Wallentin Mikkel
Center for Semiotics, University of Aarhus, Denmark.
Brain Lang. 2009 Mar;108(3):175-83. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2008.07.001. Epub 2008 Aug 21.
This review brings together evidence from a diverse field of methods for investigating sex differences in language processing. Differences are found in certain language-related deficits, such as stuttering, dyslexia, autism and schizophrenia. Common to these is that language problems may follow from, rather than cause the deficit. Large studies have been conducted on sex differences in verbal abilities within the normal population, and a careful reading of the results suggests that differences in language proficiency do not exist. Early differences in language acquisition show a slight advantage for girls, but this gradually disappears. A difference in language lateralization of brain structure and function in adults has also been suggested, perhaps following size differences in the corpus callosum. Neither of these claims is substantiated by evidence. In addition, overall results from studies on regional grey matter distribution using voxel-based morphometry, indicate no consistent differences between males and females in language-related cortical regions. Language function in Wada tests, aphasia, and in normal ageing also fails to show sex differentiation.
本综述汇集了来自不同领域的证据，这些证据涉及研究语言处理中性别差异的方法。在某些与语言相关的缺陷中发现了差异，例如口吃、诵读困难、自闭症和精神分裂症。这些缺陷的共同之处在于，语言问题可能是由缺陷导致的，而非缺陷的起因。针对正常人群的语言能力性别差异进行了大量研究，仔细研读研究结果表明，语言能力不存在差异。语言习得的早期差异显示女孩略有优势，但这种优势会逐渐消失。也有人提出，成年人脑结构和功能的语言侧化存在差异，这可能是由于胼胝体大小不同所致。但这些说法均未得到证据的证实。此外，使用基于体素的形态测量法对区域灰质分布进行研究的总体结果表明，在与语言相关的皮质区域，男性和女性之间不存在一致的差异。Wada测试、失语症以及正常衰老过程中的语言功能也未表现出性别差异。
