TY - JOUR
T1 - A cortical network for semantics
T2 - (De)constructing the N400
AU - Lau, Ellen F.
AU - Phillips, Colin
AU - Poeppel, David
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank H. Kolk for extensive feedback on the manuscript. Preparation of this manuscript was supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship to E.F.L., 2R01DC05660 to D.P. and NSF DGE-0801465 to the University of Maryland.
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - Measuring event-related potentials (ERPs) has been fundamental to our understanding of how language is encoded in the brain. One particular ERP response, the N400 response, has been especially influential as an index of lexical and semantic processing. However, there remains a lack of consensus on the interpretation of this component. Resolving this issue has important consequences for neural models of language comprehension. Here we show that evidence bearing on where the N400 response is generated provides key insights into what it reflects. A neuroanatomical model of semantic processing is used as a guide to interpret the pattern of activated regions in functional MRI, magnetoencephalography and intracranial recordings that are associated with contextual semantic manipulations that lead to N400 effects.
AB - Measuring event-related potentials (ERPs) has been fundamental to our understanding of how language is encoded in the brain. One particular ERP response, the N400 response, has been especially influential as an index of lexical and semantic processing. However, there remains a lack of consensus on the interpretation of this component. Resolving this issue has important consequences for neural models of language comprehension. Here we show that evidence bearing on where the N400 response is generated provides key insights into what it reflects. A neuroanatomical model of semantic processing is used as a guide to interpret the pattern of activated regions in functional MRI, magnetoencephalography and intracranial recordings that are associated with contextual semantic manipulations that lead to N400 effects.
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U2 - 10.1038/nrn2532
DO - 10.1038/nrn2532
M3 - Review article
C2 - 19020511
AN - SCOPUS:56549091312
SN - 1471-003X
VL - 9
SP - 920
EP - 933
JO - Nature Reviews Neuroscience
JF - Nature Reviews Neuroscience
IS - 12
ER -