Is the N400 category-specific? A face and language processing study

Event-related potentials; Face processing; Language processing; N400; NI70; Source localization; LORETA inverse solution; N400 event related potential; Analysis of Variance; Brain Mapping; Cerebral Cortex; Electroencephalography; Evoked Potentials; Facial Expression; Humans; Pattern Recognition, Visual; Photic Stimulation; Semantics

Abstract :

[en] N400 event-related potential (ERP) components have been observed during semantic incongruity detection in language, face identity and/or expression. However, it is still unclear whether semantic processing is functionally equivalent, since no study has directly investigated within the same participants the occurrence of the N400s for language and faces. We recorded ERPs while subjects performed incongruity detection on words, facial identities and facial expressions, with conditions matched to involve context integration. N400s were identified on central-parietal electrodes only for language and face identity processing. Scalp topographies of these N400s differed but a LORETA inverse solution identified a common functional generator in the left lateral frontal cortex, suggesting a general role of this brain region in selecting and contextually integrating semantic information. © 2004 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Disciplines :

Neurosciences & behavior

Author, co-author :

Caldara, Roberto; F.P.S.E. University of Geneva, 40, bd du Pont d'Arve, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland

Jermann, Françoise; F.P.S.E. University of Geneva, 40, bd du Pont d'Arve, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland

López Arango, Gabriela; F.P.S.E. University of Geneva, 40, bd du Pont d'Arve, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland

Van der Linden, Martial ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Département de Psychologie

Language :

English

Title :

Is the N400 category-specific? A face and language processing study

Publication date :

2004

Journal title :

Neuroreport

ISSN :

0959-4965

eISSN :

1473-558X

Publisher :

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

2589-2593

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 04 January 2020

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