title: The neural correlates of semantic richness: evidence from an fMRI study of word learning.
abstract: We investigated the neural correlates of concrete nouns with either many or few semantic features. A group of 21 participants underwent two days of training and were then asked to categorize 40 newly learned words and a set of matched familiar words as living or nonliving in an MRI scanner. Our results showed that the most reliable effects of semantic richness were located in the left angular gyrus (AG) and middle temporal gyrus (MTG), where activation was higher for semantically rich than poor words. Other areas showing the same pattern included bilateral precuneus and posterior cingulate gyrus. Our findings support the view that AG and anterior MTG, as part of the multimodal network, play a significant role in representing and integrating semantic features from different input modalities. We propose that activation in bilateral precuneus and posterior cingulate gyrus reflects interplay between AG and episodic memory systems during semantic retrieval.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK; Departamento de Lenguas, Facultad de Educación, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción 4090541, Chile. Electronic address: rferreira@ucsc.cl.
authors: Roberto A
authors: RA
authors: Ferreira
authors: Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors: Silke M
authors: SM
authors: Göbel
authors: York Neuroimaging Centre, University of York, Innovation Way, York YO10, UK.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Hymers
authors: Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors: Andrew W
authors: AW
authors: Ellis
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D012660:Semantics; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D014936:Word Association Tests; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Angular gyrus; Middle temporal gyrus; Semantic features; Semantic representation; Semantic richness; Word learning; fMRI