NEUROSCIENTIFIC INSIGHTS INTO THE COGNITIVEMECHANISMS OF SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION

Abstract

 Simultaneous interpretation (SI) is one of the most cognitively demanding linguistic tasks, requiring the concurrent performance of listening, comprehension, language conversion, speech production, and self-monitoring. This paper examines neuroscientific findings on the cognitive mechanisms underlying SI, drawing on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and structural neuroimaging studies. Key insights reveal that SI engages a distributed network of brain regions, including the caudate nucleus (cognitive control and coordination), left inferior frontal gyrus (language production), superior temporal areas (speech perception), prefrontal cortex (working memory and executive control), and cerebellum (timing and motor coordination). Professional interpreters demonstrate brain plasticity, with more efficient neural activation and structural changes compared to novices. The study also addresses cognitive load, working memory management, predictive processing, and dynamic attention allocation. The findings underscore SI as a model for extreme multilingual language and cognitive control, with implications for cognitive neuroscience, interpreter training, and understanding human brain adaptability.