28 episodes

A podcast about the scientific study of language and the brain. Neuroscientist Stephen Wilson talks with leading and up-and-coming researchers about their work and ideas. This podcast is geared to an audience of scientists who are working in the field of language neuroscience, from students to postdocs to faculty.

The Language Neuroscience Podcast Stephen M. Wilson

    • Science
    • 4.8 • 28 Ratings

A podcast about the scientific study of language and the brain. Neuroscientist Stephen Wilson talks with leading and up-and-coming researchers about their work and ideas. This podcast is geared to an audience of scientists who are working in the field of language neuroscience, from students to postdocs to faculty.

    ‘Determinants of multilevel discourse outcomes in anomia treatment for aphasia’ with Rob Cavanaugh

    ‘Determinants of multilevel discourse outcomes in anomia treatment for aphasia’ with Rob Cavanaugh

    In this episode, I talk with Rob Cavanaugh, Research Data Analyst at the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics Center at Northeastern University, about his dissertation ‘Determinants of multilevel discourse outcomes in anomia treatment for aphasia’.
    Cavanaugh website
    Cavanaugh, R. Determinants of multilevel discourse outcomes in anomia treatment for aphasia. Doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh. [dissertation]

    • 1 hr 15 min
    Deep learning algorithms, natural language processing, and the brain, with Jean-Rémi King

    Deep learning algorithms, natural language processing, and the brain, with Jean-Rémi King

    In the episode, I talk with Jean-Rémi King, Research scientist and team leader at Meta AI, and Associate Researcher at CNRS, École Normale Supérieure, about three recent papers from his lab on deep learning algorithms, natural language processing, and the brain.
    King website
    Millet J, Caucheteux C, Orhan P, Boubenec Y, Gramfort A, Dunbar E, Pallier C, King J-R. Toward a realistic model of speech processing in the brain with self-supervised learning. In Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) 2022. [doi]
    Caucheteux C, King JR. Brains and algorithms partially converge in natural language processing. Commun Biol. 2022;5:134. [doi]
    Caucheteux C, Gramfort A, King JR. Evidence of a predictive coding hierarchy in the human brain listening to speech. Nat Hum Behav. 2023;7:430-41. [doi]

    • 1 hr 35 min
    ‘Neural dynamics of phoneme sequences reveal position-invariant code for content and order’ with Laura Gwilliams

    ‘Neural dynamics of phoneme sequences reveal position-invariant code for content and order’ with Laura Gwilliams

    In this episode, I talk with Laura Gwilliams, soon-to-be Assistant Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Data Science at Stanford University, about her recent paper ‘Neural dynamics of phoneme sequences reveal position-invariant code for content and order’.
    Gwilliams lab website
    Gwilliams L, King JR, Marantz A, Poeppel D. Neural dynamics of phoneme sequences reveal position-invariant code for content and order. Nat Commun 2022; 13: 6606. [doi]

    • 1 hr 21 min
    Encoding and decoding semantic representations with Alexander Huth

    Encoding and decoding semantic representations with Alexander Huth

    In this episode, I talk with Alexander Huth, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and Computer Science at the University of Texas, Austin, about his work using functional imaging and advanced computational methods to model how the brain processes language and represents meaning.


    Huth lab website


    Huth AG, Nishimoto S, Vu AT, Gallant JL. A continuous semantic space describes the representation of thousands of object and action categories across the human brain. Neuron 2012; 76: 1210-24. [doi]


    Huth AG, de Heer WA, Griffiths TL, Theunissen FE, Gallant JL. Natural speech reveals the semantic maps that tile human cerebral cortex. Nature 2016; 532: 453-8. [doi]


    Jain S, Huth AG. Incorporating context into language encoding models for fMRI. Proceedings of the 32nd International Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems 2018, pp. 6629-38. [doi]


    Tang J, LeBel A, Jain S, Huth AG. Semantic reconstruction of continuous language from non-invasive brain recordings. Nat Neurosci in press. [doi]

    • 1 hr 49 min
    ‘Disentangling Semantic Composition and Semantic Association in the Left Temporal Lobe’ with Liina Pylkkänen

    ‘Disentangling Semantic Composition and Semantic Association in the Left Temporal Lobe’ with Liina Pylkkänen

    In this episode, I talk with Liina Pylkkänen, Professor of Linguistics and Psychology at NYU, about her research program, and in particular her recent paper ‘Disentangling semantic composition and semantic association in the left temporal lobe’.
    Pylkkänen lab website
    Li J, Pylkkänen L. Disentangling semantic composition and semantic association in the left temporal lobe. J Neurosci 2021; 41: 6526-38. [doi]

    • 1 hr 4 min
    ‘Speech computations of the human superior temporal gyrus’ with Eddie Chang

    ‘Speech computations of the human superior temporal gyrus’ with Eddie Chang

    In this episode, I talk with Eddie Chang, Professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, about his recent paper ‘Speech computations of the human superior temporal gyrus’.
    Chang lab website
    Bhaya-Grossman I, Chang EF. Speech computations of the human superior temporal gyrus. Annu Rev Psychol 2022; 73: 79-102. [doi | pdf]
    Chang EF, Rieger JW, Johnson K, Berger MS, Barbaro NM, Knight RT. Categorical speech representation in human superior temporal gyrus. Nat Neurosci 2010; 13: 1428-33. [doi]
    Sjerps MJ, Fox NP, Johnson K, Chang EF. Speaker-normalized sound representations in the human auditory cortex. Nat Commun 2019; 10: 2465. [doi]
    Leonard MK, Baud MO, Sjerps MJ, Chang EF. Perceptual restoration of masked speech in human cortex. Nat Commun 2016; 7: 13619. [doi]
    Hamilton LS, Edwards E, Chang EF. A spatial map of onset and sustained responses to speech in the human superior temporal gyrus. Curr Biol 2018; 28: 1860-71. [doi]
    Oganian Y, Chang EF. A speech envelope landmark for syllable encoding in human superior temporal gyrus. Sci Adv 2019; 5: eaay6279. [doi]

    • 1 hr 22 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
28 Ratings

28 Ratings

Jo642790752 ,

Fantastic Resource!!

Wealth of info for an aspiring PhD student. Am enjoying becoming more acquainted with different researchers & methods.

debohspoon ,

An amazing resource for cognitive neuroscientists!

How amazing to get to hear the experts themselves discuss their latest findings! As a young scholar I am thrilled that this podcast exists.

Kels1231 ,

So glad you started this podcast!

As a cognitive neuroscientist, language researcher, and lover of podcasts, I’m so excited to have this show! Now when I’m out walking around my neighborhood I can pretend I’m at having coffee or drinks at the SNL annual meeting 🧠

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