Plasticity of white matter connectivity in phonetics experts

摘要: Phonetics experts are highly trained to analyze and transcribe speech, both with respect faster changing, phonetic features, more slowly prosodic features. Previously we reported that, compared non-phoneticians, phoneticians had greater local brain volume in bilateral auditory cortices the left pars opercularis of Broca's area, training-related differences grey-matter group (Golestani et al. 2011). In present study, used diffusion MRI examine white matter microstructure, indexed by fractional anisotropy, (1) long segment arcuate fasciculus (AF_long), which is a well-known language tract that connects including opercularis, temporal cortex, (2) fibers arising from cortices. Most these belong three validated tracts, namely AF_long, posterior middle longitudinal fasciculus. We found as well relative non-experts (including belonging AF_long). Taken together, results studies suggest grey structural plasticity transcription training area accompanied changes connecting this very region cortex. Our findings expertise-related fronto-temporal functional hubs important for processing. Further can pursue hypothesis examining dynamics expertise related they arise during training.