Resumen de New techniques in neurolinguistics
The aim of this chapter is to deepen on the evolution and changes that have shaped neurolinguistic research in recent decades coinciding with the emergence of biolinguistics. Special focus lies on the wide range of methodological and experimental choices available to researchers, including the introduction of (new) techniques from different disciplines such as neuroscience, neuropsychology, cognitive science, linguistics and communication disorders, and how the proliferation of interdisciplinary data and approaches have contributed to a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying linguistic processing across the board: from healthy mono- or multilingual individuals across developmental stages to people with conditions affecting any aspect of their linguistic behavior. The layout of the chapter includes four main sections which give evidence of the relevance of interdisciplinarity and technification in the evolution of neurolinguistics. Section 1, Brain imaging and electrophysiology, centers on neuroimaging and brain stimulation techniques used in language research, their gradual introduction and evolution, their impact, and their main weaknesses. Section 2, Experimental design, is devoted to the active and passive experimental techniques used in combination with brain imaging and stimulation to draw conclusions about how language is represented and processed in the brain. Section 3, Clinical studies, incorporates new evidence from the field of language disorders. Leaving aphasia studies - key in the early days of neurolinguistics - aside, the focus lies on secondary language disorders currently in the spotlight such as brain tumors and dementia. Finally, section 4, Computer modeling, explores recent advances in language technology and their potential for the near future. The chapter closes with a reflection about future directions and challenges.
