TY - JOUR

T1 - Sensorimotor semantics on the spot

T2 - Brain activity dissociates between conceptual categories within 150 ms

AU - Moseley, Rachel L.

AU - Pulvermuller, Friedemann

AU - Shtyrov, Yury

PY - 2013/6/4

Y1 - 2013/6/4

N2 - Although semantic processing has traditionally been associated with brain responses maximal at 350- 400 ms, recent studies reported that words of different semantic types elicit topographically distinct brain responses substantially earlier, at 100-200 ms. These earlier responses have, however, been achieved using insufficiently precise source localisation techniques, therefore casting doubt on reported differences in brain generators. Here, we used high-density MEG-EEG recordings in combination with individual MRI images and state-of-The-Art source reconstruction techniques to compare localised early activations elicited by words from different semantic categories in different cortical areas. Reliable neurophysiological word-category dissociations emerged bilaterally at , 150 ms, at which point action-related words most strongly activated frontocentral motor areas and visual object-words occipitotemporal cortex. These data now show that different cortical areas are activated rapidly by words with different meanings and that aspects of their category-specific semantics is reflected by dissociating neurophysiological sources in motor and visual brain systems.

AB - Although semantic processing has traditionally been associated with brain responses maximal at 350- 400 ms, recent studies reported that words of different semantic types elicit topographically distinct brain responses substantially earlier, at 100-200 ms. These earlier responses have, however, been achieved using insufficiently precise source localisation techniques, therefore casting doubt on reported differences in brain generators. Here, we used high-density MEG-EEG recordings in combination with individual MRI images and state-of-The-Art source reconstruction techniques to compare localised early activations elicited by words from different semantic categories in different cortical areas. Reliable neurophysiological word-category dissociations emerged bilaterally at , 150 ms, at which point action-related words most strongly activated frontocentral motor areas and visual object-words occipitotemporal cortex. These data now show that different cortical areas are activated rapidly by words with different meanings and that aspects of their category-specific semantics is reflected by dissociating neurophysiological sources in motor and visual brain systems.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84886016111&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/srep01928

DO - 10.1038/srep01928

M3 - Article

C2 - 23732850

AN - SCOPUS:84886016111

VL - 3

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

SN - 2045-2322

M1 - 1928

ER -