These early findings challenge the conventional theory that lateralization of language to the left hemisphere is progressive until puberty, starting from an initial state in which neither hemisphere dominates.

"Detailed knowledge about the neural mechanisms associated with increasing levels of speech should prove useful in the study of developmental language disorders, which are the single largest handicapping condition of childhood," Sinha said. "The mapping of specific brain-language relationships should foster understanding of the mental process underlying language itself."

Sinha's co-authors, all from UCLA, included Susan Bookheimer, Meena Garg, Lina Badr and John Grinstead. The National Institutes of Health funded the research.

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Contact: Roxanne Moster
roxannem@support.ucla.edu
310-794-2264
University of California - Los Angeles
2-Dec-2003