Assimilation and accommodation patterns in ventral occipitotemporal cortex in learning a second writing system

Abstract

Using fMRI, we compared the patterns of fusiform activity produced by viewing English and Chinese for readers who were either English speakers learning Chinese, or Chinese-English bilinguals. The pattern of fusiform activity depended on both the writing system and the reader's native language. Native Chinese speakers fluent in English recruited bilateral fusiform areas when viewing both Chinese and English. English speakers learning Chinese, however, used heavily leftlateralized fusiform regions when viewing English, but recruited an additional right fusiform region for viewing Chinese. Thus, English learners of Chinese show an accommodation pattern, in which the reading network accommodates the new writing system by adding neural resources that support its specific graphic requirements. Chinese speakers show an assimilation pattern, in which the reading network established for L1 includes procedures sufficient for the graphic demands of L2 without major change.

Writing affects the brain network of reading in Chinese: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study

“…In our study, we observed activation during character reading near this same ''Chinese region,'' at the left dorsal inferior frontal gyrus (BA9). The peak was at (À50, 2, 34), very close to the peaks of (À48, 4, 35) and (À44, 4, 33) for learners in Nelson et al (2009) and Liu et al (2007), respectively, and to the peaks of (À48, 9, 30) and (À46, 8, 34) for native Chinese speakers in Bolger (2005) and Cao (2010), respectively. This convergence of findings suggests that English speakers can adopt the procedures of addressed retrieval of phonology and semantics after only a short period learning Chinese.…”

“…That learners with just over one term of study show activation patterns typical of skilled native language Chinese readers demonstrates the accommodation of the brain's reading network to the demands of the writing system Nelson et al, 2009]. For example, the bilateral activation of fusiform gyri and middle occipital gyri for Chinese suggests a role for holistic visual configuration in the right hemisphere, in addition to the left hemisphere role in more fine-grain (e.g.…”

“…Liu et al (2007) and Nelson et al (2009) found that learners showed greater activation in right fusiform gyrus and left dorsal inferior frontal gyrus for Chinese characters than English words, suggesting they accommodate the special features of Chinese during learning. These results allow a general conclusion about accommodation when writing was not a part of instruction.…”

“…Neuroimaging studies on English-speaking adults learning Chinese have examined the accommodation made by the alphabetic neural network to the demands of Chinese writing Nelson et al, 2009]. Liu et al (2007) and Nelson et al (2009) found that learners showed greater activation in right fusiform gyrus and left dorsal inferior frontal gyrus for Chinese characters than English words, suggesting they accommodate the special features of Chinese during learning.…”

Effect of Illiteracy on Cognition and Cerebral Morphology in Later Life

“…51 The left angular gyrus has also been mentioned as a cortical locus of writing. 50 The other areas associated with writing are left superior parietal lobe, 52 left posterior inferior temporal cortex, 53 bilateral ventral occipitotemporal cortex, 54 and thalamus. 52 These studies indicate that the parietal lobe is the most important lobe for reading and writing.…”