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Original Articles

Electrophysiological correlates of word comprehension: Event-related potential (ERP) and independent component analysis (ICA)

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Pages 1-11 | Received 01 May 2008, Published online: 07 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

In this study we asked to what extent auditory evoked potentials can help us to understand the complex processes underlying word comprehension. Monosyllabic and bisyllabic words were presented to 34 young adults in the context of a semantic category judgment. The basic paradigm assessed the typicality effect, the tendency for classification of members of a category to be made more accurately and more rapidly for strong exemplars than for weak exemplars. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 30 active scalp electrodes. The ERP waveform in response to the semantic categorization of a word was characterized by unique activity in four temporal intervals; (1) a negative peak at a latency of about 100 ms, (2) a positive peak at a latency of about 200 ms, (3) a broad negativity extending over the latency range from 200 to 600 ms, and (4) a broad positivity extending from 600 to 1400 ms. Independent component analysis (ICA) of the individual EEG epochs yielded four maximally independent components, interpreted as (1) exogenous detection of a change in the acoustic environment, followed by allocation of cognitive resources, especially sustained attention, to the analysis of subsequent acoustic events, (2) phonological processing, (3) semantic processing, and (4) decision processing. The morphologies of the four ICA waveforms were consistent with a parallel processing, interactive model of word recognition, and subsequent semantic categorization.

Abbreviations
ERP=

Event-related potential

ICA=

Independent component analysis

LPC=

Late positive component

PN=

Processing negativity

PVAF=

Percent variance accounted for

Abbreviations
ERP=

Event-related potential

ICA=

Independent component analysis

LPC=

Late positive component

PN=

Processing negativity

PVAF=

Percent variance accounted for

Sumario

En este estudio nos preguntamos hasta qué punto los potenciales evocados pueden ayudarnos a comprender el complejo proceso de la comprensión de la palabra. Se presentaron palabras mono y bisilábicas a 34 adultos jóvenes en el contexto de un juicio de categorías semánticas. El paradigma básico evaluaba el típico efecto, la tendencia a la clasificación como miembros de una categoría para hacerlo en forma más precisa y rápida para ejemplares fuertes que para ejemplares débiles. Se efectuaron potenciales relacionados a un evento (ERP) de 30 electrodos activos. La onda de ERP en respuesta a la categorización semántica de una palabra se caracterizó por una actividad única en cuatro intervalos temporales; (1) un pico negativo a una latencia de 100ms, (2) un pico positivo a una latencia de unos 200ms, (3) una negatividad amplia que se extendió en un rango de latencia de 200 a 600ms, y (4) una amplia positividad extendida de los 600 a los 1400ms. El análisis independiente de los componentes de las etapas del EEG del EEG mostraron cuatro componentes independientes, interpretados como (1)detección exógena de un cambio de en el ambiente acústico, seguido de la asignación de recursos cognitivos especialmente sustentados por la atención, (2) procesamiento fonológico (3) procesamiento semántico. Las morfologías de las cuatro ondas de ICA fueron consistentes con un modelo interactivo de procesamiento paralelo del reconocimiento de las palabras, y la categorización semántica subsecuente.

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