Comment on “Nonadjacent dependency processing in monkeys, apes, and humans”

Rawski, Jonathan; Idsardi, William J.; Heinz, Jeffrey

doi:10.1126/sciadv.abg0455

Cited by 8 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Especially during passive listening, associative learning is considered an automatic process for the extraction of statistical structure without the need to rely on actively controlled reasoning or attention. While a large body of evidence highlights the importance of statistical learning (Saffran et al, 1996;Aslin et al, 1998;Pelucchi et al, 2009;Kidd, 2012;Christiansen and Chater, 2016;Yang and Piantadosi, 2022), associative mechanisms are still considered insufficient for explaining the mastery of complex language hierarchies (Chen et al, 2021;Rawski et al, 2021). Nonetheless, we argue that despite missing the full complexity of language structure, it is nothing but parsimonious to assume that simple statistical processing mechanisms also substantially contribute to higher level linguistic operations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Spike-based statistical learning explains human performance in non-adjacent dependency learning tasks

2022

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Grammar acquisition is of significant importance for mastering human language. As the language signal is sequential in its nature, it poses the challenging task to extract its structure during online processing. This modeling study shows how spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP) successfully enables sequence learning of artificial grammars that include non-adjacent dependencies (NADs) and nested NADs. Spike-based statistical learning leads to synaptic representations that comply with human acquisition performances under various distributional stimulus conditions. STDP, therefore, represents a practicable neural mechanism underlying human statistical grammar learning. These findings highlight that initial stages of the language acquisition process are possibly based on associative learning strategies. Moreover, the applicability of STDP demonstrates that the non-human brain possesses potential precursor abilities that support the acquisition of linguistic structure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Spike-based statistical learning explains human performance in non-adjacent dependency learning tasks

2022

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“…However, findings also show that it may be too hasty to discuss whether perceptual capacities in primates or birds are equivalent to those engaged in syntax (Watson et al, 2020) or phonology (Rawski et al, 2021). Such classifications may be putting the proverbial cart before the horse; they are based on untested assumptions (e.g., that syntax and phonology evolved as separate "modules", that one attained modern form before the other, et cetera) that may not have applied to proto-recursive ancestors (Kershenbaum et al, 2014;Miyagawa, 2021).…”

Section: Implications For the Evolution Of Recursion And Cognitionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Decades-long debates on the evolution of recursion have ensued, carved around the successes and limitations of empirical comparative animal research. For example, perception and processing of syntax-like vocal combinatorics has been identified in some bird (Engesser et al, 2019(Engesser et al, , 2016Gentner et al, 2006;Liao et al, 2022;Suzuki et al, 2016Suzuki et al, , 2017 and primate species (Jiang et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2015;Watson et al, 2020) but results' interpretation has received various criticisms (Johan J Bowling and Fitch, 2015;Corballis and Corballis, 2014;Rawski et al, 2021). For example, these animal studies have, thus far, almost exclusively focused on perception (cf.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Decades-long debates on the evolution of language have carved around the successes and limitations of empirical comparative animal research (Bolhuis et al, 2018;Bowling and Fitch, 2015;Corballis and Corballis, 2014;Lameira, 2017;Lameira and Call, 2020;Martins and Boeckx, 2019;Rawski et al, 2021;Townsend et al, 2018). Syntax-like vocal combinatorics have been identified in some bird (Engesser et al, 2019(Engesser et al, , 2016Suzuki et al, 2016Suzuki et al, , 2017 and primate species (Jiang et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2015;Watson et al, 2020), but vocal combinatorics were not claimed to be recursive nor was recursion directly tested.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Recursive self-embedded vocal motifs in wild orangutans

Lameira

Hardus²,

Ravignani

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Recursive procedures that allow placing a vocal signal inside another of similar kind provide a neuro-computational blueprint for syntax and phonology in spoken language and human song. There are, however, no known vocal patterns among nonhuman primates arranged in self-embedded combinations that evince vocal recursion or potential insipient forms and neuro-procedures thereof, suggesting a neuro-cognitive transformation exclusive to humans. Here, we uncover that wild flanged male orangutan long calls show two hierarchical strata, wherein rhythmically isochronous call sequences are nested within self-similar isochronous call sequences. Remarkably, three unrelated recursive motifs occurred simultaneously in long calls, refuting that motifs resulted from three parallel linear procedures or that motifs were simple anatomical artifacts of bodily constrains. Findings represent a case of recursive hominid vocal production in the absence syntax, semantincs, phonology or music. Second-order combinatorics, 'sequences within sequences', involving hierarchically organized and cyclically structured vocal sounds in ancient hominids may have preluded the evolution of recursion in modern language-able humans.

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“…We are now in a phase of increasing PrEP options beyond daily oral tablets and gluteal injections every 8 weeks [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Increased and equitable PrEP uptake will likely require the development of multiple formats for PrEP (eg, daily oral, event driven, monthly oral, and longer-acting injectable) that are congruent with users' lives, access to care, and preferences for prevention [19,20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating HIV Incident Diagnoses Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Eligible for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis but Not Taking It: Protocol and Feasibility Assessment of Data Sources and Methods

Sullivan¹,

Hall²,

Bradley³

et al. 2023

JMIR Res Protoc

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Background HIV incidence estimates are published each year for all Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) counties, but they are not stratified by the demographic variables highly associated with risk of infection. Regularly updated estimates of HIV incident diagnoses available at local levels are required to monitor the epidemic in the United States over time and could contribute to background incidence rate estimates for alternative clinical trial designs for new HIV prevention products. Objective We describe methods using existing, robust data sources within areas in the United States to reliably estimate longitudinal HIV incident diagnoses stratified by race and age categories among men who have sex with other men (MSM) eligible for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) but not taking it. Methods This is a secondary analysis of existing data sources to develop new estimates of incident HIV diagnoses in MSM. We reviewed past methods used to estimate incident diagnoses and explored opportunities to improve these estimates. We will use existing surveillance data sources and population sizes of HIV PrEP-eligible MSM estimated from population-based data sources (eg, US Census data and pharmaceutical prescription databases) to develop metropolitan statistical area–level estimates of new HIV diagnoses among PrEP-eligible MSM. Required parameters are number of new diagnoses among MSM, estimates of MSM with an indication for PrEP, and prevalent PrEP use including median duration of use; these parameters will be stratified by jurisdiction and age group or race or ethnicity. Preliminary outputs will be available in 2023, and updated estimates will be produced annually thereafter. Results Data to parameterize new HIV diagnoses among PrEP-eligible MSM are available with varying levels of public availability and timeliness. In early 2023, the most recent available data on new HIV diagnoses were from the 2020 HIV surveillance report, which reports 30,689 new HIV infections in 2020, and 24,724 of them occurred in an MSA with a population of ≥500,000. Updated estimates for PrEP coverage based on commercial pharmacy claims data through February 2023 will be generated. The rate of new HIV diagnoses among MSM can be estimated from new diagnoses within each demographic group (numerator) and the total person-time at risk of diagnosis for each group (denominator) by metropolitan statistical area and year. To estimate time at risk, the person-time of individuals on PrEP or person-time after incident HIV infection but before diagnosis should be removed from stratified population size estimates of the total number of person-years with indications for PrEP. Conclusions Reliable, serial, cross-sectional estimates for rates of new HIV diagnoses for MSM with PrEP indications can serve as benchmark community estimates of failures of HIV prevention and opportunities to improve services and will support public health epidemic monitoring and alternative clinical trial designs. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/42267

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Comment on “Nonadjacent dependency processing in monkeys, apes, and humans”

Cited by 8 publications

References 19 publications

Spike-based statistical learning explains human performance in non-adjacent dependency learning tasks

Spike-based statistical learning explains human performance in non-adjacent dependency learning tasks

Recursive self-embedded vocal motifs in wild orangutans

Estimating HIV Incident Diagnoses Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Eligible for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis but Not Taking It: Protocol and Feasibility Assessment of Data Sources and Methods

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