scholarly journals Age-preserved semantic memory and the CRUNCH effect manifested as differential semantic control networks: An fMRI study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0249948
Author(s):  
Niobe Haitas ◽  
Mahnoush Amiri ◽  
Maximiliano Wilson ◽  
Yves Joanette ◽  
Jason Steffener

Semantic memory representations are overall well-maintained in aging whereas semantic control is thought to be more affected. To explain this phenomenon, this study aims to test the predictions of the Compensation Related Utilization of Neural Circuits Hypothesis (CRUNCH) focusing on task demands in aging as a possible framework. The CRUNCH effect would manifest itself in semantic tasks through a compensatory increase in neural activation in semantic control network regions but only up to a certain threshold of task demands. This study will compare 40 young (20–35 years old) with 40 older participants (60–75 years old) in a triad-based semantic judgment task performed in an fMRI scanner while manipulating levels of task demands (low vs. high) through semantic distance. In line with the CRUNCH predictions, differences in neurofunctional activation and behavioral performance (accuracy and response times) are expected in young vs. old participants in the low- vs. high-demand conditions manifested in semantic control Regions of Interest.

Author(s):  
Peter Khooshabeh ◽  
Mary Hegarty ◽  
Thomas F. Shipley

Two experiments tested the hypothesis that imagery ability and figural complexity interact to affect the choice of mental rotation strategies. Participants performed the Shepard and Metzler (1971) mental rotation task. On half of the trials, the 3-D figures were manipulated to create “fragmented” figures, with some cubes missing. Good imagers were less accurate and had longer response times on fragmented figures than on complete figures. Poor imagers performed similarly on fragmented and complete figures. These results suggest that good imagers use holistic mental rotation strategies by default, but switch to alternative strategies depending on task demands, whereas poor imagers are less flexible and use piecemeal strategies regardless of the task demands.


2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Montirosso ◽  
S. Moriconi ◽  
B. Riccardi ◽  
G. Reni ◽  
F. Arrigoni ◽  
...  

NeuroImage ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 118131
Author(s):  
Isabelle KD Ripp ◽  
Lara A Wallenwein ◽  
Qiong Wu ◽  
Monica Emch ◽  
Kathrin Koch ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Bechtold ◽  
Christian Bellebaum ◽  
Paul Hoffman ◽  
Marta Ghio

AbstractThis study aimed to replicate and validate concreteness and context effects on semantic word processing. In Experiment 1, we replicated the behavioral findings of Hoffman et al. (Cortex 63,250–266, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2014.09.001, 2015) by applying their cueing paradigm with their original stimuli translated into German. We found concreteness and contextual cues to facilitate word processing in a semantic judgment task with 55 healthy adults. The two factors interacted in their effect on reaction times: abstract word processing profited more strongly from a contextual cue, while the concrete words’ processing advantage was reduced but still present. For accuracy, the descriptive pattern of results suggested an interaction, which was, however, not significant. In Experiment 2, we reformulated the contextual cues to avoid repetition of the to-be-processed word. In 83 healthy adults, the same pattern of results emerged, further validating the findings. Our corroborating evidence supports theories integrating representational richness and semantic control mechanisms as complementary mechanisms in semantic word processing.


2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 1259-1274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dietmar Roehm ◽  
Ina Bornkessel-Schlesewsky ◽  
Frank Rösler ◽  
Matthias Schlesewsky

We report a series of event-related potential experiments designed to dissociate the functionally distinct processes involved in the comprehension of highly restricted lexical-semantic relations (antonyms). We sought to differentiate between influences of semantic relatedness (which are independent of the experimental setting) and processes related to predictability (which differ as a function of the experimental environment). To this end, we conducted three ERP studies contrasting the processing of antonym relations (black-white) with that of related (black-yellow) and unrelated (black-nice) word pairs. Whereas the lexical-semantic manipulation was kept constant across experiments, the experimental environment and the task demands varied: Experiment 1 presented the word pairs in a sentence context of the form The opposite of X is Y and used a sensicality judgment. Experiment 2 used a word pair presentation mode and a lexical decision task. Experiment 3 also examined word pairs, but with an antonymy judgment task. All three experiments revealed a graded N400 response (unrelated > related > antonyms), thus supporting the assumption that semantic associations are processed automatically. In addition, the experiments revealed that, in highly constrained task environments, the N400 gradation occurs simultaneously with a P300 effect for the antonym condition, thus leading to the superficial impression of an extremely “reduced” N400 for antonym pairs. Comparisons across experiments and participant groups revealed that the P300 effect is not only a function of stimulus constraints (i.e., sentence context) and experimental task, but that it is also crucially influenced by individual processing strategies used to achieve successful task performance.


2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 740-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Canessa ◽  
F. Borgo ◽  
S. F. Cappa ◽  
D. Perani ◽  
A. Falini ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyuto Uno ◽  
Kazuhiko Yokosawa

AbstractGrapheme-colour synaesthesia is a condition in which the visual perception of letters or numbers induces a specific colour sensation. In this study, we demonstrated that the apparent physical brightness of graphemes is modulated by the synaesthetic colours elicited by them. Synaesthetes first selected a synaesthetic colour corresponding to each capital letter and digit. Then, we selected a grapheme stimulus with a bright synaesthetic colour and one with a dark colour for each synaesthete. Finally, synaesthetes and non-synaesthete controls participated in a brightness judgment task, in which each participant judged the real brightness of each of the two stimuli compared to a standard stimulus. Compared to non-synaesthetes, synaesthetes judged a grapheme with a bright synaesthetic colour to be brighter than one with a dark synaesthetic colour, suggesting that the synaesthetic colour experience of synaesthetes alters their brightness perception. Such alteration in real brightness perception was observed both in those who experienced synaesthetic colours in external space (projector-type synaesthetes) and in those who experienced such colours ‘in the mind’s eye’ (associator-type synaesthetes). These results support the view that early visual processing is modulated by feedback transmitted from the V4 colour area, the neural activation of which accompanies synaesthetic colour experience.


2020 ◽  
Vol 124 (5) ◽  
pp. 1415-1448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo M. Braga ◽  
Lauren M. DiNicola ◽  
Hannah C. Becker ◽  
Randy L. Buckner

This research shows that a language network can be identified within individuals using functional connectivity. Organizational details reveal that the language network shares a common spatial motif with other association networks, including default and frontoparietal control networks. The language network is activated by language task demands, whereas closely juxtaposed networks are not, suggesting that similarly organized but differentially specialized distributed networks populate association cortex.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document