语言经验对大脑激活的影响：来自第二语言初学者的证据

研究采用功能磁共振成像技术考察语言经验在塑造大脑激活模式中的作用。12名只有很少英语学习经验因而熟练程度很低的小学儿童参与了实验。结果发现，在视觉呈现的押韵判断任务中，英文任务和中文任务共同激活了左侧额下回负责语音加工的脑区。更重要的是，虽然英文任务更难，也更多地激活了双侧的顶叶区域，但是它在额叶诱发的激活强度显著低于中文。这个结果进一步说明第二语言的语音皮层表征是随着学习经验的增加而逐渐发展起来的。

Brain Response is Shaped by Language Experience:Evidence from an fMRI Study on Beginning Second Language Learners

Functional MRI was used to explore the role of language experience in shaping the neural substrates of phonological processing. Twelve Chinese children who had very limited exposure to second language (L2), i.e., English, were scanned while they were performing visually presented rhyme judgment tasks in their two languages. We found that the phonological processing of subjects' native language and their newly obtained L2 elicited overlapping activation in the left inferior frontal region. More important, thought the L2 tasks were more difficult and thus caused more intensive activation in bilateral parietal lobule, the Broca's area was less intensively activated in the L2 tasks. These results confirm and extend the view that the involvement of Broca's area in phonological processing is gradually increased as a function of language experience.