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Decoding the Real-Time Neurobiological Properties of Incremental Semantic Interpretation.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Choi, Hun S 
Marslen-Wilson, William D 
Lyu, Bingjiang 
Randall, Billi 
Tyler, Lorraine K 

Abstract

Communication through spoken language is a central human capacity, involving a wide range of complex computations that incrementally interpret each word into meaningful sentences. However, surprisingly little is known about the spatiotemporal properties of the complex neurobiological systems that support these dynamic predictive and integrative computations. Here, we focus on prediction, a core incremental processing operation guiding the interpretation of each upcoming word with respect to its preceding context. To investigate the neurobiological basis of how semantic constraints change and evolve as each word in a sentence accumulates over time, in a spoken sentence comprehension study, we analyzed the multivariate patterns of neural activity recorded by source-localized electro/magnetoencephalography (EMEG), using computational models capturing semantic constraints derived from the prior context on each upcoming word. Our results provide insights into predictive operations subserved by different regions within a bi-hemispheric system, which over time generate, refine, and evaluate constraints on each word as it is heard.

Description

Keywords

Bayesian language modeling, electro/magnetoencephalography, incremental prediction, representational similarity analysis, semantics, Adolescent, Adult, Anticipation, Psychological, Bayes Theorem, Communication, Comprehension, Computer Simulation, Electroencephalography, Female, Humans, Language, Magnetoencephalography, Male, Models, Neurological, Psycholinguistics, Semantics, Young Adult

Journal Title

Cereb Cortex

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1047-3211
1460-2199

Volume Title

31

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
European Research Council (669820)
ERC Horizon2020