| dc.description.abstract | Several electrophysiological studies investigating spoken auditory comprehension have recently focused on various event-related potentials (ERPs) studies to explore the electrophysiological hypotheses regarding how the human brain processes spoken languages. Unfortunately, the limited number of studies and hypotheses is based on the Mandarin
Chinese linguistic background compared to other languages. Moreover, understanding the decoding patterns of linguistic components across different languages is essential for elucidating the mechanisms of spoken auditory language comprehension. Consequently, the present study is situated within everyday Taiwanese conversations and language culture. The study aims to investigate the distinct and shared mechanisms of auditory language comprehension with other languages while re-evaluating and examining the electrophysiological hypotheses and perspectives related to this process.
Friederici (2011) indicated that the processes involved in comprehending multiple languages unfold over a temporal scale. Based on this premise and the objectives of the
current study, we employed electroencephalography (EEG) with high temporal resolution to investigate auditory language comprehension. This was complemented by a picturepointing
task and a plausibility judgment task involving sentences. The study analyzed electrophysiological and behavioral data from 27 healthy adults aged 20 to 53 to investigate
the effects of sentential complexity, sentence anomaly, and linguistic prosody on auditory language comprehension.
The results indicated that the sentential complexity, sentential plausibility, and linguistic prosody in Mandarin Chinese have a crucial and significant influence on the auditory language comprehension mechanism. First, when these factors involved abnormal sentential structure and limited richness of linguistic prosody — whether independently or
concurrently — these abnormalities and limitations led to increased cognitive load. They elicited the ERPs related to the cognitive resources, specifically P200, P3a, and P3b.
Furthermore, the subsequent ERPs also differed in type, latency, and scalp distribution. Second, regardless of whether the sentences were complex or anomalous, stimuli would elicit the Early Left Anterior Negativity (ELAN) component if the linguistic prosody was sufficiently rich and natural. Moreover, in comparison to other electrophysiological research in the language domain focused on English and German, the constituent properties
of linguistic components in monosyllabic languages, such as Mandarin Chinese in this present study, may contribute to a shorter latency than typically observed, including the ELAN components in the anomalous effect of natural speech observed in the present study, as well as the N400 and Left Anterior Negativity (LAN) components in the complexity effect of natural speech observed in the present study.
The present study elucidates the intricacy of the auditory language comprehension mechanism in neuroscience. Based on these findings, it is suggested that Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) as a clinical intervention should include a comprehensive language assessment and tailor the protocol and localization to address the specific deficient regions and functions in the future. Furthermore, the focused language functions in the rTMS intervention should align with the objectives of speech-language therapy. In clinical speech-language therapy, this study first emphasizes the significance of
cognitive function in neurodevelopmental, acquired neurological, and neurodegenerative disorders. When any linguistic component is abnormal or distorted in auditory language comprehension processing or communicative contexts, the cognitive function becomes essential for individuals to understand and learn the language thoroughly. Second, the
study underscores the importance of the language learning environment, the complexity of spoken messages, and the ability to control linguistic prosody. These factors are crucial for comprehending spoken messages and effective language learning. The present study suggests that future research should further explore the similarities and differences in auditory language comprehension mechanisms among various age groups and individuals with neurological disorders. Furthermore, this study also suggests establishing the corresponding brainwave data, which will assist speech-language pathologists in developing more suitable treatment plans. Additionally, this data can be applied in clinical assessments and diagnoses alongside behavioral and language evaluations. Integrating clinical
assessments and diagnoses will facilitate earlier and more accurate language-related diagnoses, enabling timely medical intervention. | en_US |