Research Funding
NIDCD R01DC017138: Cognitive control and sentence processing in aphasia, 2018 - ongoing
How do sentence comprehension and production break down in aphasia? How can they be rehabilitated?
Thothathiri, M., Kirkwood, J., Patra, A., Krason, A., & Middleton, E. L. (2023). Multimodal measures of sentence comprehension in agrammatism. Cortex, 169, 309-325. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37981441/
Thothathiri, M., & Mauro, K. L. (2018). The relationship between short-term memory, conflict resolution, and sentence comprehension impairments in aphasia. Aphasiology, 32(3), 264-289. https://doi.org/10.1080/02687038.2017.1350630
Thothathiri, M., Gagliardi, M., & Schwartz, M. F. (2012). Subdivision of frontal cortex mechanisms for language production in aphasia. Neuropsychologia, 50(14), 3284-3294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.09.021
Thothathiri, M., Kimberg, D. Y., & Schwartz, M. F. (2012). The neural basis of reversible sentence comprehension: evidence from voxel-based lesion symptom mapping in aphasia. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 24(1), 212-222. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_00118
Thothathiri, M., Schwartz, M. F., & Thompson-Schill, S. L. (2010). Selection for position: The role of left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex in sequencing language. Brain and language, 113(1), 28-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2010.01.002
What is the interaction between cognitive control and sentence processing in neurotypical adults, children, and aphasia?
Thothathiri M, Basnakova J, Lewis AG, Briand JM. Fractionating difficulty during sentence comprehension using functional neuroimaging. Cereb Cortex. 2024 Feb 3:bhae032. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhae032. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38314589.
Patra, A., Kirkwood, J., Middleton, E. L., & Thothathiri, M. (2023). Variation in how cognitive control modulates sentence processing. Royal Society Open Science, 10(4), 211969. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.211969.
Thothathiri, M., Kidd, E., & Rowland, C.F. (registered report, in principle accepted). The role of executive function in the processing and acquisition of syntax. Royal Society Open Science.
Sharer, K.*, & Thothathiri, M. (2020). Neural mechanisms underlying the dynamic updating of native language. Neurobiology of Language, 1(4), 492–522. https://doi.org/10.1162/nol_a_00023
Thothathiri, M., Asaro, C. T., Hsu, N. S., & Novick, J. M. (2018). Who did what? A causal role for cognitive control in thematic role assignment during sentence comprehension. Cognition, 178, 162-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2018.05.014
Thothathiri, M., Rattinger, M., & Trivedi, B. (2017). Cognitive control during sentence generation. Cognitive neuroscience, 8(1), 39-49. https://doi.org/10.1080/17588928.2015.1090421
Thothathiri, M., & Rattinger, M. (2015). Controlled processing during sequencing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9, 599. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00599
How does sentence comprehension work in the brain and how does it adjust to continual language experience?
Thothathiri, M., Kirkwood, J., Patra, A., Krason, A., & Middleton, E. L. (2023). Multimodal measures of sentence comprehension in agrammatism. Cortex, 169, 309-325. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37981441/
Patra, A., Kirkwood, J., Middleton, E. L., & Thothathiri, M. (2023). Variation in how cognitive control modulates sentence processing. Royal Society Open Science, 10(4), 211969. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.211969.
Sharer, K.*, & Thothathiri, M. (2020). Neural mechanisms underlying the dynamic updating of native language. Neurobiology of Language, 1(4), 492–522. https://doi.org/10.1162/nol_a_00023
Thothathiri, M., Asaro, C. T., Hsu, N. S., & Novick, J. M. (2018). Who did what? A causal role for cognitive control in thematic role assignment during sentence comprehension. Cognition, 178, 162-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2018.05.014
Thothathiri, M., Kim, A., Trueswell, J. C., & Thompson-Schill, S. L. (2012). Parametric effects of syntactic–semantic conflict in Broca’s area during sentence processing. Brain and language, 120(3), 259-264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2011.12.004
Thothathiri, M., & Snedeker, J. (2008). Give and take: Syntactic priming during spoken language comprehension. Cognition, 108(1), 51-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2007.12.012
Thothathiri, M., & Snedeker, J. (2008). Syntactic priming during language comprehension in three-and four-year-old children. Journal of Memory and Language, 58(2), 188-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2007.06.012
Snedeker, J. and Thothathiri, M. (2008). What lurks beneath: Structural priming during language comprehension in preschoolers (and adults). In I. A. Sekerina, E. M. Fernandez and H. Clahsen (Eds.), Developmental psycholinguistics: On-line methods in children's language processing. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
How does sentence production work in the brain and how does it adjust to continual language experience?
Thothathiri, M., & Levshina, N. (2023). Updating constructions: additive effects of prior and current experience during sentence production. Cognitive Linguistics, 34(3-4), 479-502.
Thothathiri, M. (2021). Rational and flexible adaptation of sentence production to ongoing Language experience. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 647076. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647076
Thothathiri, M., & Braiuca, M. C. (2021). Distributional learning in English: The effect of verb-specific biases and verb-general semantic mappings on sentence production. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 47(1), 113. https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000814
Thothathiri, M. (2018). Statistical experience and individual cognitive differences modulate neural activity during sentence production. Brain and Language, 183, 47-53.
Thothathiri, M., Evans, D. G., & Poudel, S. (2017). Verb bias and verb-specific competition effects on sentence production. PloS one, 12(7), e0180580. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180580
Thothathiri, M., Rattinger, M., & Trivedi, B. (2017). Cognitive control during sentence generation. Cognitive neuroscience, 8(1), 39-49. https://doi.org/10.1080/17588928.2015.1090421
Thothathiri, M., & Rattinger, M. G. (2016). Acquiring and producing sentences: Whether learners use verb-specific or verb-general information depends on cue validity. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 404. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00404
Thothathiri, M., & Rattinger, M. (2015). Ventral and dorsal streams for choosing word order during sentence production. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(50), 15456-15461. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1514711112
What are the mental representations and processes that drive sentence comprehension in young children?
Thothathiri, M., Kidd, E., & Rowland, C.F. (registered report, in principle accepted). The role of executive function in the processing and acquisition of syntax. Royal Society Open Science.
Thothathiri, M. (2014). Syntactic/structural priming and language development. In P.J. Brooks and V. Kempe (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Language Development. Sage Publishing.
Thothathiri, M., Snedeker, J., & Hannon, E. (2012). The Effect of Prosody on Distributional Learning in 12‐to 13‐Month‐Old Infants. Infant and Child Development, 21(2), 135-145. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.734
Thothathiri, M., & Snedeker, J. (2008). Syntactic priming during language comprehension in three-and four-year-old children. Journal of Memory and Language, 58(2), 188-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2007.06.012
Snedeker, J. and Thothathiri, M. (2008). What lurks beneath: Structural priming during language comprehension in preschoolers (and adults). In I. A. Sekerina, E. M. Fernandez and H. Clahsen (Eds.), Developmental psycholinguistics: On-line methods in children's language processing. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Thothathiri, M. (2014). Syntactic/structural priming and language development. In P.J. Brooks and V. Kempe (Eds.),Encyclopedia of Language Development. Sage Publishing.
Snedeker, J. and Thothathiri, M. (2008). What lurks beneath: Structural priming during language comprehension in preschoolers (and adults). In I. A. Sekerina, E. M. Fernandez and H. Clahsen (Eds.), Developmental psycholinguistics: On-line methods in children's language processing. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.