Anna Simmonds

Biography

My experience as a languages teacher led to a greater interest in the neurological aspects of language processing, and my research uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate neural systems for foreign language speech production and how they are modulated by proficiency levels. I am currently using fMRI to observe the activity in brain systems during vocal learning (learning how to pronounce speech sounds), and how they change their function over time with practice. In particular, I am interested in what happens to a brain region called the striatum, which in songbirds is an essential element in song learning.

Research Interest

language processing