For decades, neuroscientists have understood that specific regions in the left hemisphere of the brain are responsible for language processing. However, a new study by MIT researchers reveals that language processing also occurs in many other parts of the brain.
Using fMRI data from over 700 individuals, the researchers identified 17 additional brain regions involved in language. These regions are scattered throughout the brain, including parts of the cerebellum, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex, comprising about 5% of the total volume of the adult brain—approximately the size of a large strawberry.
Evelina Fedorenko, an MIT associate professor, states, "Even with these distant components, it’s pretty restricted in terms of volume. You don’t need much of the brain to do language."
The exact contributions of these regions to language processing are still under investigation, although some progress has been made regarding the functions of the identified cerebellar regions. The lead author, Agata Wolna, explains that participants underwent a language localizer task, reading or listening to sentences versus nonwords, allowing researchers to measure the strength of brain responses.
Typically, researchers apply strict statistical thresholds to identify language areas, but in this study, they relaxed these thresholds and targeted subcortical areas to maximize the chances of discovering small and weakly responsive regions.
Among the 17 newly identified language-sensitive sites, five are located in the cerebellum, which primarily coordinates body movement. Fedorenko remarks that regions responsive to both language and other tasks might be crucial for integrating information from different cortical systems.
The team plans to further explore how these brain regions contribute to language processing. This research was supported by the Simons Center for the Social Brain at MIT, the McGovern Institute, and MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
Blogger's Review: This groundbreaking study not only broadens our understanding of language processing in the brain but also challenges traditional views by highlighting the potential roles of atypical regions like the cerebellum. Future research will likely unveil deeper mechanisms behind these new findings, paving the way for innovative insights in neuroscience.