title: Distinct patterns of brain activity characterise lexical activation and competition in spoken word production.
abstract: According to a prominent theory of language production, concepts activate multiple associated words in memory, which enter into competition for selection. However, only a few electrophysiological studies have identified brain responses reflecting competition. Here, we report a magnetoencephalography study in which the activation of competing words was manipulated by presenting pictures (e.g., dog) with distractor words. The distractor and picture name were semantically related (cat), unrelated (pin), or identical (dog). Related distractors are stronger competitors to the picture name because they receive additional activation from the picture relative to other distractors. Picture naming times were longer with related than unrelated and identical distractors. Phase-locked and non-phase-locked activity were distinct but temporally related. Phase-locked activity in left temporal cortex, peaking at 400 ms, was larger on unrelated than related and identical trials, suggesting differential activation of alternative words by the picture-word stimuli. Non-phase-locked activity between roughly 350-650 ms (4-10 Hz) in left superior frontal gyrus was larger on related than unrelated and identical trials, suggesting differential resolution of the competition among the alternatives, as reflected in the naming times. These findings characterise distinct patterns of activity associated with lexical activation and competition, supporting the theory that words are selected by competition.
authors.affiliation: Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands ; International Max Planck Research School for Language Sciences, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Vitória
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Piai
authors.affiliation: Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ardi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roelofs
authors.affiliation: Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands ; Neurobiology of Language Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan-Mathijs
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schoffelen
authors.affiliation: Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonnefond
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D012660:Semantics; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D057190:Stroop Test; D055815:Young Adult