Womack Department of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation

Magne, Dr. Cyrille

Brain and Language Lab

About the Lab

Our research interest lies at the interface of Linguistics, Psychology and Neuroscience. In a collaborative environment, undergraduate and graduate students work together to address basic questions regarding the relationship between prosody sensitivity, musical aptitude and language skills.

Lab Members

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Current Projects

Current projects explore the role of implicit prosody during silent reading, the link between prosody sensitivity and reading abilities, and the relationship between musical aptitude and language skills. In the lab, we use a combination of behavioral measures, eye-tracking and electroencephalography (EEG).

Biological Foundations of Prosody

Our Research delves into the fascinating connection between the “music” of language (intonation and rhythm) and how we understand what we hear. Using electroencephalography (EEG), behavioral measures, and genetic analysis, we investigate how the brain processes theses subtle cues to extract meaning from speech. By uncovering the intricate interplay between prosody, the brain, and genes, we are to shed light on individual differences in language processing and contribute to a deeper understanding of communication-related disorders.

Prosody Sensitivity and Reading Skills

We investigate the connection between prosody sensitivity-the ability to perceive and interpret rhythm and melody of speech-and literacy skills, including reading and spelling. Our research utilizes a combination of EEG to measure brain activity during prosodic processing, online tasks, to evaluate real-time responses to variations in speech, and advanced statistical analyses (cross-random effect models, item response theory). This comprehensive approach aims to clarify how prosody sensitivity contributes to literacy development, with potential implications for identifying individuals at risk for difficulties and developing targeted intervention.

Music and Cognitive Abilities

Does language processing rely on domain-specific or domain-general neurocognitive resources? To answer this question, we are using music as a comparative model. Additionally, we are investigating the implications of these overlaps, specifically the potential for musical aptitude to relate to language skills.

Validity of Mobile EEG use for Language Research

In this line of research, we explore the effectiveness of using mobile EEG technology to study language. By comparing mobile EEG recordings to traditional lab-based EEG systems, we seek to determine whether this more portable and accessible technology can reliably capture brain activity related to language processing. The study involves examining the quality of data obtained from mobile EEG in various environments and during different language tasks, assessing the sensitivity of the systems to establish neural markers of language processing (N400, P600), and investigating its potential for capturing individual differences in language abilities. Ultimately, this research seeks to validate mobile EEG as a tool for language research, potentially opening new opportunities for studying language in more natural and ecologically valid settings.

Current Publications

Scartozzi, A. C., Wang, Y., Coleman, P. L., Du’Mottuchi, X. L., Henechowicz, T. L., Gustavson, D. E., Petty, L. E., Highland, H. M., Creanza, N., Magne, C. L., Gísladóttir, R. S., Cox, N. J., Below, J. E., Nayak, S., & Gordon, R. L. (2026). Genome-wide investigation of prosody perception: Evidence for shared genetic influences between speech rhythm, musical rhythm, and reading traits. Human Genetics and Genomics Advances, 100581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xhgg.2026.100581

Nayak, S., Ladányi, E., Eising, E., Mekki, Y., Nitin, R., Bush, C. T., Gustavson, D. E., Anglada-Tort, M., Lancaster, H. S., Mosing, M. A., Ullén, F., Magne, C. L., Fisher, S. E., Jacoby, N., & Gordon, R. L. (2025). Musical rhythm abilities and risk for developmental speech-language problems and disorders: epidemiological and polygenic associations. Nature communications, 16(1), 8355. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60867-2

Boorom, O., Nayak, S., Ladányi, E., Magne, C. L., & Gordon, R. L. (2025). Music and developmental disorders of reading and spoken language. In D. Sammler (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Language and Music (1st ed.). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780192894700.013.0030

Hayes, H. B., & Magne, C. L. (2025). Dataset of 37-subject EEG recordings using a low-cost mobile EEG headset during a semantic relatedness judgment task. Data in brief, 59, 111390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2025.111390

Hayes, H. B., & Magne, C. (2024). Exploring the Utility of the Muse Headset for Capturing the N400: Dependability and Single-Trial Analysis. Sensors, 24(24), 7961. https://doi.org/10.3390/s24247961

Powell, S. J., Nayak, S., & Magne, C. L. (2024). Examining the Neural Markers of Speech Rhythm in Silent Reading Using Mass Univariate Statistics of EEG Single Trials. Brain Sciences, 14(11), 1142. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14111142

Scartozzi, A., Gustavson, D., Creanza, N., Magne, C., Below, J., Gordon, R., & Nayak, S. (2023). T16. The genetic architecture of prosody and speech rhythm perception. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 75, S170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.08.304

Nayak, S., Coleman, P. L., Ladányi, E., Nitin, R., Gustavson, D. E., Fisher, S. E., Magne, C. L., & Gordon, R. L. (2022). The Musical Abilities, Pleiotropy, Language, and Environment (MAPLE) Framework for Understanding Musicality-Language Links Across the Lifespan. Neurobiology of Language, 3(4), 615–664. https://doi.org/10.1162/nol_a_00079

Nayak, S., Gustavson, D. E., Eising, E., Nitin, R., Coleman, P. L., Wang, Y., Liu, J. Z., Polikowsky, H. G., Lui, K. F. H., McBride, C. A., Below, J. E., Fisher, S. E., Magne, C. L., Gordon, R. L., & Gordon, R. (2022). T27. The genetics of speech prosody perception: genetic associations with communication-related traits and speech-language disorders. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 63, e183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.07.330

Nayak, S., Gustavson, D. E., Wang, Y., Below, J. E., Gordon, R. L., & Magne, C. L. (2022). Test of Prosody via Syllable Emphasis (“TOPsy”): Psychometric Validation of a Brief Scalable Test of Lexical Stress Perception. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16, 765945. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.765945

Smit, D. J. A., Andreassen, O. A., Boomsma, D. I., Burwell, S. J., Chorlian, D. B., De Geus, E. J. C., Elvsåshagen, T., Gordon, R. L., Harper, J., Hegerl, U., Hensch, T., Iacono, W. G., Jawinski, P., Jönsson, E. G., Luykx, J. J., Magne, C. L., Malone, S. M., Medland, S. E., Meyers, J. L., … Wright, M. J. (2021). Large‐scale collaboration in ENIGMA‐EEG: A perspective on the meta‐analytic approach to link neurological and psychiatric liability genes to electrophysiological brain activity. Brain and Behavior, 11(8), e02188. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.2188

Fotidzis, T. S., Moon, H., Steele, J. R., & Magne, C. L. (2018). Cross-Modal Priming Effect of Rhythm on Visual Word Recognition and Its Relationships to Music Aptitude and Reading Achievement. Brain Sciences, 8(12), 210. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci8120210

Gordon, R. L., & Magne, C. L. (2017). Music and the Brain: Music and Cognitive Abilities. In The Routledge Companion to Music Cognition (pp. 49–61). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315194738-5

Jantzen, M. G., Large, E. W., & Magne, C. (2016). Editorial: Overlap of Neural Systems for Processing Language and Music. Frontiers in Psychology, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00876

Magne, C., Jordan, D. K., & Gordon, R. L. (2016). Speech rhythm sensitivity and musical aptitude: ERPs and individual differences. Brain and Language, 153–154, 13–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2016.01.001

Moon, H., & Magne, C. (2015). Noun/verb distinction in English stress homographs: An ERP study. NeuroReport, 26(13), 753–757. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNR.0000000000000417

Hubbard, T. M., Magne, C., & Langston, W. (2014). Spatial configuration of vertically related word pairs modulates the N400 component. NeuroReport, 25(18), 1424–1428. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNR.0000000000000281

Magne, C., Besson, M., & Robert, S. (2014). Context influences the processing of verb transitivity in French sentences: More evidence for semantic−syntax interactions. Language and Cognition, 6(02), 181–216. https://doi.org/10.1017/langcog.2014.7

Magne, C., Brock, M., & Seyed. (2012). Reading Acquisition and Phonological Awareness: Beyond the Segmental Level. American Journal of Neuroscience, 3(1), 10–16. https://doi.org/10.3844/amjnsp.2012.10.16

Gordon, R. L., Magne, C. L., & Large, E. W. (2011). EEG Correlates of Song Prosody: A New Look at the Relationship between Linguistic and Musical Rhythm. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 352. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00352

Marie, C., Magne, C., & Besson, M. (2011). Musicians and the Metric Structure of Words. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 23(2), 294–305. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn.2010.21413

Gordon, R. L., Schön, D., Magne, C., Astésano, C., & Besson, M. (2010). Words and Melody Are Intertwined in Perception of Sung Words: EEG and Behavioral Evidence. PLoS ONE, 5(3), e9889. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0009889

Schon, D., Gordon, R., Campagne, A., Magne, C., Astesano, C., Anton, J.-L. L., Besson, M., Schön, D., Gordon, R., Campagne, A., Magne, C., Astésano, C., Anton, J.-L. L., & Besson, M. (2010). Similar cerebral networks in language, music and song perception. NeuroImage, 51(1), 450–461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.02.023

Magne, C., & Kelso, J. A. S. (2008). A Dynamical Framework for Human Skill Learning. In Advances in Psychology (Vol. 139, pp. 189–203). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-4115(08)10017-6

Besson, M., Schön, D., Moreno, S., Santos, A., & Magne, C. (2007). Influence of musical expertise and musical training on pitch processing in music and language. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 25(3–4), 399–410.

Magne, C., Astesano, C., Aramaki, M., Ystad, S., Kronland-Martinet, R., & Besson, M. (2007). Influence of Syllabic Lengthening on Semantic Processing in Spoken French: Behavioral and Electrophysiological Evidence. Cerebral Cortex, 17(11), 2659–2668. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhl174

Ystad, S., Magne, C., Farner, S., Pallone, G., Aramaki, M., Besson, M., & Kronland-Martinet, R. (2007). Electrophysiological Study of Algorithmically Processed Metric/Rhythmic Variations in Language and Music. EURASIP Journal on Audio, Speech, and Music Processing, 2007, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2007/30194

Magne, C., Schön, D., & Besson, M. (2006). Musician Children Detect Pitch Violations in Both Music and Language Better than Nonmusician Children: Behavioral and Electrophysiological Approaches. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 18(2), 199–211. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn.2006.18.2.199

Magne, C., Astésano, C., Lacheret-Dujour, A., Morel, M., Alter, K., & Besson, M. (2005). On-line Processing of “Pop-Out” Words in Spoken French Dialogues. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17(5), 740–756. https://doi.org/10.1162/0898929053747667

Schön, D., Magne, C., & Besson, M. (2004). The music of speech: Music training facilitates pitch processing in both music and language. Psychophysiology, 41(3), 341–349. https://doi.org/10.1111/1469-8986.00172.x

Magne, C., Schön, D., & Besson, M. (2003). Prosodic and Melodic Processing in Adults and Children. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 999(1), 461–476. https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1284.056

Ystad, S., Magne, C., Farner, S., Pallone, G., Astesano, C., Pasdeloup, V., Kronland-Martinet, R., & Besson, M. (2003). Influence of rhythmic, melodic, and semantic violations in language and music on the electrical activity in the brain. Proceedings of the Stockholm Musical Acoustic Conference (Suède Stockholm).

Besson, M., Magne, C., Schon, D., & Schön, D. (2002). Emotional prosody: Sex differences in sensitivity to speech melody. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 6(10), 405–407. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-6613(02)01975-7