Publications by authors named "Clara Ekerdt"
In this study, we explored the relationship between developmental differences in gray matter structure and grammar learning ability in 159 Dutch-speaking individuals (8 to 25 yr). The data were collected as part of a recent large-scale functional MRI study (Menks WM, Ekerdt C, Lemhöfer K, Kidd E, Fernández G, McQueen JM, Janzen G. Developmental changes in brain activation during novel grammar learning in 8-25-year-olds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhite matter connectivity linked to novel word learning in children.
Brain Struct Funct
December 2024
Article Synopsis
- Children and adults are skilled at learning words, but the brain mechanisms for this learning change with age.
- A study found that teens (ages 14-16) used different brain regions than younger children (ages 8-10) when accessing newly learned words in a second language.
- The research revealed that teens had stronger white matter connectivity in a specific brain region, which correlated with better memory for the second language words, suggesting that the maturation of the prefrontal cortex contributes significantly to memory development.
Word learning plays a central role in language development and is a key predictor for later academic success. The underlying neural basis of successful word learning in children is still unknown. Here, we took advantage of the opportunity afforded by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging to investigate neural plasticity in the white matter of typically developing preschool children as they learn words.
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