Language development in the brain
New research reveals that the brain's language network is primarily established in the left hemisphere by age 4. The study, involving brain scans of children and adolescents, shows that while language processing continues to evolve until around age 16, its lateralization occurs early. This finding may have implications for understanding developmental disorders affecting language.
- ▪The brain's language network evolves during adolescence but is largely established by age 4.
- ▪Research indicates that language processing is predominantly localized in the left hemisphere from an early age.
- ▪The study involved brain scans of children and adolescents to observe changes in language processing.
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The brain’s language network is still evolving in adolescence. But by age 4, language processing is already handled by the left side of the brain, new research finds. Jennifer Michalowski | McGovern Institute for Brain Research Publication Date: May 18, 2026 Press Inquiries Press Contact: Julie Pryor Email: [email protected] Phone: 617-715-5397 McGovern Institute for Brain Research Close Caption: Core parts of the language network (shown in teal) reside in the left frontal and temporal lobes. Credits: Image: Evelina Fedorenko Previous image Next image The brain’s capacity to use and understand language expands rapidly in the first years of life, as babies start to make sense of the words they hear and eventually begin to piece together sentences of their own.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at MIT News.