Lack of methods to experimentally assess the perceptual processing of sound features and allow one to measure differences in phonological proficiency has been a limitation for speech processing studies in native speakers. Tonal features associated with Swedish word-stems, word accents, which cue grammatical suffixes, constitute, however, such sound features that can be exploited to generate measures of reliance on morphosyntactically relevant phonological information during word processing. Specifically, there is a natural variance between native speakers in response time (RT) difference between phonologically valid and invalid word accent-suffix combinations that can be used to quantify perceptual phonological proficiency. This study uses ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate word accents as phonological cues to morphosyntactic meaning. The study adds to the understanding of the neural basis for both morphosyntactically relevant phonological cues by reporting correlations between differences in listeners’ RT for validly and invalidly cued suffixes and cortical thickness in left anterior and middle temporal gyrus, and the left anterior superior temporal sulcus as well as cortical surface area in the left middle and inferior temporal gyri. The cortical areas studied are known constituents of the ventral speech processing stream, necessary for word and phrase recognition.

缺乏通过实验评估声音特征的感知处理并允许测量语音熟练程度差异的方法一直是母语者语音处理研究的一个限制。然而，与瑞典语词干相关的音调特征、提示语法后缀的词重音构成了这样的声音特征，这些特征可用于在文字处理过程中生成对形态句法相关语音信息的依赖程度。具体来说，母语者之间在语音有效和无效的单词重音-后缀组合之间的响应时间 (RT) 差异方面存在自然差异，可用于量化感知语音熟练程度。本研究使用超高场磁共振成像 (MRI) 来研究单词重音作为形态句法含义的语音提示。该研究通过报告听众对有效和无效提示后缀的 RT 差异与左前颞中回和左前颞上沟的皮质厚度之间的相关性，增加了对两种形态句法相关语音提示的神经基础的理解以及左侧颞中回和颞下回的皮质表面积。研究的皮层区域是腹侧语音处理流的已知成分，对于单词和短语识别是必需的。该研究通过报告听众对有效和无效提示后缀的 RT 差异与左前颞中回和左前颞上沟的皮质厚度之间的相关性，增加了对两种形态句法相关语音提示的神经基础的理解以及左侧颞中回和颞下回的皮质表面积。研究的皮层区域是腹侧语音处理流的已知成分，对于单词和短语识别是必需的。该研究通过报告听众对有效和无效提示后缀的 RT 差异与左前颞中回和左前颞上沟的皮质厚度之间的相关性，增加了对两种形态句法相关语音提示的神经基础的理解以及左侧颞中回和颞下回的皮质表面积。研究的皮层区域是腹侧语音处理流的已知成分，对于单词和短语识别是必需的。