Understanding how language shapes our brain’s processing of sounds
Official title: Identifying acoustic-level and language-specific sensory processing mechanisms
Funded at St. John's University · NIH-11377476 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how experience with different languages changes how the brain processes spoken sounds, which could help explain why people hear and understand speech differently.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. John's University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Queens, United States) |
| Project start | August 21, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $205,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM150495-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377476 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older who are native Polish or native English speakers.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals outside the specified language groups or under age 21 or with conditions not covered by the study may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
The project analyzes existing EEG data from adults who speak Polish or English to see whether language experience changes early sensory processing of speech. Researchers will compare responses when people listen to words that either match or conflict with their native language patterns, under active listening and passive listening conditions. The goal is to map when and where language-specific information flows in the brain during speech perception. This work could reveal basic brain mechanisms behind language learning and listening in adults.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could improve our understanding of speech perception across languages and guide approaches to language learning and rehabilitation after brain injury.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests language experience can shape early brain responses to speech, supporting potential for positive findings with cross-language comparisons.
Where this research is happening
-
St. John's University
Queens, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wagner, Monica — St. John's University
- Study coordinator: Wagner, Monica
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Molecular clues to how proton channels in cells open, close, and move protons in cancer and surrounding tissues
A scientist at ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY is studying how proton channels (Otop family) work at the molecular level and how their behavior affects cancer and related conditions.
-
Biocontained whole-cell biosensors to detect dysbiosis and inflammation
A scientist team is creating safe, engineered bacteria that can sit in saliva and signal early signs of imbalance in the microbiome and inflammation, potentially helping with early diagnosis.
-
New highly selective PARP1 inhibitors for brain cancers and beyond
A new class of PARP1 inhibitors is being developed to treat cancers with BRCA defects by targeting PARP1 more selectively and avoiding brain toxicity and drug resistance.
-
Iron and ferroptosis: how iron metabolism shapes a cell’s self-destruction in cancer
A researcher at ST. John’s University is testing how iron in cancer cells affects ferroptosis, a unique form of cell death, to find new ways to influence tumor behavior.
-
MG53 and GsdmD interaction to protect heart cells after a heart attack
A study to see if MG53 can team up with GsdmD to reduce inflammatory cell death and limit heart damage after a heart attack.
-
16α-hydroxylated bile acids and how they control energy intake and liver fat
A study to understand how a specific form of bile acid (with a 16α hydroxyl group) influences how much people eat and how fat is processed in the liver, using cells and animal models.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.