In my work, I study dynamic language signals: spoken language, sign language and visual speech (lip-reading). I use behavioural and neuroimaging approaches (fMRI, fNIRS) to explore two main themes:
(1) How the brain adapts to different language signals:
How does language modality influence language representations?
How does taboo language modulate language processing?
How do we comprehend language when the signal is degraded, e.g. by background noise?
(2) How brain systems for language differ between individuals:
How do language impaired neural systems differ?
How do language systems change with development?
My brain imaging work is distinctive in applying multivariate statistical approaches to the analysis of fMRI and fNIRS data. Traditionally fMRI analyses involved comparing the magnitude of activation at single brain locations, e.g. individual voxels, to map where activation was increased to a particular stimulus across the brain. By contrast, multivariate techniques exploit the co-activation of voxels, e.g. brain patterns not voxels, to examine how information is represented as well as where it is located.
(1) How the brain adapts to different language signals:
How does language modality influence language representations?
How does taboo language modulate language processing?
How do we comprehend language when the signal is degraded, e.g. by background noise?
(2) How brain systems for language differ between individuals:
How do language impaired neural systems differ?
How do language systems change with development?
My brain imaging work is distinctive in applying multivariate statistical approaches to the analysis of fMRI and fNIRS data. Traditionally fMRI analyses involved comparing the magnitude of activation at single brain locations, e.g. individual voxels, to map where activation was increased to a particular stimulus across the brain. By contrast, multivariate techniques exploit the co-activation of voxels, e.g. brain patterns not voxels, to examine how information is represented as well as where it is located.
Key publications:
Evans, S., Price, C.J., Diedrichsen, J., Gutierrez-Sigut, E. & MacSweeney, M. (In Press). Speech and sign share partially overlapping representations. Current Biology.
Evans, S. and McGettigan, C. 2017. Comprehending auditory speech: previous and potential contributions of functional MRI. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience. 32 (7), pp. 829-846.
Evans, S. and Davis, M.H. 2015. Hierarchical organization of auditory and motor representations in speech perception: Evidence from searchlight similarity analysis. Cerebral Cortex. 25 (12), pp. 4772-4788.
*Evans, S., *Kyong, J.S., Rosen, S., Golestani, N., Warren, J.E., McGettigan, C., Mourão-Miranda, J., Wise, R.J.S. and Scott, S.K. 2014. The Pathways for Intelligible Speech: Multivariate and Univariate Perspectives . Cerebral Cortex. 24 (9).
Evans, S., Price, C.J., Diedrichsen, J., Gutierrez-Sigut, E. & MacSweeney, M. (In Press). Speech and sign share partially overlapping representations. Current Biology.
Evans, S. and McGettigan, C. 2017. Comprehending auditory speech: previous and potential contributions of functional MRI. Language, Cognition and Neuroscience. 32 (7), pp. 829-846.
Evans, S. and Davis, M.H. 2015. Hierarchical organization of auditory and motor representations in speech perception: Evidence from searchlight similarity analysis. Cerebral Cortex. 25 (12), pp. 4772-4788.
*Evans, S., *Kyong, J.S., Rosen, S., Golestani, N., Warren, J.E., McGettigan, C., Mourão-Miranda, J., Wise, R.J.S. and Scott, S.K. 2014. The Pathways for Intelligible Speech: Multivariate and Univariate Perspectives . Cerebral Cortex. 24 (9).