Coherent concepts are computed in the anterior temporal lobes.
In his Philosophical Investigations, Wittgenstein famously noted that the formation of semantic representations requires more than a simple combination of verbal and nonverbal features to generate conceptually based similarities and differences. Classical and contemporary neuroscience has tended to focus upon how different neocortical regions contribute to conceptualization through the summation of modality-specific information. The additional yet critical step of computing coherent concepts has received little attention. Some computational models of semantic memory are able to generate such concepts by the addition of modality-invariant information coded in a multidimensional semantic space. By studying patients with semantic dementia, we demonstrate that this aspect of semantic memory becomes compromised following atrophy of the anterior temporal lobes and, as a result, the patients become increasingly influenced by superficial rather than conceptual similarities.
Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom. matt.lambon-ralph@manchester
Matthew A
MA
Lambon Ralph
Karen
K
Sage
Roy W
RW
Jones
Emily J
EJ
Mayberry
D001931:Brain Mapping; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D057174:Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D012660:Semantics; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology