scholarly journals Effective Connectivity Study Guiding the Neuromodulation Intervention in Figurative Language Comprehension Using Optical Neuroimaging

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Tania Alexandra Couto ◽  
Shiyang Xu ◽  
Paulo Armada da Silva ◽  
Chenggang Wu ◽  
Karl Neergaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Comprehension ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Semantic Integration ◽  
Memory Storage ◽  
Causal Relationships ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Figurative Language Comprehension

The current study is aimed at establishing links between brain network examination and neural plasticity studies measured by optical neuroimaging. Sixteen healthy subjects were recruited from the University of Macau to test the Granger Prediction Estimation (GPE) method to investigate brain network connectivity during figurative language comprehension. The method is aimed at mapping significant causal relationships across language brain networks, captured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy measurements (fNIRS): (i) definition of regions of interest (ROIs) based on significant channels extracted from spatial activation maps; (ii) inspection of significant causal relationships in temporal resolution, exploring the experimental task agreement; and (iii) early identification of stronger causal relationships that guide neuromodulation intervention, targeting impaired connectivity pathways. Our results propose top-down mechanisms responsible for perceptive-attention engagement in the left anterior frontal cortex and bottom-up mechanism in the right hemispheres during the semantic integration of figurative language. Moreover, the interhemispheric directional flow suggests a right hemisphere engagement in decoding unfamiliar literal sentences and fine-grained integration guided by the left hemisphere to reduce ambiguity in meaningless words. Finally, bottom-up mechanisms seem activated by logographic-semantic processing in literal meanings and memory storage centres in meaningless comprehension. To sum up, our main findings reveal that the Granger Prediction Estimation (GPE) integrated strategy proposes an effective link between assessment and intervention, capable of enhancing the efficiency of the treatment in language disorders and reducing the neuromodulation side effects.

A test of metaphoric comprehension and some preliminary developmental data

1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn R. Pollio ◽  
Howard R. Pollio
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
School Children ◽  
Language Comprehension ◽  
Elementary School Children ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Multiple Choice Test ◽  
Figures Of Speech ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Figurative Language Comprehension

ABSTRACTThe purposes of the present study was to develop a multiple-choice test of figurative language comprehension and to evaluate the development of such comprehension over a wide range of ages and children. To do this, samples of novel and frozen figures were selected from a corpus provided by elementary school children and then administered to 149 different children between 9 and 14 years. Results showed that the test produced was a reliable one, and one that produced meaningful developmental trends. In addition, differences were noted between the comprehension and production of novel and frozen figures of speech. These findings were discussed in terms of their methodological and developmental implications.

scholarly journals A Brain Mapping Approach to Inspect the Underlying Neural Correlates upon Perceiving Persian Metaphors

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaheh Yazdani ◽  
Amirsaeid Moloodi ◽  
Zahra Kheradmand ◽  
Ali Mohammad Kamali ◽  
K.S. Rao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Brain Mapping ◽  
Semantic Processing ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Abstract Concepts ◽  
Neural Modulation ◽  
The Right

Metaphors are frequently used in our daily life communications to comprehend and convey abstract concepts. Different neuroimaging studies also show a wide neural connection to metaphor perception. This study used a brain mapping setup (quantitative electroencephalography) to examine large-scale brain networks in participants when they were submitted to non-metaphorical sentences as compared to creative and conventional metaphorical phrases. To this end, 20 healthy right-handed individuals with Persian as their mother-tongue language consented to participate in the above language task. Having evaluated the functional connectivity across key cortical hubs, no significant or predominant role of the right hemisphere was observed upon comprehension of the conventional and creative metaphorical phrases. Rather, a wide interhemispheric functional connectivity is proposed to play a key part in the above task. Further understanding about the neural networks involved in the semantic processing of metaphors may potentially open new avenues to neural modulation in patients who find it challenging to comprehend figurative language or abstract metaphorical meanings (e.g. schizophrenics).

scholarly journals Figurative Language Comprehension in Schizophrenia and Its Neural Basis

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heben Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Brain Imaging ◽  
Language Comprehension ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Clinical Factors ◽  
Imaging Studies ◽  
Neural Basis ◽  
Behavioral Studies ◽  
Schizophrenic Patients ◽  
Figurative Language Comprehension

Schizophrenia is a kind of serious mental disease, which may cause major impairment in patients’ social-cognitive ability. It has been found that pragmatic ability in schizophrenic patients is often impaired, especially for figurative language comprehension. Figurative language refers to irony, metaphor, idiom and the like. People with schizophrenia tend to interpret figurative language as its literal meaning, which is called schizophrenic concretism. By reviewing extant literature, we found that the literature concerning this topic mainly consists of two parts: behavioral studies and brain-imaging studies. The behavioral studies mainly explore how clinical factors and cognitive ability have an impact on figurative language comprehension. Brain-imaging studies mainly discuss hemisphere lateralization in schizophrenia and whether theory of mind network in schizophrenic patients is different from that of normal groups. We conclude that future research should further explore the relationship among figurative language comprehension, cognitive ability and clinical factors, and also reveal related neural mechanism.

scholarly journals On Intentionality and Figurative Language Comprehension

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (2 (4)) ◽  
pp. 74-77
Author(s):  
Gohar Harutyunyan
Keyword(s):  
Language Comprehension ◽  
Figurative Language ◽  
Communicative Intent ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
Figurative Language Comprehension

The communicative intent which is a linguo-philosophical notion is important from the perspective of pragmatic analysis. The article attempts to examine the complicated interconnection between the intention of communication and the perception of the figurative language. Special attention has been paid to metaphor and irony whose perception and interpretation heavily depend on the intention of communication.

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