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Chakrabarty M, Biswas A. Reply to Kljajevic's "Increasing sensitivity of clinical proverb tests for diagnosis of dementia". Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:3110-3111. [PMID: 38253800 PMCID: PMC11032515 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Madhushree Chakrabarty
- Department of NeurologyInstitute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research and Bangur Institute of NeurosciencesKolkataIndia
- Center for Cognitive NeuroscienceUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUSA
| | - Atanu Biswas
- Department of NeurologyInstitute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research and Bangur Institute of NeurosciencesKolkataIndia
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2
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Baraldi MA, Domaneschi F. Pragmatic Skills in Late Adulthood. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLINGUISTIC RESEARCH 2024; 53:20. [PMID: 38424410 DOI: 10.1007/s10936-024-10061-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Research investigating pragmatic abilities in healthy aging suggests that both production and comprehension might be compromised; however, it is not clear how pragmatic abilities evolve in late adulthood, as well as when difficulties are more likely to arise. The aim of this study is to investigate the decline of pragmatic skills in aging, and to explore what cognitive and demographic factors support pragmatic competence. We assessed pragmatic production skills, including discourse abilities such as speech, informativeness, information flow, paralinguistic aspects, as well as the ability to produce informative descriptions of pictures, and pragmatic comprehension skills, which encompassed the ability to understand discourse and the main aspects of a narrative text, to infer non-literal meanings and to comprehend verbal humor in a group of elderly individuals and in a sample of younger participants. Moreover, specific cognitive functions (short-term memory, verbal and visuospatial working memory, inhibition Theory of Mind, and Cognitive Reserve) were assessed in both groups. Pragmatic difficulties seem to occur in late adulthood, likely around 70 years, and emerge more prominently when participants are asked to understand verbal humor. Age was the only predictor of general pragmatic performance in a sample of cognitively unimpaired older adults; conversely, when elderly individuals with less intact inhibitory control are considered, a general role of inhibition emerged, in addition to working memory and ToM in specific tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Alice Baraldi
- Laboratory of Language and Cognition, Department of Humanities, University of Genoa, Via Balbi 2, 16126, Genoa, Italy.
- Department of Educational Sciences, Psychology Unit, University of Genoa, Corso Podestà 2, 16128, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Filippo Domaneschi
- Laboratory of Language and Cognition, Department of Humanities, University of Genoa, Via Balbi 2, 16126, Genoa, Italy
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3
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Soni S, Overton J, Kam JWY, Pexman P, Prabhu A, Garza N, Saez I, Girgis F. Intracranial recordings reveal high-frequency activity in the human temporal-parietal cortex supporting non-literal language processing. Front Neurosci 2024; 17:1304031. [PMID: 38260011 PMCID: PMC10800947 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1304031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Non-literal expressions such as sarcasm, metaphor and simile refer to words and sentences that convey meanings or intentions that are different and more abstract than literal expressions. Neuroimaging studies have shown activations in a variety of frontal, parietal and temporal brain regions implicated in non-literal language processing. However, neurophysiological correlates of these brain areas underlying non-literal processing remain underexplored. Methods To address this, we investigated patterns of intracranial EEG activity during non-literal processing by leveraging a unique patient population. Seven neurosurgical patients with invasive electrophysiological monitoring of superficial brain activity were recruited. Intracranial neural responses were recorded over the temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) and its surrounding areas while patients performed a language task. Participants listened to vignettes that ended with non-literal or literal statements and were then asked related questions to which they responded verbally. Results We found differential neurophysiological activity during the processing of non-literal statements as compared to literal statements, especially in low-Gamma (30-70 Hz) and delta (1-4 Hz) bands. In addition, we found that neural responses related to non-literal processing in the high-gamma band (>70 Hz) were significantly more prominent at TPJ electrodes as compared to non-TPJ (i.e., control) electrodes in most subjects. Moreover, in half of patients, high-gamma activity related to non-literal processing was accompanied by delta-band modulation. Conclusion These results suggest that both low- and high-frequency electrophysiological activities in the temporal-parietal junction play a crucial role during non-literal language processing in the human brain. The current investigation, utilizing better spatial and temporal resolution of human intracranial electrocorticography, provides a unique opportunity to gain insights into the localized brain dynamics of the TPJ during the processing of non-literal language expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Soni
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Overton
- Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Julia W. Y. Kam
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Penny Pexman
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Akshay Prabhu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Nicholas Garza
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Ignacio Saez
- Department of Neuroscience, Neurosurgery and Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Fady Girgis
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Cheng L, Guan Y, Zhang T, Zhan L, Liu Y, Wang P, Yu S, Peng Y. An empirical study on the development of metaphorical comprehension of Chinese children. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1254129. [PMID: 38259583 PMCID: PMC10800952 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1254129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Metaphor affects how people focus, remember, and process information and significantly influences children's language development. The study explored metaphorical comprehension by Chinese children of different ages (5-8 years). We collected response times and accuracy rates when they processed metaphorical and literal sentences with the graded salience. Linear mixed-effects modeling showed that Chinese children's metaphorical ability improved with age. Subsequent analysis found that the perception period of metaphorical knowledge was at age 5, the development stage of metaphorical knowledge was at age 6 and 7, and the rational decision period of metaphorical ability was at age 8. After 8-year-old, children can invoke the knowledge of the intention schema while activating the source domain, and this knowledge can be automatically and quickly mapped to the target domain. Meanwhile, language development and cognitive processing influenced the metaphorical comprehension of Chinese children, especially children of 8 years of age who had the highest correct rate and the shortest reaction time to process low-saliency metaphorical sentences, while 5-year-old children had the highest accuracy in high-saliency metaphorical sentence and 6-year-old children got the longest reaction time to process sentence in high-saliency metaphor. This study may provide evidence for improving and training metaphor comprehension in children with special needs such as those with an autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Cheng
- Shanghai Center for Research in English Language Education, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
- School of Foreign Studies, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China
| | - Yingming Guan
- College of Engineering, Faculty of Information and Engineering Science, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Journal of Tianjin Normal University (Social Science Edition), Tianjin, China
| | - Linlin Zhan
- School of Western Studies, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China
| | - Yanqin Liu
- School of Foreign Studies, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Language, Literature and Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Shanshan Yu
- School of Western Studies, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China
| | - Yule Peng
- College of Foreign Languages, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
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5
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Liu X, Hu Y, Hao Y, Yang L. Individual differences in the neural architecture in semantic processing. Sci Rep 2024; 14:170. [PMID: 38168133 PMCID: PMC10761854 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49538-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Neural mechanisms underlying semantic processing have been extensively studied by using functional magnetic resonance imaging, nevertheless, the individual differences of it are yet to be unveiled. To further our understanding of functional and anatomical brain organization underlying semantic processing to the level of individual humans, we used out-of-scanner language behavioral data, T1, resting-state, and story comprehension task-evoked functional image data in the Human Connectome Project, to investigate individual variability in the task-evoked semantic processing network, and attempted to predict individuals' language skills based on task and intrinsic functional connectivity of highly variable regions, by employing a machine-learning framework. Our findings first confirmed that individual variability in both functional and anatomical markers were heterogeneously distributed throughout the semantic processing network, and that the variability increased towards higher levels in the processing hierarchy. Furthermore, intrinsic functional connectivities among these highly variable regions were found to contribute to predict individual reading decoding abilities. The contributing nodes in the overall network were distributed in the left superior, inferior frontal, and temporo-parietal cortices. Our results suggested that the individual differences of neurobiological markers were heterogeneously distributed in the semantic processing network, and that neurobiological markers of highly variable areas are not only linked to individual variability in language skills, but can predict language skills at the individual level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liu
- Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, No. 28, Fucheng Street, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China.
| | - Yiwen Hu
- Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, No. 28, Fucheng Street, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Yaokun Hao
- Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, No. 28, Fucheng Street, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, No. 28, Fucheng Street, Haidian District, Beijing, 100142, China
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6
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Soshi T. Neural Coupling between Interhemispheric and Frontoparietal Functional Connectivity during Semantic Processing. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1601. [PMID: 38002560 PMCID: PMC10670303 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13111601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Interhemispheric and frontoparietal functional connectivity have been reported to increase during explicit information processing. However, it is unclear how and when interhemispheric and frontoparietal functional connectivity interact during explicit semantic processing. Here, we tested the neural coupling hypothesis that explicit semantic processing promotes neural activity in the nondominant right hemispheric areas, owing to synchronization with enhanced frontoparietal functional connectivity at later processing stages. We analyzed electroencephalogram data obtained using a semantic priming paradigm, which comprised visual priming and target words successively presented under direct or indirect attention to semantic association. Scalp potential analysis demonstrated that the explicit processing of congruent targets reduced negative event-related potentials, as previously reported. Current source density analysis showed that explicit semantic processing activated the right temporal area during later temporal intervals. Subsequent dynamic functional connectivity and neural coupling analyses revealed that explicit semantic processing increased the correlation between right temporal source activities and frontoparietal functional connectivity in later temporal intervals. These findings indicate that explicit semantic processing increases neural coupling between the interhemispheric and frontoparietal functional connectivity during later processing stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Soshi
- Department of English Language Studies, Faculty of Foreign Language Studies, Mejiro University, Shinjyuku, Tokyo 161-8539, Japan
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7
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Liu X, Yang L. Individual differences in the language task-evoked and resting-state functional networks. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1283069. [PMID: 38021226 PMCID: PMC10656779 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1283069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The resting state functional network is highly variable across individuals. However, inter-individual differences in functional networks evoked by language tasks and their comparison with resting state are still unclear. To address these two questions, we used T1 anatomical data and functional brain imaging data of resting state and a story comprehension task from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) to characterize functional network variability and investigate the uniqueness of the functional network in both task and resting states. We first demonstrated that intrinsic and task-induced functional networks exhibited remarkable differences across individuals, and language tasks can constrain inter-individual variability in the functional brain network. Furthermore, we found that the inter-individual variability of functional networks in two states was broadly consistent and spatially heterogeneous, with high-level association areas manifesting more significant variability than primary visual processing areas. Our results suggested that the functional network underlying language comprehension is unique at the individual level, and the inter-individual variability architecture of the functional network is broadly consistent in language task and resting state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liu
- Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Liu Yang
- Air Force Medical Center, Air Force Medical University, Beijing, China
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8
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Huang Y, Huang J, Li L, Lin T, Zou L. Neural network of metaphor comprehension: an ALE meta-analysis and MACM analysis. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:10918-10930. [PMID: 37718244 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The comprehension of metaphor, a vivid and figurative language, is a complex endeavor requiring cooperation among multiple cognitive systems. There are still many important questions regarding neural mechanisms implicated in specific types of metaphor. To address these questions, we conducted activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses on 30 studies (containing data of 480 participants) and meta-analytic connectivity modeling analyses. First, the results showed that metaphor comprehension engaged the inferior frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, lingual gyrus, and middle occipital gyrus-all in the left hemisphere. In addition to the commonly reported networks of language and attention, metaphor comprehension engaged networks of visual. Second, sub-analysis showed that the contextual complexity can modulate figurativeness, with the convergence on the left fusiform gyrus during metaphor comprehension at discourse-level. Especially, right hemisphere only showed convergence in studies of novel metaphors, suggesting that the right hemisphere is more associated with difficulty than metaphorical. The work here extends knowledge of the neural mechanisms underlying metaphor comprehension in individual brain regions and neural networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyang Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510280, China
- Chemical Senses and Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China
| | - Jiayu Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510280, China
- Chemical Senses and Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China
| | - Le Li
- Center for the Cognitive Science of Language, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Tao Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510280, China
- Chemical Senses and Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China
| | - Laiquan Zou
- Department of Psychiatry, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510280, China
- Chemical Senses and Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China
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Chakrabarty M, Klooster N, Biswas A, Chatterjee A. The scope of using pragmatic language tests for early detection of dementia: A systematic review of investigations using figurative language. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:4705-4728. [PMID: 37534671 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dementia cases are expected to rise to 81.1 million in 2040. Efforts are underway to develop diagnostic methods to facilitate early detection of the disease. Herein we review research findings focusing on pragmatic dysfunction in patients with dementia and evaluate the usefulness of assessing dementia and its progress with a battery of tests assessing figurative language skills. METHODS A total of 74,778 article titles were identified from EMBASE, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. After systematic screening, 51 journal articles were selected for the final review. RESULT The review suggests that impaired figurative language might be a marker for early cognitive decline. Different forms of figurative language may be impaired at different stages of the disease and in different types of dementia involving different neuropathologies. CONCLUSION The use of pragmatic tests in combination with the existing diagnostic protocols might increase the probability of early diagnosis. HIGHLIGHTS Pragmatic impairment could be a marker of early cognitive impairment. Figurative language-an important pragmatic aspect-is disrupted in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer's disease (AD). Figurative language impairment might precede literal language impairment. Pragmatic tests could be more sensitive than standard neuropsychological tests. Inclusion of pragmatic tests in diagnostic guidelines might bolster early detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhushree Chakrabarty
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research and Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Nathaniel Klooster
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Hope College, Holland, Michigan, USA
| | - Atanu Biswas
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research and Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Anjan Chatterjee
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, University of Pennsylvania, Goddard Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Penn Memory Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Lai YY, Sakai H, Makuuchi M. Neural underpinnings of processing combinatorial unstated meaning and the influence of individual cognitive style. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:10013-10027. [PMID: 37557907 PMCID: PMC10502793 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the processing of combinatorial unstated meaning. Sentences like "Charles jumped for 5 minutes." engender an iterative meaning that is not explicitly stated but enriched by comprehenders beyond simple composition. Comprehending unstated meaning involves meaning contextualization-integrative meaning search in sentential-discourse context. Meanwhile, people differ in how they process information with varying context sensitivity. We hypothesized that unstated meaning processing would vary with individual socio-cognitive propensity indexed by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), accompanied by differential cortical engagements. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined the processing of sentences with unstated iterative meaning in typically-developed individuals and found an engagement of the fronto-parietal network, including the left pars triangularis (L.PT), right intraparietal (R.IPS), and parieto-occipital sulcus (R.POS). We suggest that the L.PT subserves a contextual meaning search, while the R.IPS/POS supports enriching unstated iteration in consideration of event durations and interval lengths. Moreover, the activation level of these regions negatively correlated with AQ. Higher AQ ties to lower L.PT activation, likely reflecting weaker context sensitivity, along with lower IPS activation, likely reflecting weaker computation of events' numerical-temporal specifications. These suggest that the L.PT and R.IPS/POS support the processing of combinatorial unstated meaning, with the activation level modulated by individual cognitive styles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Ying Lai
- Graduate Institute of Linguistics, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hiromu Sakai
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiru Makuuchi
- Section of Neuropsychology, Research Institute, National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Tokorozawa, Japan
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11
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Duque ACM, Cuesta TAC, Melo ADS, Maldonado IL. Right hemisphere and metaphor comprehension: A connectionist perspective. Neuropsychologia 2023; 187:108618. [PMID: 37321404 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Metaphor comprehension is a cognitively complex task, with evidence pointing to the engagement of multiple cerebral areas. In addition, the involvement of the right hemisphere appears to vary with cognitive effort. Therefore, the interconnecting pathways of such distributed cortical centers should be taken into account when studying this topic. Despite this, the potential contribution of white matter fasciculi has received very little attention in the literature to date and is not mentioned in most metaphor comprehension studies. To highlight the probable implications of the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, right superior longitudinal system, and callosal radiations, we bring together findings from different research fields. The aim is to describe important insights enabled by the cross-fertilization of functional neuroimaging, clinical findings, and structural connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Clara Mota Duque
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil; Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Taryn Ariadna Castro Cuesta
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil; Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Ailton de Souza Melo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil; Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Igor Lima Maldonado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil; Dep. Biomorfologia, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil; UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, Tours, France.
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Chakrabarty M, Bhattacharya K, Chatterjee G, Biswas A, Ghosal M. Pragmatic deficits in patients with schizophrenia and right hemisphere damage: A pilot study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2023; 58:169-188. [PMID: 36073996 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While pragmatic deficits are well documented in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) and right hemisphere damage (RHD), there is a paucity of research comparing the pragmatic deficits of these two groups. Do they experience similar cognitive dysfunction or is there a dissociation between the two patient groups? AIMS To investigate the nature of pragmatic deficits in these two groups and to gain an understanding of the underlying cognitive mechanisms that might be associated with these deficits to further future investigations. METHODS & PROCEDURES A total of 60 participants (15 patients with SCZ; 15 with RHD; 30 (15 + 15) healthy controls (HC) were administered the Bengali Audio-Visual Test-Battery for Assessment of Pragmatic Skills. OUTCOMES & RESULTS Both SCZ and RHD patients were found to have significant pragmatic deficits compared with their matched controls. SCZ patients were found to score significantly better than the RHD group in six out of the 10 pragmatic skills when controlled for age and education. Discriminant function analysis was performed and 86.7% of the cases (HC = 100%, SCZ = 73.3% and RHD = 86.7%) were correctly reclassified into their original categories using the test scores. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS The study suggests that there is heterogeneity in the nature of the pragmatic breakdown within and across patient groups. Therefore, individualized restorative measures targeting the disrupted cognitive mechanism(s) might help elevate pragmatic competence and enhance the social functioning of patients with pragmatic deficits. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject Pragmatic deficits are common in adults with cognitive impairments of different etiologies. However, few studies have explored pragmatic deficits across clinical populations. Consequently, very little is known about the nature of pragmatic deficits in patients with schizophrenia and right hemisphere damage. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This work offers preliminary data on pragmatic difficulties in patients with schizophrenia and right hemisphere damage. This study overrides the boundaries of traditional classifications and evaluates pragmatic difficulties in these two clinical populations with reference to the underlying cognitive mechanisms, which might be disrupted. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The study adds a transdiagnostic perspective suggesting that there might be heterogeneity in pragmatic deficits, both within and across patient groups, and stresses the need for individualized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Garga Chatterjee
- Psychology Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Atanu Biswas
- Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME&R, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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Doricchi F, Lasaponara S, Pazzaglia M, Silvetti M. Left and right temporal-parietal junctions (TPJs) as "match/mismatch" hedonic machines: A unifying account of TPJ function. Phys Life Rev 2022; 42:56-92. [PMID: 35901654 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2022.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Experimental and theoretical studies have tried to gain insights into the involvement of the Temporal Parietal Junction (TPJ) in a broad range of cognitive functions like memory, attention, language, self-agency and theory of mind. Recent investigations have demonstrated the partition of the TPJ in discrete subsectors. Nonetheless, whether these subsectors play different roles or implement an overarching function remains debated. Here, based on a review of available evidence, we propose that the left TPJ codes both matches and mismatches between expected and actual sensory, motor, or cognitive events while the right TPJ codes mismatches. These operations help keeping track of statistical contingencies in personal, environmental, and conceptual space. We show that this hypothesis can account for the participation of the TPJ in disparate cognitive functions, including "humour", and explain: a) the higher incidence of spatial neglect in right brain damage; b) the different emotional reactions that follow left and right brain damage; c) the hemispheric lateralisation of optimistic bias mechanisms; d) the lateralisation of mechanisms that regulate routine and novelty behaviours. We propose that match and mismatch operations are aimed at approximating "free energy", in terms of the free energy principle of decision-making. By approximating "free energy", the match/mismatch TPJ system supports both information seeking to update one's own beliefs and the pleasure of being right in one's own' current choices. This renewed view of the TPJ has relevant clinical implications because the misfunctioning of TPJ-related "match" and "mismatch" circuits in unilateral brain damage can produce low-dimensional deficits of active-inference and predictive coding that can be associated with different neuropsychological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Doricchi
- Dipartimento di Psicologia 39, Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza', Roma, Italy; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Roma, Italy.
| | - Stefano Lasaponara
- Dipartimento di Psicologia 39, Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza', Roma, Italy; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - Mariella Pazzaglia
- Dipartimento di Psicologia 39, Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza', Roma, Italy; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - Massimo Silvetti
- Computational and Translational Neuroscience Lab (CTNLab), Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
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14
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Yin CH, Yang FPG. The Effects of Working Memory Capacity in Metaphor and Metonymy Comprehension in Mandarin-English Bilinguals' Minds: An fMRI Study. Brain Sci 2022; 12:633. [PMID: 35625020 PMCID: PMC9139067 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the role of working memory capacity (WMC) in metaphoric and metonymic processing in Mandarin-English bilinguals' minds. It also explored the neural correlations between metaphor and metonymy computations. We adopted an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) design, which consisted of 21 English dialogic sets of stimuli and 5 conditions: systematic literal, circumstantial literal, metaphor, systematic metonymy, and circumstantial metonymy, all contextualized in daily conversations. Similar fronto-temporal networks were found for the figurative language processing patterns: the superior temporal gyrus (STG) for metaphorical comprehension, and the inferior parietal junction (IPJ) for metonymic processing. Consistent brain regions have been identified in previous studies in the homologue right hemisphere of better WMC bilinguals. The degree to which bilateral strategies that bilinguals with better WMC or larger vocabulary size resort to is differently modulated by subtypes of metonymies. In particular, when processing circumstantial metonymy, the cuneus (where putamen is contained) is activated as higher-span bilinguals filter out irrelevant information, resorting to inhibitory control use. Cingulate gyrus activation has also been revealed in better WMC bilinguals, reflecting their mental flexibility to adopt the subjective perspective of critical figurative items with self-control. It is hoped that this research provides a better understanding of Mandarin-English bilinguals' English metaphoric and metonymic processing in Taiwan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Hsin Yin
- Department of Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Fan-Pei Gloria Yang
- Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan
- Center for Cognition and Mind Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan
- Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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15
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Koller S, Müller N, Kauschke C. The Elephant in the Room: A Systematic Review of Stimulus Control in Neuro-Measurement Studies on Figurative Language Processing. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 15:791374. [PMID: 35126074 PMCID: PMC8814624 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.791374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The processing of metaphors and idioms has been the subject of neuroscientific research for several decades. However, results are often contradictory, which can be traced back to inconsistent terminology and stimulus control. In this systematic review of research methods, we analyse linguistic aspects of 116 research papers which used EEG, fMRI, PET, MEG, or NIRS to investigate the neural processing of the two figurative subtypes metaphor and idiom. We critically examine the theoretical foundations as well as stimulus control by performing a systematic literature synthesis according to the PRISMA guidelines. We explicitly do not analyse the findings of the studies but instead focus on four primary aspects: definitions of figurative language and its subtypes, linguistic theory behind the studies, control for factors influencing figurative language processing, and the relationship between theoretical and operational definitions. We found both a lack and a broad variety in existing definitions and operationalisation, especially in regard to familiarity and conventionality. We identify severe obstacles in the comparability and validation potential of the results of the papers in our review corpus. We propose the development of a consensus in fundamental terminology and more transparency in the reporting of stimulus design in the research on figurative language processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nadine Müller
- Department of German Studies and Arts, Institute of German Linguistics, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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16
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Yoon HD, Shin M, Jeon HA. The critical role of interference control in metaphor comprehension evidenced by the drift-diffusion model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19292. [PMID: 34588490 PMCID: PMC8481255 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98351-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We address the question of, among several executive functions, which one has a strong influence on metaphor comprehension. To this end, participants took part in a metaphor comprehension task where metaphors had varying levels of familiarity (familiar vs. novel metaphors) with different conditions of context (supporting vs. opposing contexts). We scrutinized each participant's detailed executive functions using seven neuropsychological tests. More interestingly, we modelled their responses in metaphor comprehension using the drift-diffusion model, in an attempt to provide more systematic accounts of the processes underlying metaphor comprehension. Results showed that there were significant negative correlations between response times in metaphor comprehension and scores of the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT)-Semantic, suggesting that better performances in comprehending metaphors were strongly associated with better interference control. Using the drift-diffusion model, we found that the familiarity, compared to context, had greater leverage in the decision process for metaphor comprehension. Moreover, individuals with better performance in the COWAT-Semantic test demonstrated higher drift rates. In conclusion, with more fine-grained analysis of the decisions involved in metaphor comprehension using the drift-diffusion model, we argue that interference control plays an important role in processing metaphors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee-Dong Yoon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, Korea
- Convergence Research Advance Center for Olfaction, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, Korea
| | - Minho Shin
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, Korea
| | - Hyeon-Ae Jeon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, Korea.
- Convergence Research Advance Center for Olfaction, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, Korea.
- Partner Group of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences at the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, DGIST, Daegu, Korea.
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17
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Liu R, Yu F, Zhang J, Zhang W, Luo J. Creative Factors and Psychotherapeutic Insight: Effects of Novelty and Appropriateness. CREATIVITY RESEARCH JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/10400419.2021.1940032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruixuan Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Psychology, Hebei Normal University
| | - Jianxin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Wencai Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Psychology, Capital Normal University
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18
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Szepietowska EM, Filipiak S. Interpretation of familiar metaphors and proverbs by Polish people in middle and late adulthood. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2021; 56:841-857. [PMID: 34121295 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ability to understand figurative language, including metaphors and proverbs, decreases with age, although the phenomenon is not universal. Cognitive capacities and education play an important role in the competence connected with figurative language use and comprehension in people during the second half of life. AIMS To identify possible similarities and differences in task performance by subjects representing middle adulthood (40-49 and 50-59 years old) and late adulthood (60-69 and 70-92 years old). Additionally, the analyses took into account factors significantly affecting the results, that is, tasks type (metaphors versus proverbs), the way the answer is given (open-ended versus multiple choice) and types of answers (abstract and concrete). This study also aimed to identify some cognitive correlates of task completion. METHODS & PROCEDURES A total of 86 Caucasian subjects, aged 40-92 years, participated in this study (Mwhole group = 62.37, SD = 15.53); the group included 20 subjects aged 40-49 years (Mage = 45.4; SD = 3.05), 20 aged 50-59 years (Mage = 55.50; SD = 2.64), 20 aged 60-69 years (Mage = 64.40; SD = 2.78), and 26 aged 70-92 years (Mage = 79.15; SD = 6.27). A total of 20 well-known Polish metaphors and 20 popular Polish proverbs were used to assess the level of proverb and metaphor comprehension. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale and Vocabulary subtest of the Polish version of WAIS-R were applied to assess the cognitive functions. OUTCOMES & RESULTS The results of the analyses suggest that there are differences as well as certain similarities between the groups. At 70+ years of age, the ability to explain and comprehend metaphors and proverbs decreases when compared with younger adults. In the 70+ group, the ability to grasp the meaning of both metaphors and proverbs is similar, unlike in the younger groups which present a better ability to explain and comprehend metaphors than proverbs. The conditions related to the types of tasks, that is, spontaneous interpretation and choice of responses, do not affect scores of the oldest subjects. CONCLUSIONS The analysis of response types, that is, abstract versus concrete, shows that, compared with younger groups, people aged 70+ years tend to less frequently provide abstract explanations and more often give concrete (but correct) responses, referring to situational data or examples from everyday life. Moreover, attention, short-term/delayed memory and lexical reserve influence the ability to use and comprehend figurative language to a varied degree. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject Studies focusing on metaphor and proverb interpretation by people in middle and late adulthood are rather scarce, and what is more, they provide inconclusive results. Research has shown that the capacities related to attention and memory, as well as language resources and executive functions, all deteriorate in older people, which negatively affects their ability to understand metaphors and proverbs. However, varied methods are applied to assess these skills, which may explain why the related findings are inconsistent. What this paper adds to existing knowledge The novelty of this study lies in the fact that the analyses took into account the type of task (metaphors versus proverbs), the method of responding (open-ended versus multiple-choice) and the nature of the answer (abstract versus concrete). This allowed us to highlight intergroup differences and to show specific characteristics of proverb and metaphor spontaneous interpretation and choice of correct answers. The results were compared among the participants representing relatively narrow age ranges classified as middle and late adulthood. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Analysis of how people in middle and late adulthood interpret metaphors and proverbs might constitute an element of preliminary screening assessment showing whether a decrease in this capacity is in the normal range or if it reflects a serious cognitive decline. It would be worthwhile if the diagnostic process included varied task designs, that is, both metaphors and proverbs, as well as spontaneous interpretation and multiple-choice, as well as varied types of responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Małgorzata Szepietowska
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Sara Filipiak
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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19
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Yu F, Zhang J, Luo J, Zhang W. Enhanced insightfulness and neural activation induced by metaphorical solutions to appropriate mental distress problems. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13886. [PMID: 34173239 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Although the neural correlates of novelty and appropriateness of creative insight during cognitive tasks have been investigated in several studies, they have not been examined during mental distress in a psychotherapeutic setting. This study aimed to reveal the promoting effects of novelty and appropriateness processing on therapeutic insight in a micro-psychotherapeutic setting. We examined the effects of appropriateness (between-subject factor: appropriateness group, 20 participants; inappropriateness group, 21 participants) by manipulating the preceding negative scenarios that either fit or did not fit the subsequent solutions, and those of novelty (within-subject factor) by varying the linguistic expressions for describing solutions (metaphorical, literal, or problem-restatement). Event-related functional magnetic resonance images were collected. We found the following effects: an interactive effect of the two factors on insightfulness and activation in the bilateral hippocampus and amygdala, right superior frontal gyrus, and left superior/middle temporal gyrus; a simple effect of novelty on activation in the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, and inferior/middle occipital gyrus; and a simple effect of appropriateness on activation in the left inferior parietal lobule. Our findings indicate that solutions with high novelty and appropriateness generate the highest levels of therapeutic insightfulness as well as the strongest activation in the hippocampus and amygdala, which may be involved in episodic memory encoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, P.R.China.,Department of Psychology, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, P.R.China
| | - Jianxin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, P.R.China
| | - Jing Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Department of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, P.R.China
| | - Wencai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, P.R.China
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20
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Mottarella M, Yamasaki BL, Prat CS. Relating Individual Differences in Reading Skill to Neural Indices of Proactive Control and Online Filtering During a Working Memory Task. DISCOURSE PROCESSES 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/0163853x.2021.1926407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chantel S. Prat
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington
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21
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Fairchild S, Papafragou A. The Role of Executive Function and Theory of Mind in Pragmatic Computations. Cogn Sci 2021; 45:e12938. [PMID: 33616218 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.12938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In sentences such as "Some dogs are mammals," the literal semantic meaning ("Some and possibly all dogs are mammals") conflicts with the pragmatic meaning ("Not all dogs are mammals," known as a scalar implicature). Prior work has shown that adults vary widely in the extent to which they adopt the semantic or pragmatic meaning of such utterances, yet the underlying reason for this variation is unknown. Drawing on theoretical models of scalar implicature derivation, we explore the hypothesis that the cognitive abilities of executive function (EF) and theory of mind (ToM) contribute to this observed variation. In Experiment 1, we show that individuals with better ToM are more likely to compute a scalar implicature and adopt the pragmatic meaning of an utterance; however, EF makes no unique contribution to scalar implicature comprehension after accounting for ToM. In Experiment 2, we replicate this finding and assess whether it generalizes to the comprehension of other pragmatic phenomena such as indirect requests (e.g., "It's hot in here" uttered to ask for something to be done) and metaphor (e.g., "to harvest courage"). This is the first evidence that differences in ToM are associated with pragmatic competence in neurotypical adults across distinct pragmatic phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Fairchild
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware
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22
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The hippocampal region is necessary for text comprehension and memorization: a combined VBM/DTI study in neuropsychological patients. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 15:2367-2376. [PMID: 33415514 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-020-00432-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
According to the Construction-Integration model (Kintsch 1988; Kintsch 1998), two forms of representation are activated during the reading and the comprehension of a text: 1) the text base, which includes semantic propositions and 2) the situation model, corresponding to the integration of the information contained in the text to the memories and knowledge of the reader. Functional neuroimaging studies in healthy subjects have shown that the text base is underpinned by frontal regions and lateral temporal regions whereas the situation model would rather depend on the posterior cingulate cortex, the precuneus and other regions depending on the dimension studied. However, the brain regions highlighted so far were only involved in comprehension and not necessary for this cognitive ability. For the first time, we explored the brain structures necessary to understand texts using a combined VBM/DTI approach in neuropsychological patients with whom we obtained comprehension scores (text base and situation model) after the reading of narrative texts. To our great surprise and contrary to our hypotheses, which were based on the results of functional neuroimaging studies, our own results show that it is the hippocampal region that is necessary to activate and memorize/remember the text base and the situation model. The highlighting of a link between the integrity of a portion of the uncinate fasciculus which is well known to play a role in semantic processing and the performance scores of the text base suggests that the hippocampal region is necessary not only for the retrieval of the text base and of the situation model thanks to episodic memory, but also for the activation of the text base during the reading and the comprehension of a text.
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23
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Kasirer A, Adi-Japha E, Mashal N. Verbal and Figural Creativity in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development. Front Psychol 2020; 11:559238. [PMID: 33192819 PMCID: PMC7652732 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.559238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate lower performance on creativity tasks. Yet, recent findings suggest that individuals with ASD are not necessarily impaired in verbal creativity, as measured by the novel metaphor generation task. The current study investigates verbal and figural creativity in 40 children with ASD (aged 11–14 years) and 39 peers with typical development (TD) (aged 11–15 years). We also tested the contribution of executive functions to the creative performance. A sentence completion questionnaire was used to test creative verbal generation, while a task of drawing non-existent objects was used to assess figural abilities. The results indicate that children with ASD generated a greater quantity of creative metaphors and showed greater use of a specific kind of representational change on the figural creativity task: cross-category insertions (e.g., a house with a tail). However, no correlation was found between the metaphor generation task and the use of cross-category insertions for either group. Results also showed that, whereas phonemic fluency contributed to the explained variance in novel metaphor generation in the ASD group, fluid intelligence, although only marginally, contributed to variance in novel metaphor generation in the TD group. These findings suggest that verbal creativity and figural creativity are two separate abilities relying on different cognitive resources. Our results show that those with ASD and TD differ in the cognitive abilities they use to perform the metaphor generation task. The research points to a unique creative cognition profile among children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anat Kasirer
- School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Esther Adi-Japha
- School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Nira Mashal
- School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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24
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Weber S, Hausmann M, Kane P, Weis S. The relationship between language ability and brain activity across language processes and modalities. Neuropsychologia 2020; 146:107536. [PMID: 32590019 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Existing neuroimaging studies on the relationship between language ability and brain activity have found contradictory evidence: On the one hand, increased activity with higher language ability has been interpreted as deeper or more adaptive language processing. On the other hand, decreased activity with higher language ability has been interpreted as more efficient language processing. In contrast to previous studies, the current study investigated the relationship between language ability and neural activity across different language processes and modalities while keeping non-linguistic cognitive task demands to a minimum. fMRI data were collected from 22 healthy adults performing a sentence listening task, a sentence reading task and a phonological production task. Outside the MRI scanner, language ability was assessed with the verbal scale of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI-II) and a verbal fluency task. As expected, sentence comprehension activated the left anterior temporal lobe while phonological processing activated the left inferior frontal gyrus. Higher language ability was associated with increased activity in the left temporal lobe during auditory sentence processing and with increased activity in the left frontal lobe during phonological processing, reflected in both, higher intensity and greater extent of activations. Evidence for decreased activity with higher language ability was less consistent and restricted to verbal fluency. Together, the results predominantly support the hypothesis of deeper language processing in individuals with higher language ability. The consistency of results across language processes, modalities, and brain regions suggests a general positive link between language abilities and brain activity within the core language network. However, a negative relationship seems to exist for non-linguistic cognitive functions located outside the language network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Weber
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, UK; Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Norway.
| | | | | | - Susanne Weis
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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25
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Hartung F, Kenett YN, Cardillo ER, Humphries S, Klooster N, Chatterjee A. Context matters: Novel metaphors in supportive and non-supportive contexts. Neuroimage 2020; 212:116645. [PMID: 32070752 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Creative language is defined as linguistic output that is both novel and appropriate. Metaphors are one such example of creative language in which one concept is used to express another by highlighting relevant semantic features. While novelty is an inherent property of unfamiliar metaphors, appropriateness depends on the context. The current study tests the hypothesis that the context in which metaphors are encountered affects their processing. We examined the neural effects of comprehending metaphors in context by comparing neural activations in response to novel metaphors and literal sentences that were either embedded in a meaningful narrative or in matched jabberwocky contexts. We found that the neural correlates of processing metaphoric sentences and their literal counterparts are indistinguishable when embedded in a narrative: both conditions activate bilateral areas along the anterior temporal poles, middle temporal gyri, superior temporal sulci, and the angular gyri. Metaphors embedded in a narrative as compared to their identical counterparts embedded in jabberwocky show increased responses in sensorimotor areas that correspond to the modality of the literal meaning of the target word, perhaps reflecting deeper semantic processing. Our results confirm that context affects neural mechanisms for understanding creative ideas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Hartung
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Yoed N Kenett
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Eileen R Cardillo
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Stacey Humphries
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Nathaniel Klooster
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Anjan Chatterjee
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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26
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Yang X, Li H, Lin N, Zhang X, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Q, Zuo X, Yang Y. Uncovering cortical activations of discourse comprehension and their overlaps with common large-scale neural networks. Neuroimage 2019; 203:116200. [PMID: 31536803 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted a meta-analysis of 78 task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies (1976 total participants) to reveal underlying brain activations and their overlap with large-scale neural networks in the brain during general discourse comprehension and its sub-processes. We found that discourse comprehension involved a neural system consisting of widely distributed brain regions that comprised not only the bilateral perisylvian language zones, but also regions in the superior and medial frontal cortex and the medial temporal lobe. Moreover, this neural system can be categorized into several sub-systems representing various sub-processes of discourse comprehension, with the left inferior frontal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus serving as core regions across all sub-processes. At a large-scale network level, we found that discourse comprehension relied most heavily on the default network, particularly on its dorsal medial subsystem. The pattern associated with large-scale network cooperation varied according to the respective sub-processes required. Our results reveal the functional dissociation within the discourse comprehension neural system and highlight the flexible involvements of large-scale networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- XiaoHong Yang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - HuiJie Li
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - XiuPing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - YinShan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - XiNian Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - YuFang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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27
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Guo J, Li D, Bi Y, Chen C. Modulating Effects of Contextual Emotions on the Neural Plasticity Induced by Word Learning. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:464. [PMID: 30532700 PMCID: PMC6266032 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, numerous studies have investigated the neurocognitive mechanism of learning words in isolation or in semantic contexts. However, emotion as an important influencing factor on novel word learning has not been fully considered in the previous studies. In addition, the effects of emotion on word learning and the underlying neural mechanism have not been systematically investigated. Sixteen participants were trained to learn novel concrete or abstract words under negative, neutral, and positive contextual emotions over 3 days; then, fMRI scanning was done during the testing sessions on day 1 and day 3. We compared the brain activations in day 1 and day 3 to investigate the role of contextual emotions in learning different types of words and the corresponding neural plasticity changes. Behaviorally, the performance of the words learned in the negative context was lower than those in the neutral and positive contexts, which indicated that contextual emotions had a significant impact on novel word learning. Correspondingly, the functional plasticity changes of the right angular gyrus (AG), bilateral insula, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) induced by word learning were modulated by the contextual emotions. The insula also was sensitive to the concreteness of the learned words. More importantly, the functional plasticity changes of the left inferior frontal gyrus (left IFG) and left fusiform gyrus (left FG) were interactively influenced by the contextual emotions and concreteness, suggesting that the contextual emotional information had a discriminable effect on different types of words in the neural mechanism level. These results demonstrate that emotional information in contexts is inevitably involved in word learning. The role of contextual emotions in brain plasticity for learning is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Guo
- Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience in Shaanxi Province, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
- *Correspondence: Jingjing Guo
| | - Dingding Li
- Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience in Shaanxi Province, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yanling Bi
- Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience in Shaanxi Province, School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chunhui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Chunhui Chen
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Diaz MT, Eppes A. Factors Influencing Right Hemisphere Engagement During Metaphor Comprehension. Front Psychol 2018; 9:414. [PMID: 29643825 PMCID: PMC5883147 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the left hemisphere is critical for language, clinical, behavioral, and neuroimaging research suggest that the right hemisphere also contributes to language comprehension. In particular, research has suggested that figurative language may be one type of language that preferentially engages right hemisphere regions. However, there is disagreement about whether these regions within the right hemisphere are sensitive to figurative language per se or to other factors that co-vary with figurativeness. In this article, we will review the neuroimaging literature on figurative language processing, focusing on metaphors, within the context of several theoretical perspectives that have been proposed about hemispheric function in language. Then we will examine three factors that may influence right hemisphere engagement: novelty, task difficulty, and context. We propose that factors that increase integration demands drive right hemisphere involvement in language processing, and that such recruitment is not limited to figurative language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele T Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Anna Eppes
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Horowitz-Kraus T, Holland SK, Versace AL, Bertocci MA, Bebko G, Almeida JRC, Perlman SB, Travis MJ, Gill MK, Bonar L, Schirda C, Sunshine JL, Birmaher B, Taylor G, Diwadkar VA, Horwitz SM, Axelson D, Frazier T, Arnold EL, Fristad MA, Youngstrom EA, Findling RL, Phillips ML. Reading related white matter structures in adolescents are influenced more by dysregulation of emotion than behavior. Neuroimage Clin 2017; 15:732-740. [PMID: 28702350 PMCID: PMC5491458 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Mood disorders and behavioral are broad psychiatric diagnostic categories that have different symptoms and neurobiological mechanisms, but share some neurocognitive similarities, one of which is an elevated risk for reading deficit. Our aim was to determine the influence of mood versus behavioral dysregulation on reading ability and neural correlates supporting these skills in youth, using diffusion tensor imaging in 11- to 17-year-old children and youths with mood disorders or behavioral disorders and age-matched healthy controls. The three groups differed only in phonological processing and passage comprehension. Youth with mood disorders scored higher on the phonological test but had lower comprehension scores than children with behavioral disorders and controls; control participants scored the highest. Correlations between fractional anisotropy and phonological processing in the left Arcuate Fasciculus showed a significant difference between groups and were strongest in behavioral disorders, intermediate in mood disorders, and lowest in controls. Correlations between these measures in the left Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus were significantly greater than in controls for mood but not for behavioral disorders. Youth with mood disorders share a deficit in the executive-limbic pathway (Arcuate Fasciculus) with behavioral-disordered youth, suggesting reduced capacity for engaging frontal regions for phonological processing or passage comprehension tasks and increased reliance on the ventral tract (e.g., the Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus). The low passage comprehension scores in mood disorder may result from engaging the left hemisphere. Neural pathways for reading differ mainly in executive-limbic circuitry. This new insight may aid clinicians in providing appropriate intervention for each disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, United States; Educational Neuroimaging Center, Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Scott K Holland
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, United States
| | - Amelia L Versace
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Michele A Bertocci
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Genna Bebko
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Jorge R C Almeida
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Susan B Perlman
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Michael J Travis
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Mary Kay Gill
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Lisa Bonar
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Claudiu Schirda
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Jeffrey L Sunshine
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Boris Birmaher
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Gerry Taylor
- University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, United States
| | - Vaibhav A Diwadkar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University, United States
| | - Sarah M Horwitz
- Department of Child Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, United States
| | - David Axelson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, United States
| | - Thomas Frazier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, United States
| | - Eugene L Arnold
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, United States
| | - Mary A Fristad
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, United States
| | - Eric A Youngstrom
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Robert L Findling
- University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Mary L Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
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Alonso-Fernández M, López-López A, Losada A, González JL, Wetherell JL. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Selective Optimization with Compensation for Institutionalized Older People with Chronic Pain. PAIN MEDICINE 2017; 17:264-77. [PMID: 26304771 DOI: 10.1111/pme.12885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Recent studies support the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with people with chronic pain. In addition, Selective Optimization with Compensation strategies (SOC) can help the elderly with chronic pain to accept their chronic condition and increase functional autonomy. Our aim was to analyze the efficacy of an ACT treatment program combined with training in SOC strategies for elderly people with chronic pain living in nursing homes. METHODS 101 participants (mean age = 82.26; SD = 10.00; 78.6% female) were randomized to the intervention condition (ACT-SOC) or to a minimal support group (MS). Complete data are available for 53 participants (ACT-SOC: n = 27; MS: n = 26). Assessments of functional performance, pain intensity, pain acceptance, SOC strategies, emotional well being and catastrophizing beliefs were done preintervention and postintervention. RESULTS Significant time by intervention changes (P = 0.05) were found in acceptance, pain related anxiety, compensation strategies, and pain interference in walking ability. Simple effects changes were found in acceptance (P = 0.01), selection strategies (P = 0.05), catastrophizing beliefs (P = 0.03), depressive symptoms (P = 0.05), pain anxiety (P = 0.01) and pain interference in mood and walking ability (P = 0.03) in the ACT-SOC group. No significant changes were found in the MS group. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that an ACT intervention combined with training in SOC strategies could help older people with pain to improve their emotional well being and their functional capability.
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Processamento comunicativo em adultos com AVC unilateral de hemisfério direito : avaliação através de bateria breve. ACTA COLOMBIANA DE PSICOLOGIA 2016. [DOI: 10.14718/acp.2016.19.2.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pacientes com lesão cerebrovascular de hemisfério direito (LHD) tendem a apresentar déficits comunicativos. Este estudo visou a investigar o processamento comunicativo de pacientes com acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) de hemisfério direito. A amostra incluiu 100 participantes: 25 com LHD, 25 com AVC de hemisfério esquerdo (LHE) e 50 controles neurologicamente preservados (PNP). Os participantes responderam a um questionário de dados sociodemográficos, ao Mini Exame do Estado Mental para avaliar capacidade cognitiva geral, à Escala de Depressão Geriátrica de 15 pontos e à Escala Beck de Depressão para investigar sintomas depressivos, ao Teste dos Sinos para avaliar heminegligência, e à Escala Rankin Modificada para verificar capacidade funcional. O processamento comunicativo foi avaliado com a Bateria Montreal de Avaliação da Comunicação, versão abreviada – Bateria MAC Breve. Os escores foram comparados por One-Way ANOVA e Qui-quadrado. Houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos LHD e PNP em 89% das tarefas, mas não entre os grupos LHD e LHE. Além disso, o grupo LHD apresentou desempenho comunicativo inferior ao grupo PNP. Tais achados sugerem evidências de cooperação interhemisférica para os processamentos comunicativos.
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Seigneuric A, Megherbi H, Bueno S, Lebahar J, Bianco M. Children's comprehension skill and the understanding of nominal metaphors. J Exp Child Psychol 2016; 150:346-363. [PMID: 27423964 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2016.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Revised: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
According to Levorato and Cacciari's global elaboration model, understanding figurative language is explained by the same processes and background knowledge that are required for literal language. In this study, we investigated the relation between children's comprehension skill and the ability to understand referential nominal metaphors. Two groups of poor versus good comprehenders (8- to 10-year-olds) matched for word reading and vocabulary skills were invited to identify the referent of nouns used metaphorically or literally in short texts. Compared with good comprehenders, performance of poor comprehenders showed a substantial decrease in the metaphoric condition. Moreover, their performance was strongly affected by the degree of semantic incongruence between the terms of the nominal metaphor. These findings are discussed in relation to several factors, in particular the ability to use contextual information and semantic processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alix Seigneuric
- Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Unité Transversale de Recherche Psychogenèse et Psychopathologie (UTRPP), EA 4403, F-93430 Villetaneuse, France.
| | - Hakima Megherbi
- Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Unité Transversale de Recherche Psychogenèse et Psychopathologie (UTRPP), EA 4403, F-93430 Villetaneuse, France
| | - Steve Bueno
- Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Unité Transversale de Recherche Psychogenèse et Psychopathologie (UTRPP), EA 4403, F-93430 Villetaneuse, France
| | - Julie Lebahar
- Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Unité Transversale de Recherche Psychogenèse et Psychopathologie (UTRPP), EA 4403, F-93430 Villetaneuse, France
| | - Maryse Bianco
- Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Education, Université Pierre-Mendès-France, EA 602, BP 47, F-38040 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
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Saban-Bezalel R, Mashal N. Hemispheric Processing of Idioms and Irony in Adults With and Without Pervasive Developmental Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 45:3496-508. [PMID: 26070277 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2496-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies on individuals with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) have pointed to difficulties in comprehension of figurative language. Using the divided visual field paradigm, the present study examined hemispheric processing of idioms and irony in 23 adults with PDD and in 24 typically developing (TD) adults. The results show that adults with PDD were relatively unimpaired in understanding figurative language. While the TD group demonstrated a right hemisphere advantage in processing the non-salient meanings of idioms as well as the ironic endings of paragraphs, the PDD group processed these stimuli bilaterally. Our findings suggest that brain lateralization is atypical in adults with PDD. Successful performance along with bilateral brain activation suggests that the PDD group uses a compensation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nira Mashal
- The School of Education Bar Ilan University, 52900, Ramat Gan, Israel.
- Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
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Carriedo N, Corral A, Montoro PR, Herrero L, Ballestrino P, Sebastián I. The Development of Metaphor Comprehension and Its Relationship with Relational Verbal Reasoning and Executive Function. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150289. [PMID: 26954501 PMCID: PMC4783029 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Our main objective was to analyse the different contributions of relational verbal reasoning (analogical and class inclusion) and executive functioning to metaphor comprehension across development. We postulated that both relational reasoning and executive functioning should predict individual and developmental differences. However, executive functioning would become increasingly involved when metaphor comprehension is highly demanding, either because of the metaphors’ high difficulty (relatively novel metaphors in the absence of a context) or because of the individual’s special processing difficulties, such as low levels of reading experience or low semantic knowledge. Three groups of participants, 11-year-olds, 15-year-olds and young adults, were assessed in different relational verbal reasoning tasks—analogical and class-inclusion—and in executive functioning tasks—updating information in working memory, inhibition, and shifting. The results revealed clear progress in metaphor comprehension between ages 11 and 15 and between ages 15 and 21. However, the importance of executive function in metaphor comprehension was evident by age 15 and was restricted to updating information in working memory and cognitive inhibition. Participants seemed to use two different strategies to interpret metaphors: relational verbal reasoning and executive functioning. This was clearly shown when comparing the performance of the "more efficient" participants in metaphor interpretation with that of the "less efficient” ones. Whereas in the first case none of the executive variables or those associated with relational verbal reasoning were significantly related to metaphor comprehension, in the latter case, both groups of variables had a clear predictor effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Carriedo
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, National Distance Education University (UNED), Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Antonio Corral
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, National Distance Education University (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro R. Montoro
- Departamento de Psicología Básica 1, National Distance Education University (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Herrero
- Facultad de Educación, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Ballestrino
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, National Distance Education University (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Iraia Sebastián
- Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, National Distance Education University (UNED), Madrid, Spain
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Turner BO, Marinsek N, Ryhal E, Miller MB. Hemispheric lateralization in reasoning. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1359:47-64. [PMID: 26426534 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Revised: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence suggests that reasoning in humans relies on a number of related processes whose neural loci are largely lateralized to one hemisphere or the other. A recent review of this evidence concluded that the patterns of lateralization observed are organized according to two complementary tendencies. The left hemisphere attempts to reduce uncertainty by drawing inferences or creating explanations, even at the cost of ignoring conflicting evidence or generating implausible explanations. Conversely, the right hemisphere aims to reduce conflict by rejecting or refining explanations that are no longer tenable in the face of new evidence. In healthy adults, the hemispheres work together to achieve a balance between certainty and consistency, and a wealth of neuropsychological research supports the notion that upsetting this balance results in various failures in reasoning, including delusions. However, support for this model from the neuroimaging literature is mixed. Here, we examine the evidence for this framework from multiple research domains, including an activation likelihood estimation analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of reasoning. Our results suggest a need to either revise this model as it applies to healthy adults or to develop better tools for assessing lateralization in these individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin O Turner
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Nicole Marinsek
- Dynamical Neuroscience, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Emily Ryhal
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
| | - Michael B Miller
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
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Columbus G, Sheikh NA, Côté-Lecaldare M, Häuser K, Baum SR, Titone D. Individual differences in executive control relate to metaphor processing: an eye movement study of sentence reading. Front Hum Neurosci 2015; 8:1057. [PMID: 25628557 PMCID: PMC4292575 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.01057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Metaphors are common elements of language that allow us to creatively stretch the limits of word meaning. However, metaphors vary in their degree of novelty, which determines whether people must create new meanings on-line or retrieve previously known metaphorical meanings from memory. Such variations affect the degree to which general cognitive capacities such as executive control are required for successful comprehension. We investigated whether individual differences in executive control relate to metaphor processing using eye movement measures of reading. Thirty-nine participants read sentences including metaphors or idioms, another form of figurative language that is more likely to rely on meaning retrieval. They also completed the AX-CPT, a domain-general executive control task. In Experiment 1, we examined sentences containing metaphorical or literal uses of verbs, presented with or without prior context. In Experiment 2, we examined sentences containing idioms or literal phrases for the same participants to determine whether the link to executive control was qualitatively similar or different to Experiment 1. When metaphors were low familiar, all people read verbs used as metaphors more slowly than verbs used literally (this difference was smaller for high familiar metaphors). Executive control capacity modulated this pattern in that high executive control readers spent more time reading verbs when a prior context forced a particular interpretation (metaphorical or literal), and they had faster total metaphor reading times when there was a prior context. Interestingly, executive control did not relate to idiom processing for the same readers. Here, all readers had faster total reading times for high familiar idioms than literal phrases. Thus, executive control relates to metaphor but not idiom processing for these readers, and for the particular metaphor and idiom reading manipulations presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgie Columbus
- Department of Psychology, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada ; Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Naveed A Sheikh
- Department of Psychology, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada ; Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Katja Häuser
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada ; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Shari R Baum
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada ; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Debra Titone
- Department of Psychology, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada ; Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
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Ianni GR, Cardillo ER, McQuire M, Chatterjee A. Flying under the radar: figurative language impairments in focal lesion patients. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:871. [PMID: 25404906 PMCID: PMC4217389 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the prevalent and natural use of metaphor in everyday language, the neural basis of this powerful communication device remains poorly understood. Early studies of brain-injured patients suggested the right hemisphere plays a critical role in metaphor comprehension, but more recent patient and neuroimaging studies do not consistently support this hypothesis. One explanation for this discrepancy is the challenge in designing optimal tasks for brain-injured populations. As traditional aphasia assessments do not assess figurative language comprehension, we designed a new metaphor comprehension task to consider whether impaired metaphor processing is missed by standard clinical assessments. Stimuli consisted of 60 pairs of moderately familiar metaphors and closely matched literal sentences. Sentences were presented visually in a randomized order, followed by four adjective-noun answer choices (target + three foil types). Participants were instructed to select the phrase that best matched the meaning of the sentence. We report the performance of three focal lesion patients and a group of 12 healthy, older controls. Controls performed near ceiling in both conditions, with slightly more accurate performance on literal than metaphoric sentences. While the Western Aphasia Battery (Kertesz, 1982) and the objects and actions naming battery (Druks and Masterson, 2000) indicated minimal to no language difficulty, our metaphor comprehension task indicated three different profiles of metaphor comprehension impairment in the patients’ performance. Single case statistics revealed comparable impairment on metaphoric and literal sentences, disproportionately greater impairment on metaphors than literal sentences, and selective impairment on metaphors. We conclude our task reveals that patients can have selective metaphor comprehension deficits. These deficits are not captured by traditional neuropsychological language assessments, suggesting overlooked communication difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geena R Ianni
- Section on Neurocircuitry, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eileen R Cardillo
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marguerite McQuire
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anjan Chatterjee
- Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Obert A, Gierski F, Calmus A, Portefaix C, Declercq C, Pierot L, Caillies S. Differential bilateral involvement of the parietal gyrus during predicative metaphor processing: an auditory fMRI study. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2014; 137:112-119. [PMID: 25193417 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2014.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2014] [Revised: 07/24/2014] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite the growing literature on figurative language processing, there is still debate as to which cognitive processes and neural bases are involved. Furthermore, most studies have focused on nominal metaphor processing without any context, and very few have used auditory presentation. We therefore investigated the neural bases of the comprehension of predicative metaphors presented in a brief context, in an auditory, ecological way. The comprehension of their literal counterparts served as a control condition. We also investigated the link between working memory and verbal skills and regional activation. Comparisons of metaphorical and literal conditions revealed bilateral activation of parietal areas including the left angular (lAG) and right inferior parietal gyri (rIPG) and right precuneus. Only verbal skills were associated with lAG (but not rIPG) activation. These results indicated that predicative metaphor comprehension share common activations with other metaphors. Furthermore, individual verbal skills could have an impact on figurative language processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Obert
- C2S Laboratory (EA6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
| | - Fabien Gierski
- C2S Laboratory (EA6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France; Adult Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Arnaud Calmus
- C2S Laboratory (EA6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sébastopol Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Christophe Portefaix
- Imaging Department, Maison Blanche Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France; CReSTIC Laboratory (EA 3804), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Christelle Declercq
- C2S Laboratory (EA6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
| | - Laurent Pierot
- Imaging Department, Maison Blanche Hospital, Reims University Hospital, Reims, France
| | - Stéphanie Caillies
- C2S Laboratory (EA6291), University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France
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Akimoto Y, Sugiura M, Yomogida Y, Miyauchi CM, Miyazawa S, Kawashima R. Irony comprehension: social conceptual knowledge and emotional response. Hum Brain Mapp 2013; 35:1167-78. [PMID: 23408440 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2012] [Revised: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 11/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Verbal irony conveys various emotional messages, from criticism to humor, that differ from the meaning of the actual words. To understand irony, we need conceptual knowledge of irony in addition to an understanding of context. We investigated the neural mechanism of irony comprehension, focusing on two overlooked issues: conceptual knowledge and emotional response. We studied 35 healthy subjects who underwent functional MRI. During the scan, the subject examined first-person-view stories describing verbal interactions, some of which included irony directed toward the subject. After MRI, the subject viewed the stories again and rated the degree of irony, humor, and negative emotion evoked by the statements. We identified several key findings about irony comprehension: (1) the right anterior superior temporal gyrus may be responsible for representing social conceptual knowledge of irony, (2) activation in the medial prefrontal cortex and the right anterior inferior temporal gyrus might underlie the understanding of context, (3) modulation of activity in the right amygdala, hippocampus, and parahippocampal gyrus is associated with the degree of irony perceived, and (4) modulation of activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex varies with the degree of humor perceived. Our results clarified the differential contributions of the neural loci of irony comprehension, enriching our understanding of pragmatic language communication from a social behavior point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoritaka Akimoto
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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Mason RA, Prat CS, Just MA. Neurocognitive brain response to transient impairment of Wernicke's area. Cereb Cortex 2013; 24:1474-84. [PMID: 23322403 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined how the brain system adapts and reconfigures its information processing capabilities to maintain cognitive performance after a key cortical center [left posterior superior temporal gyrus (LSTGp)] is temporarily impaired during the performance of a language comprehension task. By applying repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to LSTGp and concurrently assessing the brain response with functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that adaptation consisted of 1) increased synchronization between compensating regions coupled with a decrease in synchronization within the primary language network and 2) a decrease in activation at the rTMS site as well as in distal regions, followed by their recovery. The compensatory synchronization included 3 centers: The contralateral homolog (RSTGp) of the area receiving rTMS, areas adjacent to the rTMS site, and a region involved in discourse monitoring (medial frontal gyrus). This approach reveals some principles of network-level adaptation to trauma with potential application to traumatic brain injury, stroke, and seizure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Mason
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA and
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