Conceptual knowledge in the brain: fMRI evidence for a featural organization.
The organization and representation of conceptual knowledge in the brain remains a controversial issue in terms of both neuropsychological and imaging evidence. We report the results of a functional magnetic resonance study in which the role of the most debated dimensions (domain and feature type) was evaluated through a concept-feature verification task. The scope of the task was to eliminate serious methodological concerns that weighed down previous imaging research in this area, and to allow more definitive conclusions regarding the specific contribution of these dimensions. The results show differential patterns of brain activity according to feature type (both motion and visual form/surface features) but not according to concept domain (living vs. nonliving things). These findings are in accord with a modality-specific account of conceptual knowledge organization in the brain, in which specific kinds of features (e.g. form, color, motion, etc) have differential importance for representing different concepts.
Marques
J Frederico
JF
Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Lisbon, Alameda da Universidade, 1649-013 Lisboa, Portugal. jfredmarq@fpce.ul.pt
Canessa
Nicola
N
Siri
Simona
S
Catricalà
Eleonora
E
Cappa
Stefano
S
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019359:Knowledge; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology
D010100:Oxygen