)
  • Author(s): Kinno, R., Kawamura, M., Shioda, S., Sakai, K.L.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.52, Suppl.1, S61, 03B-03
  • Year and Date: 20050000
• [Presentation] Training-related increase and proficiency-dependent decrease of grammar center activation during second language acquisition. (2005)
  • Author(s): Sakai, K.L., Tatsuno, Y, Ochi, Y, Shiota, K., Hirano, K., Muraishi, Y, Kimura, M., Bostwick, M., Yusa, N.
  • Organizer: 日本神経科学学会, Neurosci.Res.52, Suppl.1, S61, 03B-04
  • Year and Date: 20050000
• [Presentation] Separate neural bases of two fundamental processes during second language acquisition in the inferior frontal cortex. (2005)
  • Author(s): Sakai, K.L., Tatsuno, Y, Ochi, Y, Shiota, K., Hirano, K., Muraishi, Y, Kimura, M., Bostwick, M., Yusa, N.
  • Organizer: Soc.Neurosci.Abstr.Program No.354.6
  • Year and Date: 20050000
• [Book] 脳に描く言葉の地図(In:『ことばの宇宙への旅立ち2-10代からの言語学』,財団法人ラボ国際交流センター/東京言語研究所発行) (2009)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 59-98
  • Publisher: ひつじ書房,東京
• [Book] 脳の言語地図 (2009)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: ISBN 978-4-625-68433-3
  • Publisher: 明治書院,東京
• [Book] 人間の創造性の本質-脳の再帰的計算,[文法](In:『ACADEMIC GROOVE東京大学アカデミックグルーヴ』)(東京大学編) (2008)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 100-103&66
  • Publisher: 東京大学出版会,東京
• [Book] 脳の発達と言語習得(In:『学び合いで育つ未来への学力-中高一貫教育の新しいデザイン』)(東京大学教育学部附属中等教育学校編著) (2008)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 146-153
  • Publisher: 明石書店,東京
• [Book] チョムスキーの言語哲学(In:『哲学の歴史別巻』) (2008)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 294-300
  • Publisher: 中央公論新社,東京
• [Book] 哲学者チョムスキー(In:『哲学の歴史別巻』) (2008)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 395
  • Publisher: 中央公論新社,東京
• [Book] 遺伝子・脳・言語-サイエンス・カフェの愉しみ (2007)
  • Author(s): 堀田凱樹, 酒井邦嘉
  • Publisher: 中公新書,東京
• [Book] 言語脳科学の最前線(In:『生命システムをどう理解するか-細胞から脳機能・進化にせまる融合科学』)(浅島誠編) (2007)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 136-148
  • Publisher: 共立出版,東京
• [Book] 学習の認知神経科学(In:放送大学大学院教材『新訂教授・学習過程論-学習科学の展開』)(大島純他編著 (2006)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 106-120
  • Publisher: 放送大学教育振興会,東京
• [Book] 科学者という仕事一独創性はどのように生まれるか (2006)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Publisher: 中公新書,東京
• [Book] Brain mapping of human language processing.(Brain Mapping and Language) (2006)
  • Author(s): Sakai, K.L.
  • Total Pages: 135-156
  • Publisher: Nova Biomedical Books, New York
• [Book] 脳機能マッピングによる言語処理機構の解明(In:『ブレインサイエンス・レビュー2007』(財)ブレインサイエンス振興財団)(伊藤正男・川合述史編) (2006)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 219-233
  • Publisher: クバプロ,東京
• [Book] 言語発達の脳科学(In:『脳を知る・創る・守る・育む-第7巻』)(「脳の世紀」推進会議編) (2005)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 131-151
  • Publisher: クバプロ,東京
• [Book] Language and the brain.(McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology 2005) (2005)
  • Author(s): Phillips, C., Sakai, K.L.
  • Total Pages: 166-169
  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill, New York
• [Book] 言語と脳からみた健康と病(In:『16歳からの東大冒険講座-[3]文学/脳と心/数理』)(東京大学教養学部編) (2005)
  • Author(s): 酒井邦嘉
  • Total Pages: 127-140
  • Publisher: 培風館,東京
• [Remarks] ホームページ等
  • URL: http://mind.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp/index-j.html