Language is a unique high-level function of human beings, which occupies the core position in the high-level functional system of human brain. Therefore, revealing the cognitive neural mechanism of the formation, development and aging of language is of great value for exploring the language itself and the working principle of the human brain. The lab works on building the structure and functional network of Chinese Language and cognitive neural network, also analyzing the influence of acquired studying experience on the network, thus, the occurrence and development of Chinese neural network are revealed.

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Research 1

White matter structure network in Chinese language processing

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Based on the correlation analysis between the performance of Chinese processing tasks and the data of diffusion tensor imaging, the white matter fiber network for processing Chinese forms, sounds and meanings was constructed. The main findings are that semantic network is a complex network composed of multiple fiber bundles, in which the fiber bundle between the left fusiform gyrus and the calcinear fissure transmits the color knowledge of object semantics. The left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), the anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), and the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) constitute the phonological processing network, while the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) transmits the orthographic information. At the same time, the overlap between language network and other cognitive networks (such as executive control networks) is also described.

Figure: Central area of semantic hub in patients with semantic dementia.
A) The left fusiform gyrus (lFFG, red brain region) is the central region of the semantic hub and its 9 connected brain regions;
B) Correlation graph between node degree value and semantic achievement of left fusiform gyrus.

Main achievement:

Chen Y#, Huang L#, Chen K, Ding J, Zhang Y, Qing Y, Lv Y, Han Z*, Qihao Guo*. (2020). White matter basis for the hub-and-spoke semantic representation: evidence from semantic dementia. Brain, 143: 1206-1219.

Ke Wang, Xiaonan Li, Ruiwang Huang, Junhua Ding, Luping Song, Zaizhu Han. (2020). The left inferior longitudinal fasciculus supports orthographic processing: Evidence from a lesion-behavior mapping analysis. Brain and Language, 201:104721

Ding J#, Chen K#, Zhang W, Li M, Chen Y, Yang Q, Lv Y, Guo Q*, Han Z*. (2017). Topological Alterations and Symptom-Relevant Modules in the Whole-Brain Structural Network in Semantic Dementia. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 59: 1283-1297.

Li M, Zhang Y, Song L, Huang R, Ding J, Fang Y, Xu Y, Han Z*. (2017). Structural connectivity subserving verbal fluency revealed by lesion-behavior mapping in stroke patients. Neuropsychologia, 101: 85-96.

Bi Y, Han Z*, Zhong S, Ma Y, Gong G, Huang R, Song L, Fang Y, He Y, Caramazza A. (2015). The white matter structural network underlying human tool use and tool understanding. The Journal of Neuroscience, 35: 6822-6835.

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Research 2

Gray matter functional network in Chinese language processing

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Through the correlation analysis of Chinese processing task scores and gray matter 3D and functional neuroimaging data, the key hub brain region for Chinese processing was found, and the corresponding functional network was constructed. The main findings are that the left temporal lobe, hippocampus and cingulate gyrus are the key hub brain regions, and the neural computational model for processing different types of information (such as language, face recognition and disinhibition) in the anterior temporal lobe is constructed. With these key language regions as the core, the functional network of language processing is established through functional connection analysis. It is found that the functional connection between hippocampus, anterior temporal lobe and middle temporal gyrus is involved in semantic processing. The functional connections of the precuneus with the parahippocampal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus/middle frontal gyrus participate in noun processing, while the functional connections of the middle temporal gyrus/superior temporal gyrus participate in verb processing.

Figure: The correlation between bilateral anterior temporal lobe and different semantic scores

Main achievement：

Ding J#, Chen K#, Liu H, Huang L, Chen Y, Ying R, Yang Q, Guo Q*, Han Z*, Lambon Ralph M*. (2020). A unified neurocognitive model of semantics language social behaviour and face recognition in semantic dementia. Nature Communications, 11: 2595.

Chen Y#, Chen K#, Ding J, Zhang Y, Yang Q, Lv Y, Guo Q, Han Z*. (2019). Neural substrates of amodal and modality-specific semantic processing within the temporal lobe: A lesion-behavior mapping study of semantic dementia. Cortex, 120: 78-91.

Zhao Y, Song L, Ding J, Lin N, Wang Q, Du X, Sun R, Han Z*. (2017). Left anterior temporal lobe and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex are semantic hub regions: evidence from behavior-nodal degree mapping in brain-damaged patients. The Journal of Neuroscience, 37: 141-151.

Chen Y, Chen K, Ding J, Zhang Y, Yang Q, Lv Y, Guo Q, Han Z. (2017). Brain Network for the Core Deficits of Semantic Dementia: A Neural Network Connectivity-Behavior Mapping Study. Front Hum Neurosci.11:267.

CAoCA汉语失语症认知评估系统软件V1.0

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Research 3

The plasticity of Chinese neural networks

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In order to explore the plasticity of language neural network influenced by acquired learning experience and its development and change rule, our group carried out the Chinese character learning training experiment in healthy people and employed the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment in individuals with congenital sensory channel loss. The results showed that when nonmeaningful figures were learned as Chinese characters and objects, the orthographic processing brain region (VWFA) was selectively activated only to the stimuli learned as Chinese characters, and the functional connection between this brain region and other higher-level language areas was also enhanced. Compared with normal people, the functional connection between this brain area and the auditory speech area (left superior temporal gyrus) was significantly weakened in the congenital deaf people, and the functional connection pattern between this brain area and other brain areas in the congenital blind people was also different from that in the normal people. These results suggest that Chinese neural networks develop synergistically under the influence of both nature and nurture.

Figure: Comparison of pre- and post-test activation degree of VWFA in learning words and objects from novel stimuli

Main achievement：

Li M, Xu Y, Luo X, Zeng J, Han Z*. (2020). Linguistic experience acquisition for novel stimuli selectively activates the neural network of the visual word form area. Neuroimage, 215: 116838.

Wang, X., Peelen, M. V., Han, Z., He, C., Caramazza, A., & Bi, Y.. (2015). How visual is the visual cortex? comparing connectional and functional fingerprints between congenitally blind and sighted individuals. Journal of Neuroence the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroence, 35(36), 12545.

Xiaosha, W., Alfonso, C., Peelen, M. V., Zaizhu, H., & Yanchao, B.. (2015). Reading without speech sounds: vwfa and its connectivity in the congenitally deaf. Cerebral Cortex (9), 2416.

Zheng, L., Chen, C., Liu, W., Long, Y., & Lu, C.. (2018). Enhancement of teaching outcome through neural prediction of the students' knowledge state. Human Brain Mapping, 39(2), 3046.