Spatial and frequency differences of neuromagnetic activities between the perception of open- and closed-class words.

Full Abstract

The present study investigated the spatial and frequency differences of neuromagnetic activities between the perception of open- and closed-class words by using a 275-channel whole head magnetoencephalography (MEG) system. Two groups of words, 110 open-class and 110 closed-class, were presented visually and auditorily simultaneously. The data of 12 healthy subjects were analyzed with synthetic aperture magnetometry (SAM) which can identify the frequency-dependent volumetric distribution of evoked magnetic fields (EMFs). Both vocabulary classes elicited spectral power changes in the left inferior frontal gyrus (Broca's area) and left posterior-superior temporal gyrus (Wernicke's area) within 70-120 Hz. However, the open-class words elicited event-related desynchronization (ERD) while the closed-class words elicited event-related synchronization (ERS) in the two areas within 70-120 Hz. In addition, the open-class words also elicited ERS in the right inferior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus and right inferior parietal lobe within 1-8 Hz, but the closed-class words only elicited ERD in the right inferior frontal gyrus within 1-8 Hz. Furthermore, there were ERD in the right posterior-superior temporal gyrus within 120-200 Hz for the open-class words, but not for the closed-class words. These results indicate that open- and closed-class words are processed differently in the brain, not only in the anatomical substrates, but also in the frequency range of neuromagnetic activity.

Author information

Author/s: Wang, Yingying (Y); Xiang, Jing (J); Kotecha, Rupesh (R); Vannest, Jennifer (J); Liu, Yinhong (Y); Rose, Douglas (D); Schapiro, Mark (M); Degrauw, Ton (T);

Affiliation: MEG Center, Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, MLC 2015, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA. yingying.wang(-atsign-)cchmc.org

Journal and publication information

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

Journal: Brain topography (Brain Topogr), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Dec; vol 21 (issue 2) : pp 75-85

Dates: Created 2008/11/21; Completed 2008/12/29;

PMID: 18679788, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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