HOME > News Archives > 2010 > [Press Release] The Brain of Babies is Tuned in to Native Language in 4 Months; the adaptability and potential of the developing brain were visualized
In a joint study with the Centre for Advanced Research on Logic and Sensibility (CARLS), the Global Centers of Excellence Program, Keio University, Ecole Normale Superieure, France, which is its affiliated institute, and RIKEN, Japan, Yasuyo Minagawa-Kawai, Associate Professor of Keio University Graduate School of Human Relations, Japan, published the following results concerning the development of the brain of young infants. Cerebral responses were measured with the use of near-infrared spectroscopy while 4-month-old Japanese infants were listening to native language (Japanese), non-native language (English), emotional voices (1), monkey calls (2) and synthetic sounds. The results have found that the strongest left dominant cerebral responses were shown to native language. The results also show that, in response to monkey calls, extensive cerebral activities were observed in both hemispheres. The brain of infants has versatile potential to adapt to all circumstances and, as they develop, they tune in their brain to circumstances in which they were born. The present results demonstrate that intra-cerebral mechanism suitable for native language is formed in four postnatal months. On the other hand, the adult brain shows weak activities only, suggesting that the 4-month-old brain retains sensitivities to respond to different types of communication calls.
These results are to appear in the journal Cerebral Cortex. They were published in the electronic edition on May 23.
*For further information, please check the Press Release announced by Keio University
Copyright 2008 CARLS All Rights Reserved.