TY - JOUR
T1 - Neural circuitry associated with two different approaches to novel word learning
AU - Clements-Stephens, Amy M.
AU - Materek, April D.
AU - Eason, Sarah H.
AU - Scarborough, Hollis S.
AU - Pugh, Kenneth R.
AU - Rimrodt, Sheryl
AU - Pekar, James J.
AU - Cutting, Laurie E.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Jessica Abel, Terry Levine, Pooja Gaur, and Dana Carmichael for all of their hard work during data collection. Parts of this research were presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading (2008) and at the 14th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society (2007). This work was supported in part by NIH grant R01 HD44073, the Learning Disabilities Research Center (NIH grant P50HD052121), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine General Clinical Research Center (NIH grant M01-RR00052), and the F.M. Kirby Research Center (NIH/NCRR grant P41RR15241).
PY - 2012/2/15
Y1 - 2012/2/15
N2 - Skilled reading depends upon successfully integrating orthographic, phonological, and semantic information; however, the process of becoming a skilled reader with efficient neural circuitry is not fully understood. Short-term learning paradigms can provide insight into learning mechanisms by revealing differential responses to training approaches. To date, neuroimaging studies have primarily focused on effects of teaching novel words either in isolation or in context, without directly comparing the two. The current study compared the behavioral and neurobiological effects of learning novel pseudowords (i.e., pronouncing and attaching meaning) trained either in isolation or in sentential context. Behavioral results showed generally comparable pseudoword learning for both conditions, but sentential context-trained pseudowords were spoken and comprehended slightly more quickly. Neurobiologically, fMRI activity for reading trained pseudowords was similar to real words; however, an interaction between training approach and reading proficiency was observed. Specifically, highly skilled readers showed similar levels of activity regardless of training approach. However, less skilled readers differentiated between training conditions, showing comparable activity to highly skilled readers only for isolation-trained pseudowords. Overall, behavioral and neurobiological findings suggest that training approach may affect rate of learning and neural circuitry, and that less skilled readers may need explicit training to develop optimal neural pathways.
AB - Skilled reading depends upon successfully integrating orthographic, phonological, and semantic information; however, the process of becoming a skilled reader with efficient neural circuitry is not fully understood. Short-term learning paradigms can provide insight into learning mechanisms by revealing differential responses to training approaches. To date, neuroimaging studies have primarily focused on effects of teaching novel words either in isolation or in context, without directly comparing the two. The current study compared the behavioral and neurobiological effects of learning novel pseudowords (i.e., pronouncing and attaching meaning) trained either in isolation or in sentential context. Behavioral results showed generally comparable pseudoword learning for both conditions, but sentential context-trained pseudowords were spoken and comprehended slightly more quickly. Neurobiologically, fMRI activity for reading trained pseudowords was similar to real words; however, an interaction between training approach and reading proficiency was observed. Specifically, highly skilled readers showed similar levels of activity regardless of training approach. However, less skilled readers differentiated between training conditions, showing comparable activity to highly skilled readers only for isolation-trained pseudowords. Overall, behavioral and neurobiological findings suggest that training approach may affect rate of learning and neural circuitry, and that less skilled readers may need explicit training to develop optimal neural pathways.
KW - Adults
KW - Learning
KW - Reading
KW - Repetition
KW - Training
KW - fMRI
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U2 - 10.1016/j.dcn.2011.06.001
DO - 10.1016/j.dcn.2011.06.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 22682916
AN - SCOPUS:84857043164
SN - 1878-9293
VL - 2
SP - S99-S113
JO - Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
JF - Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
IS - SUPPL. 1
ER -