脳磁図による音声研究の展望(<特集>音声研究の新しい手法)

抄録

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) measures weak magnetic fields generated by neuronal activities of the human brain during various information processing. It enables reseachers to estimate which part of the brain is active at which phase of information processing with high temporal and spatial resolutions without any bio-hazards. Neuromagnetic approaches to phonetics are providing new insights on neuronal mechanisms including bottom-up and top-down processes responsible for phonetic categorization and spoken language processing, based on which some of the controversial issues in conventional phonetics may be resolved in the future.