Syllables that Oscillate in Neuronal Circuits

Addressing a longstanding belief that cortical oscillations are related to the interpretation of sensory stimuli in the brain, two studies propose that improperly produced oscillations can lead to major language disorders. A team from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have reported in the journals eLife and Frontiers in Human Neurosciences that a computerized model of neuronal microcircuits reveals the critical role of neuronal oscillations as language is decoded. “Using a large corpus of sentences pronounced by English-language speakers showing a great variety of pace and accents, researchers observed that these coupled oscillations split words in an intelligent way: they adapted to the pace of the speaker and could correctly detect not only the syllabic barriers but also syllables identity. Theta oscillation could follow the syllabic pace in a flexible way and synchronize the activity of gamma waves, which can encipher phonemes,” explained the lead researcher of the study. To learn more about this study, click here.