Issues in plasticity and development: Language in atypical children

An introduction to essays in a special issue of Brain and Language titled "Plasticity and Development: Language in Atypical Children" presents synopses of six empirical studies, describing the main findings of each & their implications for the role of brain plasticity in language development, & summarizes insights of two commentaries on the studies. In particular, it is noted that children with early unilateral focal brain lesions consistently perform better in linguistic tasks than age-mates with specific language impairment, whose profiles resemble those of Broca's aphasics & whose results in grammar & verbal memory pattern with those of patients diagnosed with Williams syndrome, a rare, language-sparing form of mental retardation. 9 References. J. Hitchcock