title: ERP indexes of functional differences in brain activation during proper and common names retrieval.
abstract: Functional neuroimaging and neuropsychological findings suggest that memory retrieval of common and proper names is subserved by different neuro-functional systems but little is known about the topographic localization of neural generators. In the present study brain electrical activity was recorded with a high density electrode montage in healthy young volunteers during lexical retrieval upon written definition. ERPs spatio-temporal mapping showed on one side a strong activation of left anterior temporal and left central-frontal areas for proper names, and on the other side a greater involvement of occipital areas for common names retrieval. The specific pattern of bio-electrical activity recorded during proper names retrieval might index the activation of neural circuits for recalling names of high contextual complexity, poor of sensory-motor associations and dependent on precise spatio-temporal coordinates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Trieste, Via S.Anastasio 12, 34134, Trieste, Italy. proverbi@univ.trieste.it
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Proverbio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lilli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Semenza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000502:physiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology