Hot off the press: Really enjoyed writing this Dispatch with .@SimonWTownsend for @CurrentBiology, on the recent paper by Boros et al. on canine statistical learning of speech segmentation cues @NCCR_Language @ZNZNeuroscience @UZH_en.

Neurolinguistics at the University of Zurich is hiring! Looking for talented and passionate post-docs with solid MEG experience. One for a cross-linguistic project on combinatorial processing, a second with a more flexible remit. 3-4 years, flexible starting dates. Get in touch!

Non-#WEIRD science is essential to help adjust the scientific record by probing whether canonical results are truly generalisable.

These results highlight importance of considering the role of writing in brain changes linked to the development of literacy as well as the potential impact of the script itself.

This prompts us to ask: Do alphabetic and non-alphabetic literacy place difference demands on learning to map speech segments (phonemes vs syllables) onto visual symbols? And consequently alter the way the auditory system processes speech?.

We also expected to #replicate a classical finding that literacy augments responses to speech in phonological processing areas. But we were unable to do so.

We #replicate canonical findings showing that activation in the reading network in response to non-alphabetic orthographic stimuli is enhanced as a function of literacy.

Results revealed that literate participants showed a functional link between brain areas associated with processing of speech sounds and areas associated with handwriting – i.e. learning to read creates a link between writing and the way we process speech.

Hervais-Adelman and colleagues studied a group of 91 adults of varying levels of literacy, ranging from completely illiterate to fluent readers of Devanagari, a non-alphabetic script. Participants underwent #MRI scanning while listening to simple sentences. Non-#WEIRDscience.

Literacy promotes the development of a functional link between handwriting and phonological processing. Paper out now #JNeurosci @SfNJournals invites us to consider the role of learning to write in tuning speech processing. w/@falk_huettig @DrUttambrainlab

RT @SfNJournals: #JNeurosci: Hervais-Adelman et al. @UZH_ch found literate individuals, not illiterate individuals, exhibit a functional li….

Great work from @SGruninger, defending the future of human research in CH #TMVI #TVI #abst22 #chvote #AMA #Tierversuche #Menschenversuche #Tierversuchsverbot #Forschungsverbot #Medizinverbot #Humanforschung #Wissenschaft #Forschung #SciComm #Tierversuchsinitiative #TVINein.

#abst22 #chvote #vot22 Switzerland votes on a proposal to ban all human and animal experimentation. Proud to contribute to @reat_ch campaign against a measure that prevents vital research to help support individuals living with hearing impairment #EnSavoirPlus #TMWI #AMA #SciComm

RT @BasilPreisig: 🚨NEW PREPRINT🚨. We show that the perceptual report of syllables arises in higher-order non-auditory cortical areas. w/….

How does an infant develop an accent in utero? Thanks to an @snsf_ch project grant @Neuroslamlab, @UZH_en will be using in utero neuroimaging to look into this over the next three years, in collaboration with @AndrasJakabMD, @VolkerDellwo and Prof. Kathleen Wermke.

Such a pleasure to be a part of this research!.

How does literacy affect brain responses to speech? Being able to read Devanagari does not result in enhanced auditory cortical responses to speech. Time to reconsider conclusions drawn on the basis of alphabetic literacy? with @falk_huettig et al.

RT @falk_huettig: How does literacy affect speech processing? Not by enhancing cortical responses to speech, but by promoting connectivity….

How does your brain keep your ears in synch? Answers in a new brain-stimulation fMRI paper by @BasilPreisig. @anne_kosem @benjamin_kop et al. @NeuroSLAMlab. @UZH_en out in PNAS today: Collaboration with @MPI_NL @DondersInst #CRNL @snsf_ch.

On his last day as Rector of the University of Zurich, the Neurolinguistics group thanks Prof. Dr. Michael Hengartner for his invaluable support and belief in our work! All the very best for the future at the ETH Rat! #uzhthankyoumichael.