Semantic priming modulates the N400, N300, and N400RP.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
To determine whether ERP components can differentiate between the semantic priming mechanisms of automatic spreading activation, expectancy, and semantic matching.

METHODS:
The present study manipulated two factors known to differentiate semantic priming mechanisms:
associations between words (forward, backward, and symmetrical) and prime-target stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). Twenty-six participants were tested in each SOA condition while high-density 128-channel data were collected. Principal components analysis was applied to separate the ERP components.

RESULTS:
Priming was observed for all conditions. Three semantic components were present:
(1) the standard N400 effect for symmetric and forward priming pairs at both short and long SOAs, (2) an N300 for the long SOA symmetric priming pairs, and (3) a right-lateralized posterior N400RP for long SOA backward priming pairs.

CONCLUSIONS:
Results suggest that the N300 reflects expectancy, but only for categorical and/or semantic similarity priming. Results further suggest that the N400RP is a replicable ERP component that responds to semantic matching. There is also some evidence that the N400 indirectly responds to both ASA and expectancy, perhaps as part of a post-lexical updating process and that backward priming at short SOAs is different from that at long SOAs.

SIGNIFICANCE:
Improved understanding of the semantic properties of the N400 and related ERP components may increase their utility for understanding language processes and for diagnostic purposes.

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Author information

Author/s: Franklin, Michael S (MS); Dien, Joseph (J); Neely, James H (JH); Huber, Elizabeth (E); Waterson, Lauren D (LD);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Tulane University, USA. msfrankl(-atsign-)umich.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (Clin Neurophysiol), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-May; vol 118 (issue 5) : pp 1053-68

Dates: Created 2007/04/09; Completed 2007/06/11; Revised 2008/09/10;

PMID: 17336145, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Female
Frontal Lobe - physiology
Functional Laterality - physiology
Humans
Male
Principal Component Analysis
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Reaction Time - physiology

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