Brain Regions
True or False: The SMG processes handshape, location, and movement in signed language.
TRUE
True or False: Visual cortex activation increases in late L1 signers.
TRUE
True or False: The brain cannot distinguish between gestures and signs.
FALSE
What communication mode replaced TASL in the DeafBlind community?
Protactile Language (PT)
According to Emmorey (2021), what hemisphere is dominant for both speech and sign?
Left hemisphere
Which region is equally active for speech and sign production?
Inferior Frontal Gyrus (Broca’s Area)
At what age should accessible language exposure ideally occur to avoid long-term deficits?
Before age 5
Which area activates more for gesture than sign?
Superior Parietal Lobule
Name one feature of PT grammar.
Taps, pressure, vibration, backchanneling
What does Emmorey say about modality-independent processing?
Sign and speech share core language areas like IFG and STG
Which area shows greater activation during classifier constructions in signers?
Superior Parietal Lobule (SPL)
What is a behavioral consequence of language deprivation in deaf children?
Poor grammatical judgment, reduced fluency
Which area activates more for linguistic signs than gestures?
Inferior Frontal Gyrus
Fill in the blank: PT uses ___________ constructions to indicate tactile-based information.
Proprioceptive
What part of the brain is especially active during PT due to shared tactile exploration?
Parietal regions (e.g., SPL)
Name the region activated during fingerspelling and associated with orthographic processing.
Visual Word Form Area (VWFA)
Which population did Mayberry et al. (2011) study to show cortical reorganization based on language onset?
Late vs. early sign language learners
What distinguishes linguistic signs from gestures neurologically?
Lexical retrieval and left-lateralization
True or False: PT relies on facial expressions for emotional expression.
False
In Gagne et al. (2023), what early PT signal did Ben acquire?
Attention-modulating tap
Late L1 learners show decreased activation in which language region?
Left frontal cortex (Broca’s area)
What does the brain shift from occipital to temporal lobe activity indicate in deaf signers?
Neural plasticity for language mapping
Why do signs not engage bilateral motor planning like gestures do?
Because they rely on stored phonological patterns in the lexicon
According to Gagne et al. (2023), when do adults label objects during PT with children?
After mutual tactile exploration
What is one key conclusion from Gagne et al. (2023)?
PT can serve as an accessible first language for DeafBlind children