Iacono Diego, Feltis Gloria C
Neuropathology Research, Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey (BRInj), 140 East Hanover Avenue, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927, USA.
Neuroscience Research, MidAtlantic Neonatology Associates (MANA), Department of Pediatrics, Atlantic Health System (AHS), Morristown, NJ 07927, USA.
Brain Sci. 2025 Sep 22;15(9):1022. doi: 10.3390/brainsci15091022.
Language, a uniquely human cognitive faculty, is fundamentally characterized by its capacity for complex thoughts and structured expressions. This review examines two critical measures of linguistic performance: (ID) and (GC). ID quantifies the richness of information conveyed per unit of language, reflecting semantic efficiency and conceptual processing. GC, conversely, measures the structural sophistication of syntax, indicative of hierarchical organization and rule-based operations. We explore the neurobiological underpinnings of these measures, identifying key brain regions and white matter pathways involved in their generation and comprehension. This includes linking ID to a distributed network of semantic hubs, like the anterior temporal lobe and temporoparietal junction, and GC to a fronto-striatal procedural network encompassing Broca's area and the basal ganglia. Moreover, a central theme is the integration of Chomsky's theories of Universal Grammar (UG), which posits an innate human linguistic endowment, with their neurobiological correlates. This integration analysis bridges foundational models that first mapped syntax (Friederici's work) to distinct neural pathways with contemporary network-based theories that view grammar as an emergent property of dynamic, inter-regional neural oscillations. Furthermore, we examine the genetic factors influencing ID and GC, including genes implicated in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. A comparative anatomical perspective across human and non-human primates illuminates the evolutionary trajectory of the language-ready brain. Also, we emphasize that, clinically, ID and GC serve as sensitive neurocognitive markers whose power lies in their often-dissociable profiles. For instance, the primary decline of ID in Alzheimer's disease contrasts with the severe grammatical impairment in nonfluent aphasia, aiding in differential diagnosis. Importantly, as non-invasive and scalable metrics, ID and GC also provide a critical complement to gold-standard but costly biomarkers like CSF and PET. Finally, the review considers the emerging role of AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) in automating these linguistic analyses, concluding with a necessary discussion of the critical challenges in validation, ethics, and implementation that must be addressed for these technologies to be responsibly integrated into clinical practice.
语言是人类独有的认知能力，其根本特征在于具备进行复杂思维和结构化表达的能力。本综述考察了语言表现的两个关键指标：（ID）和（GC）。ID量化了每单位语言所传达信息的丰富程度，反映了语义效率和概念处理能力。相反，GC衡量句法的结构复杂性，表明层次组织和基于规则的操作。我们探究了这些指标的神经生物学基础，确定了参与其生成和理解的关键脑区和白质通路。这包括将ID与语义枢纽的分布式网络联系起来，如前颞叶和颞顶联合区，以及将GC与包含布洛卡区和基底神经节的额纹状体程序网络联系起来。此外，一个核心主题是将乔姆斯基的普遍语法（UG）理论（该理论假定人类具有天生的语言天赋）与其神经生物学相关因素进行整合。这种整合分析将最初将句法映射到不同神经通路的基础模型（弗里德里希的工作）与将语法视为动态、区域间神经振荡的涌现属性的当代基于网络的理论联系起来。此外，我们研究了影响ID和GC的遗传因素，包括与神经发育和神经退行性疾病相关的基因。跨人类和非人类灵长类动物的比较解剖学视角揭示了具备语言能力的大脑的进化轨迹。而且，我们强调，在临床上，ID和GC作为敏感的神经认知标志物，其作用在于它们通常可分离的特征。例如，阿尔茨海默病中ID的主要下降与非流利性失语症中严重的语法损伤形成对比，有助于鉴别诊断。重要的是，作为非侵入性且可扩展的指标，ID和GC也为脑脊液和正电子发射断层扫描等金标准但成本高昂的生物标志物提供了关键补充。最后，本综述考虑了人工智能和自然语言处理（NLP）在自动化这些语言分析方面的新兴作用，并以对验证、伦理和实施方面的关键挑战的必要讨论作为结尾，这些挑战必须得到解决，以便这些技术能够被负责任地整合到临床实践中。
