JEONG Lab

Multilingual Dynamics in the Brain

Tohoku University

Welcome to the JEONG Lab, where we embark on an exciting journey to uncover how our brains effortlessly manage and embrace multiple languages! Using cutting-edge brain imaging techniques like fMRI and engaging behavioral experiments, we delve into the fascinating interplay of memory, emotions, and social interactions in language learning. Our mission is to illuminate how people thrive in diverse, multilingual environments, fostering rich communication and connection across cultures. Join us in celebrating the beauty of language!

What's new

2025.9.25 | Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremony

Jiaxin Yan successfully completed her Master’s degree! During her Master’s course, she worked tirelessly, dedicating her time and effort without hesitation. We are truly proud of all the hard work and growth she has shown. As she now moves forward into the PhD program, we wish her continued success and further growth in her research journey. Once again, congratulations, Jiaxin!

2025.9.20 | The Best Presentation Award at ICON2025

We are delighted to share that at ICON2025, my student Sunny’s poster was selected as the Best Presentation among 540 posters. This is a tremendous honor, and I am deeply grateful to Sunny for putting together such an excellent piece of research. Sunny did a fantastic job—congratulations!

ICON2025 was also a truly rewarding conference, where I was able to meet with collaborators and build new networks.

2025.9.17 | Symposium at ICON2025

I had the pleasure of co-organizing and presenting at a symposium at ICON 2025 – International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (Porto, Portugal, September 15–20, 2025).

On September 17 (9:00–10:45), together with Piia Astikainen (University of Jyväskylä), I co-organized the symposium “Language & Music III SY41: Social and Embodied Language Learning.”

The symposium included the following presentations:

Hyeonjeong Jeong (Tohoku University): How Social Experiences Shape the Bilingual Brain: fMRI Studies of L2 Learning
Xueqiao Li & Piia Astikainen (University of Jyväskylä): Phonetic and Word Learning in Adulthood: Effects of Social Interaction and Audiovisual Input
Ana Zappa (University of Barcelona): How Social Cues Shape Second Language Learning: Evidence from Pupillometry, EEG, and Eye-Tracking
Gal Rozic & Gabriella Vigliocco (University College London): Learning Abstract Concepts in Social Interaction: An Investigation of Behavioural and Brain Dynamics

It was a wonderful experience to exchange ideas, receive thoughtful feedback, and engage in inspiring discussions on social interaction and embodied language learning, which provided valuable insights for our future research.

2025.9.15-20 | Presentations at ICON2025

Our lab presented four posters at ICON 2025 – International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (Porto, Portugal, September 15–20, 2025), highlighting our research on the neural basis of language, emotion, and second language learning.

Poster Presentations:

Are You Heartbroken or Devastated? Distinct Neural Substrates of Visceral Expressions of Emotion and General Emotion Labels
Hyoungsun Kim, Motoaki Sugiura, Hyeonjeong Jeong
Prosody Meets Context: fMRI Evidence of Intention Comprehension in Second Language Learners
Victoria-Anne Flood, Motoaki Sugiura, Hyeonjeong Jeong
Interpreting Sentences While Whispering ‘da ba ga da’: An fMRI Study of Plausibility-Based Processing under Phonological Loop Load
Rei Emura, Hyeonjeong Jeong, Yousuke Kawachi, Ryuya Komuro, Masatoshi Koizumi
Neural Correlates of Predictive Processing of Word Order and Thematic Roles in Korean Sentence Comprehension: An fMRI Study
Hyeonjeong Jeong, Juno Baik, Yunju Nam, Sun-Young Lee, Youngjoo Kim

Everyone delivered excellent presentations. These poster sessions offered valuable opportunities to share our findings, engage in stimulating discussions, and receive constructive feedback from an international community of cognitive neuroscience researchers.

2025.09.5-7 | Japanese Psychological Association

The 89th Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association took place in Sendai this year, and our lab had the opportunity to present one of our studies with the support of cogNAG. With so many exciting talks covering a wide range of topics in cognition and psychology, it was a truly inspiring and stimulating experience.

Jiaxin Yan (M2), Victoria-Anne Flood, Motoaki Sugiura, & Hyeonjeong Jeong, Individual Differences in Gesture-Enhanced Second Language Comprehension: The Neural Role of Problem-Solving, the 89th Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association, Sendai, Tohoku Gakuin University, Japan, September 5-7, 2025

2025.8.1 | Celebrating the End of the First Semester

Celebrating the End of the First Semester – Well Done, Everyone!

We’ve just wrapped up our final Jeong Lab seminar for the first semester! Each of you worked hard in your own way, and we’re proud of all the progress made over the past few months.

To celebrate the successful end of the semester and everyone’s accomplishments, we enjoyed some pizza and a little toast with drinks. It was a well-deserved moment of recognition and relaxation.

As we head into the summer break, take this time to recharge, reflect, and strengthen any areas you felt were lacking. Let’s come back refreshed and ready to begin the second semester together.

Summer is expected to be a hot—and possibly very busy—season, but don’t forget to take care of yourselves along the way. Wishing everyone a healthy, productive, and inspiring break. See you in the fall!

2025.8.1 | Congratulations to Chunlin on Receiving the JSPS Start-up Research Grant

We are delighted to share that Dr. Chunlin Liu, who completed her PhD in our lab last year and is now continuing her research as a member of CogNAC, has been awarded the KAKENHI Start-up Research Grant. This competitive funding supports early-career researchers as they establish independent research programs. We look forward to seeing her future contributions to the field and wish her continued success in her research endeavors.

2025.7.30-31 | Tohoku University Open Campus and Graduate Student Presentations

On July 30 and 31, Tohoku University held its annual Open Campus event. Although primarily designed for high school students, the Cognitive Neuroscience Application Center hosted a special program showcasing our research activities, including a tour of the MRI facilities and demonstrations of ongoing experiments. Jeong Lab also contributed with a poster exhibition. We sincerely thank all the lab members who helped organize and run the event.

In conjunction with the Open Campus, the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies held its annual graduate student presentation sessions. This event offers students an opportunity to present their research plans and progress to peers and faculty.

From our team, the following members gave excellent presentations:

Haoying YANG (M1) and Wendy LAM (M1) presented their master research plans.
Yuto AKI (M2) presented the progress of his master’s thesis.
Jiaxin YAN (M2) gave a final report on her completed master’s thesis.
Qiang HUANG (D2) presented the mid-stage progress of his doctoral dissertation.

Everyone did a wonderful job. We look forward to seeing even more progress in your future work!

2025.07.12-13 | JSLS conference

Two members of our lab gave oral presentations at the 2025 annual meeting of the Japanese Society for Language Sciences (JSLS), held at Ehime University in Matsuyama on July 12–13.

Qiang Huang (D2) , Yuto Aki, Daiko Takahashi, Motoaki Sugiura, & Hyeonjeong Jeong, Neural Correlates of Cross-Linguistic Syntactic Priming in Sentence Production: Evidence from Chinese-Japanese Bilinguals, The Japanese Society for Language Sciences (JSLS), Matsuyama, Ehime University, Japan, July 12–13, 2025
Jiaxin Yan (M2), Victoria-Anne Flood, Motoaki Sugiura, & Hyeonjeong Jeong, How Gestures Facilitate Second Language Acquisition: A Neural Perspective, The Japanese Society for Language Sciences (JSLS), Matsuyama, Ehime University, Japan, July 12–13, 2025

JSLS provided an excellent opportunity for intensive academic exchange. Both students received valuable feedback and engaged in stimulating discussions. We are deeply grateful to the researchers who attended their presentations and offered insightful comments.

2025.07.03-04 | Plenary talk

Jeong gave a plenary talk at the Korean Psycholinguistics Society, whose theme this year was “Re” – Human Brain in Psychology and Language. The event provided a valuable opportunity to engage in stimulating discussions with many Korean researchers across different subfields of psychology.

Additionally, two members of our lab, Sunny (D1) and Victoria-Anne (D2), presented their research on interoceptive language representation and second language prosody processing. Their presentations were well received by the audience and generated meaningful questions and feedback. Sunny was honored with the Best Presentation Award among many excellent presentations, which was a wonderful recognition of her hard work and dedication. It was a truly rewarding experience to see their growth as emerging scholars and to witness their contributions being acknowledged by the broader academic community.

Hyoungsun Kim, Motoaki Sugiura, & Hyeonjeong Jeong, Embodied Emotion and Language: the Neural Substrates of Visceral Expressions of Emotion, 2025 Korean Psycholinguistics Society Annual Conference, Konkuk University, Seoul: Korea, July 3–4, 2025
Victoria-Anne Flood, Motoaki Sugiura, & Hyeonjeong Jeong, Neural Processing of Attitudinal Prosody During Second Language Sentence Comprehension, 2025 Korean Psycholinguistics Society Annual Conference, Konkuk University, Seoul: Korea, July 3–4, 2025

2025.06.25-30 | EuroSLA 34

Yuto Aki, a second-year master’s student, presented his research at the 34th European Second Language Association Conference (EuroSLA 34), held at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø from June 25 to 28, 2025. His presentation investigated the neural mechanisms underlying emotional expression in a second language using functional MRI. This study highlights the cognitive and affective challenges L2 speakers face in conveying emotions and lays the groundwork for future research on how individual differences may support more effective emotional communication in multilingual contexts.

In addition, a collaborative project co-led by Professor Andrea Revesz (UCL) and Professor Hyeonjeong Jeong (Tohoku University) was also presented at EuroSLA 34. This pioneering study introduced an fMRI paradigm in which participants engaged in second language writing tasks inside the scanner for the first time. The findings explored how neurocognitive processes vary depending on pause location during L2 writing, offering novel insights into the cognitive demands of multilingual written production.

Yuto Aki, Satsuki Kurokawa, Takumi Uchihara, Motoaki Sugiura, & Hyeonjeong Jeong. Why is it challenging to express emotions in a second language? Insights from fMRI. Paper presented at the 34th European Second Language Association Conference (EuroSLA 34), UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. June 25–28, 2025.
Andrea Revesz, Hyeonjeong Jeong, Yuyong Liu, Tsubasa Otsuki, Xin Rong, Ting Zeng, Hiroyuki Takahasi, & Motoaki Sugiura. Do neurocognitive processes differ by pause location during L2 writing? Paper presented at the 34th European Second Language Association Conference (EuroSLA 34), UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. June 25–28, 2025.

2025.06.24-28 | OHBM 2025

Jiaxin Yan, a second-year master’s student, presented her research at the annual meeting of the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM), held in Brisbane from June 24 to 28. Her presentation, titled “Beyond Words: How Gestures Shape Speech Comprehension and Retention in the Bilingual Brain,” explored the role of gestures in bilingual speech processing. This study represents a rare investigation into the neural effects of gestures during L2 speech comprehension, offering new insights into how nonverbal cues support language understanding in the bilingual brain.

Jiaxin Yan, Victoria-Anne Flood, Motoaki Sugiura, & Hyeonjeong Jeong, Beyond Words: How Gestures Shape Speech Comprehension and Retention in the Bilingual Brain, Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, June 24-28, 2025

2025.06.13 | Human Brain Science seminar

27th Human Neuroscience Seminar (June 13): How Do We Study Language—The Potential of fMRI

We were honored to host Dr. Andrew Lee (Associate Professor, Université Laval, Canada) as the invited speaker for the 27th Human Neuroscience Seminar. His insightful talk, "Exploring Methodological Pluralism in Second Language Speech Research," offered a comprehensive perspective on integrating biological, cognitive, and classroom-based approaches in L2 speech studies. The seminar stimulated engaging discussion and provided valuable insights into interdisciplinary methodology.

In addition, our team members Huang Qiang and Chunlin Liu also presented their ongoing research, contributing further to the vibrant academic exchange.

https://hubs.idac.tohoku.ac.jp/eng/news/detail.php?d=S0ksSczLtzUxMQYA

2025.05.16 | Human Brain Science seminar -

Emotion and Memory in the Brain: Multimodal Insights from Language, Gesture, and Psychophysiology —International Academic Exchange: Tohoku University × University of Jyväskylä—

Date– May 16, 2025

Venue 3rd Floor, Department of Human Brain Science, Smart-Aging Center, Seiryo Campus, Tohoku University

Program Details

https://hubs.idac.tohoku.ac.jp/eng/news/detail.php?d=S0ksSczLtzUxtgAA

We held an interdisciplinary seminar exploring how language, gesture, and physiological signals contribute to emotion and memory, with two guest speakers, Dr. Xueqiao Li and Dr. Weiyong Xu from the University of Jyväskylä. It was a stimulating time full of learning and new insights!

Excellent student presentations by Hyoungsun Kim (D1) and Jiaxin Yan (M2) showcased how emotion and gesture shape communication and memory.

Dr. Xueqiao Li led a hands-on workshop: "Accessing Emotion in a Laboratory Setting: EDA, Facial EMG, and Self-Reports"

Dr. Weiyong Xu delivered an invited talk: "Neural Correlates of Retrospective Memory Confidence during Face–Name Associative Learning"

—featuring innovative methods and analyses.

Thank you to all participants for making it a successful and engaging event!

2025.04.11 | Jeong Seminar Kick-off Presentation

From April to May, Dr. Xueqiao Li from the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) will be staying in our lab for two months. To mark the beginning of her stay, we held a special kick-off talk featuring her research.

Speaker: Dr. Xueqiao Li
Title: Depressive symptoms and depressed mood affect cognitive processing of emotional information: evidence from psychophysiological and behavioral studies
https://www.jyu.fi/en/people/xueqiao-li

We truly enjoyed the opportunity to engage with such an inspiring researcher.

2025.03.22 | Presentation at AAAL2025

Yuto Aki, a first-year master's student, gave a presentation at AAAL2025 in Denver, USA.

Yuto Aki, Takumi Uchihara, Motoaki Sugiura, Hyeonjeong Jeong, How Language Shapes Emotion in First and Second Language Contexts: Behavioral and fMRI Approaches, American Association for Applied Linguistics, Denver, USA, March 22-25, 2025

2025.03.10 | Data Science Cafe

On March 10th, we had a special event (Data Science Cafe) where researchers from various fields—including neuroscience, language acquisition, education, and data science—came together through the collaboration between the International Joint Graduate Program in Data Science and the Cognitive Neuroscience Application Center (CogNAC).

In the field of language education, we had a talk by Professor Andrea Revesz from UCL, while Professor Motoaki Sugiura presented from the perspective of neuroscience. My PhD student, Hyoungsun Kim (D1), also gave a presentation. In addition to these, there were many other fascinating talks from researchers across different disciplines, making the event incredibly stimulating. It was inspiring to see how various fields are interconnected.

It was a fantastic event, with a beautiful venue in the information science building. The fact that we had meals together, both during the day and in the evening, created a great atmosphere for discussions beyond the presentations. Looking forward to more events like this!

2025.03.7 | 25th Human Brain Science Seminar

What is language communication ability (25th Human Brain Science Seminar)

We had a very engaging and successful discussion on language communication skills and methods to measure them, which included a presentation by UCL Professor Andrea Revesz.

2025.01.23-24 | Graduate School Event

At our graduate school's annual event, students had the opportunity to present their ongoing research and future directions in what are known as "title presentations." This year, four students from our lab delivered insightful presentations, highlighting the scope and potential impact of their Master's and Doctoral thesis research. Their work was highly acclaimed, reflecting both the depth of their studies and their dedication to advancing the field. We encourage all students to continue honing their diverse skills and to strive for excellence in their research endeavors.

Title Presentations from Our Lab:

🔹 The Role of Gesture in Second Language Acquisition: An fMRI Study
Jaxin Yan (M2)

🔹 Mapping Visceral Language in the Interoceptive Cortex: An fMRI Study
Hyoungsun Kim (D1)

🔹 A Neuroimaging Study of Prosodic Intention in the Second Language
Victoria Anne Flood (D2)

🔹 The Impact of Syllable Perception Training on Bottom-Up Listening Skills: A Comparative Study of Word-Level and Thought-Group-Level Instructions
He Min (D3)

We look forward to seeing the continued progress and achievements of our students in the coming years!

2025. 1.7 Exciting News. Paper accepted

Wonderful news! Our collaborative fMRI research, titled “The crucial role of the left inferior frontal gyrus (BA44) in synergizing syntactic structure and information structure during sentence comprehension,” has been accepted for publication in Brain and Language. Authored by Hyeonjeong Jeong, Jungho Kim, Masataka Yano, Haining Cui, Sachiko Kiayama, and Masatoshi Koizumi.

This study explores how the brain integrates syntactic and information structures during sentence comprehension, focusing on Japanese sentences with different word orders (SOV and OSV). The findings highlight the pivotal role of the left inferior frontal gyrus (BA44) in coordinating these processes. Special congratulations to the entire team for this achievement, and sincere thanks to Professor Masatoshi Koizumi for his exceptional leadership throughout this groundbreaking project.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2025.105533

2024. 12. 25 Congratulations! Accepted for JSPS DC2 Fellowship

We are pleased to announce that our lab member, Huang Quang has been selected for the prestigious JSPS DC2 fellowship. We wish his continued success and look forward to seeing his future accomplishments!

2024. 12.20 New Research Grant Awarded

(British Council’s UK-ISPF Grant )

We are thrilled to announce that the international collaborative project, titled "AI-Based Analysis of Multilingual Adults and Children with Diverse Neurocognitive Profiles," has been awarded the prestigious British Council’s UK-ISPF Grant for 2024/2025 (£100k).
This interdisciplinary project brings together leading experts in engineering, neuroscience, and education from the UK and Japan, aiming to advance our understanding of multilingualism and neurocognitive diversity through cutting-edge AI-based analysis.

Project Leaders:

PI: Kazuya Saito (University College London)
CIs:
- Andrea Revesz (University College London
- Adam Tierney (Birkbeck, University of London)
- Nobu Minematsu (University of Tokyo)
- Motoaki Sugiura (Tohoku University)
- Hyeonjeong Jeong (Tohoku University)
- Takumi Uchihara (Tohoku University)

We are excited about the potential of this collaboration to pave the way for innovative insights into multilingualism and neurocognitive diversity.

2024. 11.24 New Research Grant Awarded

(TOEFL COE 2025 Research Program grant)

We are thrilled to announce the successful award of the TOEFL COE 2025 Research Program grant for our collaborative project between Tohoku University, Japan, and University College London, UK.
Led by:

Prof. Andrea Révész (Principal Investigator, University College London)
Prof. Sathena Chan (Co-PI, University of Bedfordshire)
Prof. Hyeonjeong Jeong (Co-PI, Tohoku University)
Prof. Motoaki Sugiura (Co-PI, Tohoku University)

This groundbreaking study explores the cognitive and neuro-mechanisms underlying writing behaviors in second language learners. The project focuses on the TOEFL iBT Writing section, employing cutting-edge methodologies such as neuroimaging, eye-tracking, and keystroke-logging. By integrating applied linguistics and cognitive neuroscience, it aims to uncover the cognitive processes involved in second language writing, providing new insights into test validation and language learning. This ambitious research tackles a novel and challenging topic, offering a unique opportunity to advance scientific knowledge and foster innovative applications in language education.

2024. 12.20 23rd Human Neuroscience Seminar: Social Interaction and Language Communication

We are pleased to have hosted the 23rd Human Neuroscience Seminar, which focused on the neural basis of language communication and the significance of language learning through social interaction, explored from the perspective of neuroscience. This seminar featured a special guest, Professor Piia Astikainen from the Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Finland, who presented her latest research findings. It was a highly meaningful and productive event where we discussed the directions and possibilities of future research.

2024. 12.13 Special talk by Professor Piia Astikainen

Our esteemed collaborator, Professor Piia Astikainen from the University of Jyväskylä, has arrived at Tohoku University for a 20-day visit. Her first talk, held today, was met with great enthusiasm and sparked lively discussions.

2024. 10.24-26 SNL2024, Brisbane, Australia

My team completed each presentation at the conference. # SNL2024 https://www.neurolang.org/2024/

Neural Correlates of Deep Comprehension of Second Language Reading: Focus on Retrieval Practice (Jeong et al.)
The Impact of Conversational Eyebrow Movements on Intention Recognition: An fMRI Study (D1 Liu, Yuyong et al.)
Cross-linguistic Syntactic Priming in Chinese-Japanese Bilinguals During Sentence Production: An fMRI Study (D1 Huang, Qiang et al.)
How Language Shapes Emotion: An fMRI Study of Emotion Verbalization in First and Second Languages (M1 Aki, Yuto et al.)
Role of Gesture in Second Language Comprehension: An fMRI Study (M2 Yan, Jiaxin et al.)
Exploring Brain Activity and Multimodal Input: Effects on First and Second Language Learning and the Role of Working Memory (Kajiura et al.)

2024. 10.3 Fall Semester Kickoff and Welcoming New Team Member

The fall semester has started, and Kim Hyoung Sun has joined the team as a D1 from October. Let's do our best in the second semester as well!

We had a simple welcome party today.

2024. 9.27 Congratulations! Accepted for JSPS DC2 Fellowship

We are pleased to announce that our lab member, Victoria-Anne Flood, has been selected for the prestigious JSPS DC fellowship. We wish her continued success and look forward to seeing her future accomplishments!

2024. 9.25 PhD Achievement and Professor Fujino Incentive Award: Congratulations to Chunlin!

Congratulations to Chunlin on earning a PhD on September 25! Chunlin was selected for the Professor Fujino Incentive Award 2024. The ceremony is featured on the website. Congratulations again! From October 1, Chunlin also began a new chapter as a postdoctoral researcher at Tohoku University Cognitive Neuroscience Application Center. We support her continued development and growth.

2024. 9.19 Exciting News. New publication

The collaborative work between TOHOKU and UCL on second language acquisition and neuroscience has finally been published! This paper truly couldn’t have been accomplished without interdisciplinary collaboration, and it holds a special place in my heart, given the effort I put into it. I hope many people will read it and discover more about the potential of neuroscience.

Revesz A, Jeong H, Suzuki S, Cui H, Matsuura S, Saito K, Sugiura M (2024). Task-generated Processes in Second Language Speech Production: Exploring the Neural Correlates of Task Complexity during Silent Pauses, Studies in Second Language Acquisition. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263124000421

Innovation in Linguistics

This study is the first to explore how the brain engages in cognitive processing during natural speech production using a new approach that combines linguistics and neuroscience. One of the most intriguing findings is that the brain's cognitive processes change depending on where pauses occur during speech.

Visualizing Cognitive Changes in Challenging Situations like Disasters and L2 Use

This research is the first to explore how language behavior and decision-making during disasters are affected by language use and task difficulty. By analyzing natural speech with fMRI rather than traditional surveys, the study uncovers how the brain's cognitive processes adapt in realistic disaster scenarios.

Looking Forward to Our Upcoming Presentations at SNL2024

Our team will present six research topics at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Neurobiology of Language, October 24-26 in Brisbane, Australia. Each member is working hard in preparation—please look forward to it! SNL2024 https://www.neurolang.org/2024/

Neural Correlates of Deep Comprehension of Second Language Reading: Focus on Retrieval Practice (Jeong et al.)
The Impact of Conversational Eyebrow Movements on Intention Recognition: An fMRI Study (D1 Liu, Yuyong et al.)
Cross-linguistic Syntactic Priming in Chinese-Japanese Bilinguals During Sentence Production: An fMRI Study (D1 Huang, Qiang et al.)
How Language Shapes Emotion: An fMRI Study of Emotion Verbalization in First and Second Languages (M1 Aki, Yuto et al.)
Role of Gesture in Second Language Comprehension: An fMRI Study (M1 Yan, Jiaxin et al.)
Exploring Brain Activity and Multimodal Input: Effects on First and Second Language Learning and the Role of Working Memory (Kajiura et al.)

2024.6.6-6.14 Invited Talk at Conference and Visit to Finnish Collaborators

On June 6-14, 2024, I participated as a keynote speaker at a conference (Brains and Bodies in Social Interaction, Learning and Wellbeing) held at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. I am grateful to my co-researcher, Professor Piia Astikainen, for the invitation, and I also appreciate the help from her lab members. The conference featured the latest research on social interaction, brain synchronization, and body and brain coupling, all of which were incredibly inspiring. I was also impressed by the research capabilities and the excellent facilities at the University of Jyväskylä.

2024.5.21 Paper Acceptance

Wonderful news. Our collaborative fMRI research with UCL-TOHOKU, titled “Task-generated processes in second language speech production: Exploring the neural correlates of task complexity during silent pauses in speech production,” with Andrea Revesz, has been accepted by the journal Studies in Second Language Acquisition. This study is the first to use fMRI for spontaneous speech production. I am thrilled because it demonstrates that such research can indeed be conducted using fMRI. I will share the PDF of the paper once it is available.

2024.4.25-26 Lecture by Dr. Francesca M.M. Citron, Lancaster University

We spent two intense days with Dr. Francesca M.M. Citron from Lancaster University, thanks to her stimulating talks and discussions with students.

The first day featured her as a speaker in the Colloquium Series at GSICS, followed by an informal meeting with the students in my seminar. Yuto Aki (M1) and Jiaxin Yan (M1) shared their current ideas!

The second day involved a seminar in the Department of Human Brain Science. Including Chunlin Liu (D3) 's presentation, our discussions on emotion, music, and language covered cultural impacts and emotional insights. Having a great time discussing research—it’s the best!

2024. 4.1 Congratulations on New Position and Admissions

Exciting News! Our member Diego Dardon has embarked on his research journey in a new academic setting today, taking on the role of a tenure-track lecturer at Miyagi University of Education. We wish him even greater success in his research pursuits.

In addition, we welcome two new graduate students to our team: Qiang Huang as a D1, and Yuto Aki as an M1. With these new additions, there's no doubt that our team will grow even stronger and more dynamic.

2024. 4.1 Establishment of Cognitive Neuroscience Application Center

Tohoku University has conducted various interdisciplinary studies in the field of applied brain sciences. With the expectation of further advancing our cognitive neuroscience research, we established the Cognitive Neuroscience Application Center (CogNAC) in April 2024. Researchers from diverse fields at our university will collaborate to unravel the complexities of human cognition. Through the activities of this center, we are committed to leading graduate education and supporting early-career researchers. I have been appointed as the vice director of this center and am dedicated to giving my utmost effort.

Tohoku cogNAC:https://cognac.tohoku.ac.jp/

2024. 3.24 Special talk by Professor Say Young Kim

We hosted an international joint seminar with Dr. Say Young Kim from Hanyang University, Korea. The event featured vibrant discussions on experimental methods to investigate linguistic issues. The engagement continued to flourish at the reception. Seminars that enable in-depth discussions like these are truly invaluable.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Professor Kim for his insightful lecture.

2024. 3.22

Groundbreaking Study on Brain Activity During English Writing Using fMRI Technology

We're excited to share a significant milestone in neuroscience and linguistics: the completion of the first-ever study on brain activity during English writing, achieved with a unique fMRI-compatible keyboard. This endeavor, realized in March in collaboration with University College London (UCL), opens new doors to understanding the cognitive processes behind writing.

The swift completion of this groundbreaking experiment in just one month was made possible by the invaluable support of our members and the dedication of skilled participants proficient in touch-typing and in English as a second language (L2). Now, as we proceed to analyze the data, we look forward to uncovering insights that will deepen our understanding of the brain's linguistic capabilities.

2024. 3.19 AAAL conference presentation

We presented joint research with Dr. Yuichi Suzuki from Kanagawa University at AAAL 2024. The study used fMRI to investigate the automatization of grammatical form learning through speech output practice.

Jeong, H., Suzuki, Y., Liu,C., Sugiura, M. Explicit learning and beyond: Neural evidence for automatization in L2 grammar acquisition, American Association for Applied Linguistics, Houston, the U.S. March 2024.

2024. 3.12 Exciting News. New publication

Ikeda, S., Jeong, H., Sasaki, Y., Sakaki, K., Yamazaki, S., Nozawa, T. & Kawashina, R. Predicting conversational satisfaction of face-to-face conversation through interpersonal similarity in resting-state functional connectivity. Sci Rep 14, 6015 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56718-7

Our latest research, a collaborative effort by Dr Ikeda (first author) and Professor Nozawa of Toyama University, reveals that conversational satisfaction between two people meeting for the first time can be predicted by examining their brain activity patterns before they even speak. Using advanced brain imaging (fMRI) to analyze resting-state functional connectivity, we've found that similarities in brain function are strong indicators of how well a conversation will go. This breakthrough offers new neuroscientific insights into the underpinnings of human relationships, suggesting the intriguing possibility that our neural wiring may predestine the success of face-to-face interactions.

2024. 01.30 Exciting News. Our study has just been published!

Chunlin Liu^, Hyeonjeong Jeong*, Haining Cui^, Jean-Marc Dewaele, Kiyo Okamoto^, Yuichi Suzuki, Motoaki Sugiura (2024) Effects of social interactions on the neural representation of emotional words in late bilinguals, Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience ( * corresponding author) ( ^ supervised student)

: The study demonstrates that later L2 learners, by using the language socially, increasingly involve emotion-related brain areas when processing emotional words in a second language, highlighting the importance of social interaction in the acquisition of emotional vocabulary.

As a top 10% journal, we received "Open Access" support from Tohoku University. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23273798.2024.2307630

2024.01.25-26 Graduate School Event

At the annual event hosted by our graduate school, there were presentations where students outlined their current research preparations and discussed future prospects, known as "title presentations." Three students from our lab delivered these title presentations, showcasing the scope and potential directions of their Master's and Doctoral thesis work. They were exceptionally well-received. I encourage you to continue refining your diverse skills and to strive for success in your research projects.

The Role of Gestures in Understanding Figurative Discourse in Second Language: An fMRI study by Jaxin Yan (M1)
A Neuroimaging Study of Prosodic Cues in the Second Language by Victoria Anne Flood (D1)
The Foreign Language Effect in Moral Decision-Making: Exploring Influences, Factors, and its Mechanism by Yichuan Huang (D2)

2024.01.16 Paper Accepted

I am very happy to announce that my supervised PhD student Chunlin Liu's paper has been accepted for publication in the international journal, Language, Cognition, and Neuroscience, which is wonderful news for the start of 2024. The title is "Effects of social interactions on the neural representation of emotional words in late bilinguals".

The journey to this achievement involved three rounds of revisions and considerable effort in addressing the feedback from rigorous reviewers. However, this challenging process ultimately enhanced the quality of the paper. The insightful comments from the reviewers not only improved the paper but also provided an invaluable learning experience. I sincerely thank the reviewers whose comments on our paper were insightful and constructive.

I am incredibly proud of Chunlin's accomplishments. You have done a great job, Chunlin, and this is a remarkable beginning to what I am confident will be a distinguished research career. Congratulations on your publication in such a renowned international journal. I eagerly anticipate following your future progress.

2024.01.05 Happy New Year!

We celebrated the New Year together. Wishing everyone a wonderful new year!!

Additionally, we had a farewell party for one of our members, Chunlin, embarking on a 3-month internship at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. We eagerly anticipate her achievements during this brief yet significant period.

Goals for This Year:

Re-start Journal Club and study hard all the time.
Implement the plan effectively.
Each member should aim to write a paper as the lead author.

2023.12.22

Today marked our last seminar of the year. It's been a joyful journey conducting research together this year. I am grateful for all the memories we've created and the progress we've made. Let's continue to make a fantastic team in the coming year.

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous new year!

2023.12. Publishing Book Chapter

Chapter 16

Neurocognition of Social Learning of Second Language

How Can Second Language be Learned as First Language?

By Hyeonjeong Jeong, Ping Li

The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Neurolinguistics is an excellent book that has just been published. It covers a wide range of topics in second language acquisition from a neuroscientific perspective.

I am honored to have contributed to Chapter 16 in this significant publication.

2023.11.27-11.28 Distinguished Lecture

I delivered an invited talk at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), where I introduced my previous fMRI research on social interaction. The warm welcome and the lively discussion with researchers and students greatly inspired me.

Distinguished Lectures in Humanities: Brain Mechanisms of Second Language Acquisition Through Social Interaction

2023. 10.24-10.26 Presentations at International Conference

Three members from our laboratory presented recent findings at the Society for Neurobiology of Language 2023 conference in Marseille, France.

Highlights of our team's work presented at #SNL2023

"The Rule Learning of Phonological-Based Linguistic Categories: An fMRI Study" by Diego Dardon
"Neural Mechanisms of Attitudinal Prosody Perception in a Second Language: An fMRI Study" by Victoria-Anne Flood.
"The Effect of Emotional Facial Expressions on Second Language Emotional Vocabulary Acquisition: An fMRI Study" by Chunlin Liu.

2023. 7.6-8 Presentations at International Conference

Victoria-Anne and Diego presented their studies at the Joint International Conference on English Language Teaching (ELT) in Korea, held at Konkuk University, Seoul.

"Dissociating the Roles of Working Memory and Language Aptitude during L2 Learning: An fMRI Study" by Diego Elisandro Dardon, Motoaki Sugiura, Hyeonjeong Jeong,
"How Do Second Language Learners Process Attitudinal Prosody?" by Victoria-Anne Flood, Hyeonjeong Jeong

2023.7.5

We visited Professor Kim SayYoung at Hanyang University, presented our latest research findings at the Hanyang Institute for Phonetics and Cognitive Sciences Of Language (HOPCS), and engaged with the lab members.

Presentations included:

'Brain Mechanisms for Decoding Attitudinal Prosody in Second Language' by Victoria-Anne Flood
'Neural Correlates of Learning Nominal Classification Rules: An fMRI Study' by Diego Elisandro Dardon."

2023.3.17-3.21

We presented our recent research at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) conference in Portland, Oregon, U.S., from March 17th to 21st, 2023. AAAL 2023 Conference

Our presentations included:

'Social Interaction Enhances Second Language Emotionality in the Brain: An fMRI Study' by Chunlin Liu et al., as a paper presentation.
'Neural Mechanisms of Spontaneous Speech in Disasters' by Jeong et al., in collaboration with Professor Révész (UCL), presented in the Invited Colloquia.
'The Effect of Speaker’s Face on Brain Mechanisms During Second Language Shadowing: An fMRI Study' by Jeong et al., in collaboration with Professor Shuhei Kadota (Kwansei Gakuin University), as a paper presentation

2023.3　Our laboratory website has been launched.

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