title: EEG beta-power changes reflect motor involvement in abstract action language processing.
abstract: Brain oscillations in the α- and β-range become suppressed during motor processing and motor imagery. It has recently been discussed that such power changes also occur during action language processing. In our study, we compared β2-oscillations (16-25Hz) during the observation of prototypical arm movements (revealed via motion tracking) as well as during semantic processing of concrete and abstract sentences containing arm-related action verbs. Whereas we did find a strong desynchronization in the β2-range during action observation, the processing of action sentences evoked a rather weak desynchronization. However, this desynchronization occurred for action verbs in both concrete and abstract contexts. These results might indicate a tendency for abstract action language to be processed similar to concrete action language rather than abstract sentences. The oscillation patterns reflect the close relationship between language comprehension and motor functions - one of the core claims of current theories on embodied cognition.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Neurolinguistics Group, Bielefeld University, Universitaetsstrasse 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Cognitive Interaction Technology" (CITEC), Inspiration 1, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany. Electronic address: franziska.schaller@uni-bielefeld.de.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schaller
authors.affiliation: Experimental Neurolinguistics Group, Bielefeld University, Universitaetsstrasse 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Cognitive Interaction Technology" (CITEC), Inspiration 1, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany. Electronic address: sabine.weiss@uni-bielefeld.de.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Experimental Neurolinguistics Group, Bielefeld University, Universitaetsstrasse 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; Cluster of Excellence "Cognitive Interaction Technology" (CITEC), Inspiration 1, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany. Electronic address: horst.mueller@uni-bielefeld.de.
authors.forename: Horst M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001611:Beta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D012660:Semantics; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Abstract language; Action verbs; Beta-oscillation; Embodiment; Event-related desynchronization (ERD)