syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language
DESCRIPTION
Matthew G. Collison Laboratory for Comparative Neuropsychology Institute of Neuroscience Newcastle University. Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language. Old World Monkeys (Rhesus Macaque). Humans. 8 million years. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language
Matthew G. Collison
Laboratory for Comparative NeuropsychologyInstitute of Neuroscience
Newcastle University
![Page 2: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Where are the evolutionary precursors to human language in the primate brain?
Old World Monkeys (Rhesus Macaque)
25 million years
Humans
8 million years
New World Monkeys (Cotton Top Tamarin)
Great Apes (Chimpanzee)
35 million years
From what did human language evolve?
![Page 3: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Syntax: What is it and how do we study it in nonhuman animals? Syntax is a key components of human
language: “the ability to understand the sequence (grammar) of words in a sentence” Very difficult to study in nonhuman species.
However the core computations of syntactic processing can be studied in nonhuman animals using artificial grammars.
![Page 4: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Artificial-language (syntactic) learning in monkeys
Grammatical
Ungrammatical Grammatical
Ungrammatical
Fitch & Hauser 2005, Science
Finite State Grammar
Phrase Structure Grammar
%Lo
oks
![Page 5: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Another example: Infants and tamarins learning a different type of “grammar”Saffran et al., Cognition 2008
InfantsTamarins
Old World Monkeys (Rhesus Macaque)
25 million years
Humans
8 million years
New World Monkeys (Cotton Top Tamarin)
Great Apes (Chimpanzee)
35 million years
?
![Page 6: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Subclass associations used in word languages Subclass (Male) Words used Subclass (Female) Words used A1 Biff B1 hepA2 Cav B2 lumA3 Klor B3 pell A4 Dupp B4 lokeA5 Jux B5 pilk
Rhesus macaque experiment
Familiarisation Phase
Test Phase ABAB- A2A3B3B2 A1A2B2B1 A4B5A3B2 AABB- A1B1 A3B3 A2B2A3B3 A2A1B3B5BBAA- B3B1A1A3 B3B2A2A3 B3B5A2A4BABA- B2A2B3A3 B4A4B2 A2 B3B1A2A5
![Page 7: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Prediction: Double Dissociation Macaques exposed to
FSG will consider PSG sequences as more interesting to look at, but if they were exposed to PSG the opposite effect is predicted.
% lo
oks
![Page 8: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Behavioural Results
A) Experiment 1 – Familiarisation to PSG B) Experiment 2 – Familiarisation to FSG
PSG
PSG
![Page 9: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
The human language regions respond to artificial grammars
Diffusion Tensor Imaging - Connectivity
Friederici 2006
![Page 10: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Macaque fMRI: Potential ‘syntactic-learning’ network
PSG Familiarisation
Threshold = 0.01
FSG Familiarisation
Threshold = 0.01
X = 53Y = 85.5
Z = 22
X = 39Y = 84.5
Z = 20
Striatum (implicit learning system)
Dorso-lateral frontal cortex (possibly Broca’s area)
![Page 11: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Conclusions
Rhesus Macaques are capable of learning a more elaborate grammar (both FSG and PSG) than tamarins.
fMRI responses to the grammatical sequences shows at least 2 sites as part of the potential ‘syntactic-learning’ network that may have evolved to support language in humans.
![Page 12: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Precursor to Statistical learning
![Page 13: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Precursors to Syntactic grmmar
![Page 14: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Future work to be done
How much more can rhesus macaques learn.
Further fMRI to replicate/support or extend the observations here.
What are the neuronal mechanisms underlying syntactic processing?
![Page 15: Syntactic learning in non-human primates and neuroimaging of evolutionary precursors to language](https://reader036.vdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022081604/568156d9550346895dc47ad7/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
InfantsA1A2A3B3B2B1
TamarinsABAB
Old World Monkeys (Rhesus Macaque)
25 million years
Humans
8 million years
New World Monkeys (Cotton Top Tamarin)
Great Apes (Chimpanzee)
35 million years
Evolutionary development of language
Rhesus MacaqueAABB