Language News and Research

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Language skills are essential to a child’s ability to communicate and develop. These skills enable children to engage with other people and learn from their surroundings and in the classroom.

Left- or right-handedness influences speed of understanding sign language, study finds

The speed at which sign language users understand what others are 'saying' to them depends on whether the conversation partners are left- or right-handed, a new study has found.

9 May 2017

Dad's interaction with children in early life could have positive impact on cognitive development

Fathers who interact more with their children in their first few months of life could have a positive impact on their baby's cognitive development.

9 May 2017

Study findings suggest how progranulin deficiency causes frontotemporal dementia

In a recent study in Human Molecular Genetics, researchers from VIB and KU Leuven led by prof. Philip Van Damme, reveal a novel function for progranulin in lysosomes: it acts as chaperone of the lysosomal protease cathepsin D. The results were obtained in collaboration with Prof. Paul Saftig from the University of Kiel.

8 May 2017

Use of handheld devices by infants can delay speech development

Recent research presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting indicates that the development of expressive speech is more likely to be delayed in young children who use handheld devices, such as smart phones and tablets.

5 May 2017

Novel signal-processing tool enables unbiased, data-driven analysis of ultrasonic vocalizations

Vocalization plays a significant role in social communication across species such as speech by humans and song by birds. Male mice produce ultrasonic vocalizations in the presence of females and both sexes sing during friendly social encounters.

5 May 2017

Easing cellular traffic jams in Huntington’s disease may save brain cells

Working with mouse, fly and human cells and tissue, Johns Hopkins researchers report new evidence that disruptions in the movement of cellular materials in and out of a cell's control center - the nucleus- appear to be a direct cause of brain cell death in Huntington's disease, an inherited adult neurodegenerative disorder.

5 May 2017

UAB spinoff develops drug-resistant immunotherapy to combat solid tumors

The University of Alabama at Birmingham and two partner institutions have received a European patent for their novel approach to fighting cancer, an approach that is led by the UAB spinoff biopharmaceutical company Incysus Ltd.

5 May 2017

Research examines impact of language barriers on patient outcomes in home health care

In the United States, one in every five households speaks a language other than English at home. Research has shown, as English language proficiency decreases, positive healthcare outcomes also decrease.

4 May 2017

Researcher develops new language intervention to help treat patients with rare form of dementia

A Baycrest Health Sciences researcher and clinician has developed the first group language intervention that helps individuals losing the ability to speak due to a rare form of dementia, and could help patients maintain their communication abilities for longer.

4 May 2017

Speech or language impairments may not be linked to tantrums in children with autism

Speech or language impairments may not be the cause of more frequent tantrums in children with autism, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The findings could help parents of children with autism seek out the best treatment for behavior problems.

3 May 2017

Prenatal cocaine exposure linked to increased risk of drug use among teens

While the crack cocaine epidemic peaked in the late 1980's, its effects are still causing harm to an estimated 3 million teenagers and young adults exposed to the stimulant in the womb.

3 May 2017

Study shows first evidence of cognitive flexibility in bilinguals

Language has such a powerful effect, it can influence the way in which we experience time, according to a new study.

3 May 2017

Infantile spasms and multiple sclerosis relapse data presented at AAN

Mallinckrodt plc, a specialty pharmaceutical company, announced new results from two company-sponsored studies: one study on use of H.P. Acthar® Gel (repository corticotropin injection) in patients with infantile spasms (IS) and a second study on the economic burden of moderate-to-severe multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse.

2 May 2017

FDA approves first drug for treating rare form of Batten disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Brineura (cerliponase alfa) as a treatment for a specific form of Batten disease. Brineura is the first FDA-approved treatment to slow loss of walking ability in symptomatic pediatric patients 3 years of age and older with late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2), also known as tripeptidyl peptidase-1 (TPP1) deficiency.

27 Apr 2017

Virtual human simulation can help medical students learn advanced communication skills

For medical student Katie Goldrath, the first time delivering difficult health news came when she had to tell a young woman named Robin and her mom, Delmy, that Robin had leukemia.

27 Apr 2017

New grant to support research on mental health needs of Pacific Islanders

Pacific Islanders are persons who trace their roots to the native peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. Although they make up the third fastest growing racial group in the U.S., their mental health needs and attitudes regarding mental illness are poorly understood.

25 Apr 2017

Working memory training combined with brain stimulation can improve performance, research shows

Your Saturday Salsa club or Introductory Italian class might be even better for you than you thought. According to Sandia National Laboratories cognitive scientist Mike Trumbo, learning a language or an instrument or going dancing is the best way to keep your brain keen despite the ravages of time. Not only do you enhance your cognition but you also learn a skill and have fun.

25 Apr 2017

Increased familiarity with accents helps brains process foreign-accented speech with better accuracy

Our brains process foreign-accented speech with better real-time accuracy if we can identify the accent we hear, according to a team of neurolinguists.

21 Apr 2017

New behavioral intervention program could help reduce HIV infection rates among Latino men

Men who have sex with men accounted for two thirds of all new HIV infections in the United States, with 26 percent occurring in Latinos, according to 2014 data. If those rates continue, it is estimated that one in four Latino MSM may be diagnosed with HIV during his lifetime.

20 Apr 2017

Warning signs about drinking help protect health of pregnant women

The signage varies but the message is working. Drinking by pregnant women is down 11 percent in states requiring point-of-sale warning signs, says a health economist at the University of Oregon.

18 Apr 2017

Language News and Research

Further Reading

Left- or right-handedness influences speed of understanding sign language, study finds

Dad's interaction with children in early life could have positive impact on cognitive development

Study findings suggest how progranulin deficiency causes frontotemporal dementia

Use of handheld devices by infants can delay speech development

Novel signal-processing tool enables unbiased, data-driven analysis of ultrasonic vocalizations

Easing cellular traffic jams in Huntington’s disease may save brain cells

UAB spinoff develops drug-resistant immunotherapy to combat solid tumors

Research examines impact of language barriers on patient outcomes in home health care

Researcher develops new language intervention to help treat patients with rare form of dementia

Speech or language impairments may not be linked to tantrums in children with autism

Prenatal cocaine exposure linked to increased risk of drug use among teens

Study shows first evidence of cognitive flexibility in bilinguals

Infantile spasms and multiple sclerosis relapse data presented at AAN

FDA approves first drug for treating rare form of Batten disease

Virtual human simulation can help medical students learn advanced communication skills

New grant to support research on mental health needs of Pacific Islanders

Working memory training combined with brain stimulation can improve performance, research shows

Increased familiarity with accents helps brains process foreign-accented speech with better accuracy

New behavioral intervention program could help reduce HIV infection rates among Latino men

Warning signs about drinking help protect health of pregnant women

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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