New York University
Neurolinguistics @ NYU

G61.2710-001/G89.3402-001:

Neurolinguistics (31587), Fall 2009

Instructors: Liina Pylkkänen & Alec Marantz
Monday 2:00PM-4:45PM
10 Washington Place, Linguistics seminar room


This is an advanced introduction to the cognitive neuroscience of human language. Lectures and discussion on central topics in the neurobiology of language processing and on foundational questions having to do with the relationship between experimental and theoretical approaches to the study of language. Literature and ongoing research on auditory perception, lexical access and syntactic/semantic processing are discussed. In addition to surveying existing results, the course is heavily focused on discussing what kinds of questions about language processing and representation can be investigated with the currently available neurobiological methods/knowledge. Basic neuroanatomy, functional imaging techniques and behavioral measures of cognition are introduced. Emphasis is on electrophysiological methods (MEG, EEG) over neuroimaging (fMRI, PET) although studies involving the latter are also discussed.


REQUIREMENTS

(a) Readings

(a) Projects

For your course project, you will design an MEG experiment, create the stimulus materials, and, hopefully, collect some preliminary data. The final paper will be a (progress) report of your study.


DEADLINES


SCHEDULE AND READINGS

Obligatory readings are marked with a star (*).

SEP 14 GETTING ORGANIZED ABOUT PROJECTS

SEP 21 VISIT TO THE MEG LAB (Meyer Building Room 284)

SEP 28 FOUNDATIONAL ISSUES, BRAIN BASICS

OCT 5 METHODS, HISTORY OF NEUROLINGUISTICS

OCT 12 SPEECH PERCEPTION: MODELS, AUDITORY EVOKED POTENTIALS/FIELDS, M100/N100, MMN

OCT 19 READING, FUSIFORM GYRI, M170, DYSLEXIA

OCT 26 LEXICAL ACCESS I

NOV 2 LEXICAL ACCESS II/MORPHOLOGY

NOV 9 SYNTAX, ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

NOV 16 BROCA'S AREA, FUNCTIONAL NEUROIMAGING

NOV 23 SENTENCE-LEVEL SEMANTICS

NOV 30 DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS: SLI & Williams

DEC 7 FINAL PRESENTATIONS

DEC 14 FINAL PRESENTATIONS cont., followed by LabBeer!