The proposed study examines the development of the neural substrate for speech perception between the ages of 4 and 15 years. Although speech perception develops very rapidly during the first year of life, the sensitive period for native-like speech perception closes much later.
The first aim, of this proposal is to study second-language speech perception in adults varying in their age of acquisition (AOA) in order to specify the sensitive period for speech perception.
The second aim i s to understand the changes that result in this decline in plasticity by studying the discrimination of native-language speech sounds, speech in noise, and foreign-language speech sound in children at various points of this sensitive period. The use of fMRI techniques, along with dishabituation paradigms will provide information about the development of the neural substrate for speech perception. Furthermore, these """"""""task-free"""""""" paradigms for studying perception also have methodological advantages over other behavioral paradigms used to study speech perception. In particular, the same tasks can be used with child and adult participants, allowing for direct comparison of data from the two specific aims of this proposal.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32DC006352-03
Application #
6936559
Study Section
Communication Disorders Review Committee (CDRC)
Program Officer
Sklare, Dan
Project Start
2003-09-01
Project End
2006-06-30
Budget Start
2005-09-01
Budget End
2006-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$41,330
Indirect Cost
Name
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
060217502
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10065
Maurer, Urs; Zevin, Jason D; McCandliss, Bruce D (2008) Left-lateralized N170 effects of visual expertise in reading: evidence from Japanese syllabic and logographic scripts. J Cogn Neurosci 20:1878-91
Joanisse, Marc F; Zevin, Jason D; McCandliss, Bruce D (2007) Brain mechanisms implicated in the preattentive categorization of speech sounds revealed using FMRI and a short-interval habituation trial paradigm. Cereb Cortex 17:2084-93
Voss, Henning U; Zevin, Jason D; McCandliss, Bruce D (2006) Functional MR imaging at 3.0 T versus 1.5 T: a practical review. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 16:285-97, x
Treiman, Rebecca; Kessler, Brett; Zevin, Jason D et al. (2006) Influence of consonantal context on the reading of vowels: evidence from children. J Exp Child Psychol 93:1-24