Modeling the meaning of words: Neural correlates of abstract and concrete noun processing
(2011) In Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis 71(4). p.455-478- Abstract
- We present a model relating analysis of abstract and concrete word meaning in terms of semantic features and contextual frames within a general framework of neurocognitive information processing. The approach taken here assumes concrete noun meanings to be intimately related to sensory feature constellations. These features are processed by posterior sensory regions of the brain, e.g. the occipital lobe, which handles visual information. The interpretation of abstract nouns, however, is likely to be more dependent on semantic frames and linguistic context. A greater involvement of more anteriorly located, perisylvian brain areas has previously been found for the processing of abstract words. In the present study, a word association test... (More)
- We present a model relating analysis of abstract and concrete word meaning in terms of semantic features and contextual frames within a general framework of neurocognitive information processing. The approach taken here assumes concrete noun meanings to be intimately related to sensory feature constellations. These features are processed by posterior sensory regions of the brain, e.g. the occipital lobe, which handles visual information. The interpretation of abstract nouns, however, is likely to be more dependent on semantic frames and linguistic context. A greater involvement of more anteriorly located, perisylvian brain areas has previously been found for the processing of abstract words. In the present study, a word association test was carried out in order to compare semantic processing in healthy subjects (n=12) with subjects with aphasia due to perisylvian lesions (n=3) and occipital lesions (n=1). The word associations were coded into different categories depending on their semantic content. A double dissociation was found, where, compared to the controls, the perisylvian aphasic subjects had problems associating to abstract nouns and produced fewer semantic frame-based associations, whereas the occipital aphasic subject showed disturbances in concrete noun processing and made fewer semantic feature based associations. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2293768
- author
- Mårtensson, Frida LU ; Roll, Mikael LU ; Apt, Pia and Horne, Merle LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2011
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- mental lexicon, abstract words, concrete words, semantic frames, semantic features, neurocognition, aphasia
- in
- Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis
- volume
- 71
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 455 - 478
- publisher
- Polish Neuroscience Society - PTBUN, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000299368200004
- scopus:84855775860
- ISSN
- 0065-1400
- project
- Abstract, emotional and concrete words in the mental lexicon
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Linguistics and Phonetics (015010003)
- id
- 3486352d-f2ae-475b-a6b8-6557363e48e1 (old id 2293768)
- alternative location
- http://www.ane.pl/showarticle.php?art=7148
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 14:37:11
- date last changed
- 2023-09-03 17:01:41
@article{3486352d-f2ae-475b-a6b8-6557363e48e1, abstract = {{We present a model relating analysis of abstract and concrete word meaning in terms of semantic features and contextual frames within a general framework of neurocognitive information processing. The approach taken here assumes concrete noun meanings to be intimately related to sensory feature constellations. These features are processed by posterior sensory regions of the brain, e.g. the occipital lobe, which handles visual information. The interpretation of abstract nouns, however, is likely to be more dependent on semantic frames and linguistic context. A greater involvement of more anteriorly located, perisylvian brain areas has previously been found for the processing of abstract words. In the present study, a word association test was carried out in order to compare semantic processing in healthy subjects (n=12) with subjects with aphasia due to perisylvian lesions (n=3) and occipital lesions (n=1). The word associations were coded into different categories depending on their semantic content. A double dissociation was found, where, compared to the controls, the perisylvian aphasic subjects had problems associating to abstract nouns and produced fewer semantic frame-based associations, whereas the occipital aphasic subject showed disturbances in concrete noun processing and made fewer semantic feature based associations.}}, author = {{Mårtensson, Frida and Roll, Mikael and Apt, Pia and Horne, Merle}}, issn = {{0065-1400}}, keywords = {{mental lexicon; abstract words; concrete words; semantic frames; semantic features; neurocognition; aphasia}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{4}}, pages = {{455--478}}, publisher = {{Polish Neuroscience Society - PTBUN, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology}}, series = {{Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis}}, title = {{Modeling the meaning of words: Neural correlates of abstract and concrete noun processing}}, url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4070716/2293797.pdf}}, volume = {{71}}, year = {{2011}}, }