Language function and dysfunction lab

At the Language Function and Dysfunction Lab, we study the psychology, neuropsychology, and neurobiology of language in healthy individuals and in individuals with brain damage.

Our approach is bi-directional. On the one hand, we use models from cognitive neuroscience to better understand language function in neurological populations with the goal of contributing to the development of novel diagnostic tools and methods to improve language capacity in patients. On the other hand, we use observations of the breakdown of language and communicative abilities following brain insult to obtain unique insights informative for cognitive (neuro)science models.

We have a strong focus on language production (because, of course, you can’t do it all!), but are also interested in comprehension and, especially, the intersection between production and comprehension. Most of our work is based on behavioural measures, electrophysiology, diffusion-weighted imaging, and non-invasive brain stimulation.

For teaching resources on language production, check Speaking: The free book (chapter). It’s free and at an appropriate entry level!

Looking for an internship? Contact us!

Lab members

Group leader

Associate investigator

Post-docs

PhD candidates

Master’s students

News

Check our work at SNL 2021!

We will be again at SNL this year (from our homes). Follow the links for more. Matteo will present his work on semantic and phonological context effects using picture-word interference and EEG.

See you virtually at IWOLP 2021!

We are excited about participating in and presenting at the International Workshop on Language Production this year (from our homes). Follow the links for more (links will be updated soon).

See you virtually at SNL 2020!

We are excited about attending SNL this year (from our homes). Follow the links for more. Check Joanna’s poster for exciting findings on the temporal lobe white matter in humans vs chimps.

Check our work at Science of Aphasia 2019 in Rome

We are very excited to present at Science of Aphasia. Click on the links to see more. We will update the pages to include more info later. Joanna will give a talk on comparative neuroanatomy of the posterior temporal lobe at the white matter level: chimps vs humans!

Come see us at SNL 2019 in Helsinki!

We will be presenting lots of interesting stuff at SNL this year. Click on the links to see more. We will update the pages to include more info later.

Recent Work

Investigating semantic control in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia

Individuals in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease (amnestic mild cognitive impairment [aMCI] and mild dementia) primarily exhibit episodic memory deficits, while the presence of semantic control impairments remains understudied. To explore semantic control and white matter connectivity in individuals with aMCI and …

Speaking: The Free Book

This book was written as a resource for teaching language production at the Bachelor’s and Master’s level or for initiating trainees on the topic more generally. Some basic knowledge of cognitive psychology and linguistics is assumed. These materials only exist thanks to the help of the authors of the different sections. Sections are …

Exploring the production of discourse particles by persons with aphasia

Background: Discourse production is a fundamental aspect of everyday life. There is a growing body of research on discourse production in persons with aphasia (PWA) but one understudied aspect of discourse production is the use of discourse particles. Understanding the role of discourse particles in PWA is crucial given the recent …

Functional Roles of Sensorimotor Alpha and Beta Oscillations in Overt Speech Production

Power decreases, or desynchronization, of sensorimotor alpha and beta oscillations (i.e., alpha and beta ERD) have long been considered as indices of sensorimotor control in overt speech production. However, their specific functional roles are not well understood. Hence, we first conducted a systematic review to investigate how these …

Domain-general cognitive control processes in bilingual switching: Evidence from midfrontal theta oscillations

Language control in bilingual speakers is thought to be implicated in effectively switching between languages, inhibiting the non-intended language, and continuously monitoring what to say and what has been said. It has been a matter of controversy concerning whether language control operates in a comparable manner to cognitive …

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