The Experts below are selected from a list of 171 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Hsuan-chih Chen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The time course of Semantic and syntactic processing in reading Chinese: Evidence from ERPs
Language and Cognitive Processes, 2013Co-Authors: Suiping Wang, Ming Xiang, Hsuan-chih ChenAbstract:The time course of Semantic and syntactic processing in reading Chinese was examined by recording event-related brain potentials (ERPs) as native Chinese speakers read individually presented sentences for comprehension and performed Semantic plausibility judgments. The transitivity of the verbs in Chinese ba/bei constructions was manipulated to form three types of stimuli: Congruent sentences (CON), sentences with Semantic Violation (SEM), and sentences with combined Semantic and syntactic Violation (SEM+SYN). Compared with the critical words in CON, those in SEM and SEM+SYN elicited an N400-P600 biphasic pattern. The N400 effects in both Violation conditions were of similar size and distribution, but the P600 in SEM+SYN was bigger than that in SEM. Overall, the lack of a difference between SEM and SEM+SYN in the earlier time window (i.e., N400 window) suggested that syntactic processing in Chinese does not necessarily occur earlier than Semantic processing.
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involvement of left inferior frontal gyrus in sentence level Semantic integration
NeuroImage, 2009Co-Authors: John X Zhang, Zhuangwei Xiao, Suiping Wang, Jian Huang, Hsuan-chih ChenAbstract:Abstract Using event-related functional MRI, we examined the involvement of the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) in Semantic integration in reading Chinese sentences. During scanning, Chinese readers read individually presented sentences and judged whether or not a sentence was Semantically acceptable. Behaviorally, those sentences with a small degree of Semantic Violation were found to be more difficult to reject relative to sentences with a large degree of Semantic Violation, indicating that more Semantic integration occurred in the former than in the latter condition. Direct contrast revealed significantly greater brain activity in the LIFG for sentences with a small Violation, relative to those with a large Violation, but no differences in any anterior temporal cortical areas between the two types of anomalous sentences. The results are in line with the idea that the LIFG plays a critical role in integrating individual word meanings to coherent sentence-level messages, but not with the idea that Semantic integration depends on anterior temporal cortex in language comprehension.
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The time course of Semantic and syntactic processing in Chinese sentence comprehension: evidence from eye movements.
Memory & cognition, 2009Co-Authors: Jinmian Yang, Suiping Wang, Hsuan-chih Chen, Keith RaynerAbstract:In the present study, we examined the time course of Semantic and syntactic processing when Chinese is read. Readers’ eye movements were monitored, and the relation between a single-character critical word and the sentence context was manipulated such that three kinds of sentences were developed: (1) congruent, (2) those with a Semantic Violation, and (3) those with both a Semantic and a syntactic Violation. The eye movement data showed that the first-pass reading times were significantly longer for the target region in the two Violation conditions than in the congruent condition. Moreover, the Semantic + syntactic Violation caused more severe disruption than did the pure Semantic Violation, as reflected by longer first-pass reading times for the target region and by longer go-past times for the target region and posttarget region in the former than in the latter condition. These results suggest that the effects of, at least, a Semantic Violation can be detected immediately by Chinese readers and that the processing of syntactic and Semantic information is distinct in both first-pass and second-pass reading.
Suiping Wang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Re-examination of Chinese Semantic processing and syntactic processing: evidence from conventional ERPs and reconstructed ERPs by residue iteration decomposition (RIDE).
PloS one, 2015Co-Authors: Fang Wang, Guang Ouyang, Changsong Zhou, Suiping WangAbstract:A number of studies have explored the time course of Chinese Semantic and syntactic processing. However, whether syntactic processing occurs earlier than Semantics during Chinese sentence reading is still under debate. To further explore this issue, an event-related potentials (ERPs) experiment was conducted on 21 native Chinese speakers who read individually-presented Chinese simple sentences (NP1+VP+NP2) word-by-word for comprehension and made Semantic plausibility judgments. The transitivity of the verbs was manipulated to form three types of stimuli: congruent sentences (CON), sentences with a Semantically violated NP2 following a transitive verb (Semantic Violation, SEM), and sentences with a Semantically violated NP2 following an intransitive verb (combined Semantic and syntactic Violation, SEM+SYN). The ERPs evoked from the target NP2 were analyzed by using the Residue Iteration Decomposition (RIDE) method to reconstruct the ERP waveform blurred by trial-to-trial variability, as well as by using the conventional ERP method based on stimulus-locked averaging. The conventional ERP analysis showed that, compared with the critical words in CON, those in SEM and SEM+SYN elicited an N400–P600 biphasic pattern. The N400 effects in both Violation conditions were of similar size and distribution, but the P600 in SEM+SYN was bigger than that in SEM. Compared with the conventional ERP analysis, RIDE analysis revealed a larger N400 effect and an earlier P600 effect (in the time window of 500–800 ms instead of 570–810ms). Overall, the combination of conventional ERP analysis and the RIDE method for compensating for trial-to-trial variability confirmed the non-significant difference between SEM and SEM+SYN in the earlier N400 time window. Converging with previous findings on other Chinese structures, the current study provides further precise evidence that syntactic processing in Chinese does not occur earlier than Semantic processing.
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The time course of Semantic and syntactic processing in reading Chinese: Evidence from ERPs
Language and Cognitive Processes, 2013Co-Authors: Suiping Wang, Ming Xiang, Hsuan-chih ChenAbstract:The time course of Semantic and syntactic processing in reading Chinese was examined by recording event-related brain potentials (ERPs) as native Chinese speakers read individually presented sentences for comprehension and performed Semantic plausibility judgments. The transitivity of the verbs in Chinese ba/bei constructions was manipulated to form three types of stimuli: Congruent sentences (CON), sentences with Semantic Violation (SEM), and sentences with combined Semantic and syntactic Violation (SEM+SYN). Compared with the critical words in CON, those in SEM and SEM+SYN elicited an N400-P600 biphasic pattern. The N400 effects in both Violation conditions were of similar size and distribution, but the P600 in SEM+SYN was bigger than that in SEM. Overall, the lack of a difference between SEM and SEM+SYN in the earlier time window (i.e., N400 window) suggested that syntactic processing in Chinese does not necessarily occur earlier than Semantic processing.
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involvement of left inferior frontal gyrus in sentence level Semantic integration
NeuroImage, 2009Co-Authors: John X Zhang, Zhuangwei Xiao, Suiping Wang, Jian Huang, Hsuan-chih ChenAbstract:Abstract Using event-related functional MRI, we examined the involvement of the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) in Semantic integration in reading Chinese sentences. During scanning, Chinese readers read individually presented sentences and judged whether or not a sentence was Semantically acceptable. Behaviorally, those sentences with a small degree of Semantic Violation were found to be more difficult to reject relative to sentences with a large degree of Semantic Violation, indicating that more Semantic integration occurred in the former than in the latter condition. Direct contrast revealed significantly greater brain activity in the LIFG for sentences with a small Violation, relative to those with a large Violation, but no differences in any anterior temporal cortical areas between the two types of anomalous sentences. The results are in line with the idea that the LIFG plays a critical role in integrating individual word meanings to coherent sentence-level messages, but not with the idea that Semantic integration depends on anterior temporal cortex in language comprehension.
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The time course of Semantic and syntactic processing in Chinese sentence comprehension: evidence from eye movements.
Memory & cognition, 2009Co-Authors: Jinmian Yang, Suiping Wang, Hsuan-chih Chen, Keith RaynerAbstract:In the present study, we examined the time course of Semantic and syntactic processing when Chinese is read. Readers’ eye movements were monitored, and the relation between a single-character critical word and the sentence context was manipulated such that three kinds of sentences were developed: (1) congruent, (2) those with a Semantic Violation, and (3) those with both a Semantic and a syntactic Violation. The eye movement data showed that the first-pass reading times were significantly longer for the target region in the two Violation conditions than in the congruent condition. Moreover, the Semantic + syntactic Violation caused more severe disruption than did the pure Semantic Violation, as reflected by longer first-pass reading times for the target region and by longer go-past times for the target region and posttarget region in the former than in the latter condition. These results suggest that the effects of, at least, a Semantic Violation can be detected immediately by Chinese readers and that the processing of syntactic and Semantic information is distinct in both first-pass and second-pass reading.
Alexandra Woolgar - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Unconstrained multivariate EEG decoding can help detect lexical-Semantic processing in individual children.
Scientific reports, 2020Co-Authors: Selene Petit, Nicholas A. Badcock, Tijl Grootswagers, Alexandra WoolgarAbstract:In conditions such as minimally-verbal autism, standard assessments of language comprehension are often unreliable. Given the known heterogeneity within the autistic population, it is crucial to design tests of Semantic comprehension that are sensitive in individuals. Recent efforts to develop neural signals of language comprehension have focused on the N400, a robust marker of lexical-Semantic Violation at the group level. However, homogeneity of response in individual neurotypical children has not been established. Here, we presented 20 neurotypical children with congruent and incongruent visual animations and spoken sentences while measuring their neural response using electroencephalography (EEG). Despite robust group-level responses, we found high inter-individual variability in response to lexico-Semantic anomalies. To overcome this, we analysed our data using temporally and spatially unconstrained multivariate pattern analyses (MVPA), supplemented by descriptive analyses to examine the timecourse, topography, and strength of the effect. Our results show that neurotypical children exhibit heterogenous responses to lexical-Semantic Violation, implying that any application to heterogenous disorders such as autism spectrum disorder will require individual-subject analyses that are robust to variation in topology and timecourse of neural responses.
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Even neurotypical children are heterogeneous: using multivariate decoding to improve individual subject analysis of lexico-Semantic EEG data
2019Co-Authors: Selene Petit, Nicholas A. Badcock, Tijl Grootswagers, Alexandra WoolgarAbstract:In conditions such as minimally-verbal autism, standard assessments of language comprehension are often unreliable. Given the known heterogeneity within the autistic population, it is crucial to design tests of Semantic comprehension that are sensitive in individuals. Recent efforts to develop neural signals of language comprehension have focused on the N400, a robust marker of lexical-Semantic Violation at the group level. However, homogeneity of response in individual neurotypical children has not been established. Here, we presented 20 children with congruent and incongruent visual animations and spoken sentences while measuring their neural response using EEG. Despite robust group-level responses, we found high inter-individual variability in response to lexico-Semantic anomalies. To overcome this, we analysed our data using temporally and spatially unconstrained MVPA, supplemented by descriptive analyses to examine the timecourse, topography, and strength of the effect. Even neurotypical children exhibit heterogenous responses to lexical-Semantic Violation, implying that any application to heterogenous disorders such as ASD will require individual-subject analyses that are robust to variation in topology and timecourse of neural responses.
Peter Hagoort - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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EEG theta and gamma responses to Semantic Violations in online sentence processing.
Brain and language, 2005Co-Authors: Lea A. Hald, Marcel C. M. Bastiaansen, Peter HagoortAbstract:We explore the nature of the oscillatory dynamics in the EEG of subjects reading sentences that contain a Semantic Violation. More specifically, we examine whether increases in theta (≈3–7 Hz) and gamma (around 40 Hz) band power occur in response to sentences that were either Semantically correct or contained a Semantically incongruent word (Semantic Violation). ERP results indicated a classical N400 effect. A wavelet-based time-frequency analysis revealed a theta band power increase during an interval of 300–800 ms after critical word onset, at temporal electrodes bilaterally for both sentence conditions, and over midfrontal areas for the Semantic Violations only. In the gamma frequency band, a predominantly frontal power increase was observed during the processing of correct sentences. This effect was absent following Semantic Violations. These results provide a characterization of the oscillatory brain dynamics, and notably of both theta and gamma oscillations, that occur during language comprehension.
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Interplay between Syntax and Semantics during Sentence Comprehension: ERP Effects of Combining Syntactic and Semantic Violations
Journal of cognitive neuroscience, 2003Co-Authors: Peter HagoortAbstract:This study investigated the effects of combined Semantic and syntactic Violations in relation to the effects of single Semantic and single syntactic Violations on language-related event-related brain potential (ERP) effects (N400 and P600/SPS). Syntactic Violations consisted of a mismatch in grammatical gender or number features of the definite article and the noun in sentence-internal or sentence-final noun phrases (NPs). Semantic Violations consisted of Semantically implausible adjective–noun combinations in the same NPs. Combined syntactic and Semantic Violations were a summation of these two respective Violation types. ERPs were recorded while subjects read the sentences with the different types of Violations and the correct control sentences. ERP effects were computed relative to ERPs elicited by the sentence-internal or sentence-final nouns. The size of the N400 effect to the Semantic Violation was increased by an additional syntactic Violation (the syntactic boost). In contrast, the size of the P600/SPS to the syntactic Violation was not affected by an additional Semantic Violation. This suggests that in the absence of syntactic ambiguity, the assignment of syntactic structure is independent of Semantic context. However, Semantic integration is influenced by syntactic processing. In the sentence-final position, additional global processing consequences were obtained as a result of earlier Violations in the sentence. The resulting increase in the N400 amplitude to sentence-final words was independent of the nature of the Violation. A speeded anomaly detection task revealed that it takes substantially longer to detect Semantic than syntactic anomalies. These results are discussed in relation to the latency and processing characteristics of the N400 and P600/SPS effects. Overall, the results reveal an asymmetry in the interplay between syntax and Semantics during on-line sentence comprehension.
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Syntax-related ERP-effects in Dutch
Brain research. Cognitive brain research, 2003Co-Authors: Peter Hagoort, Marlies Wassenaar, Colin M. BrownAbstract:In two studies subjects were required to read Dutch sentences that in some cases contained a syntactic Violation, in other cases a Semantic Violation. All syntactic Violations were word category Violations. The design excluded differential contributions of expectancy to influence the syntactic Violation effects. The syntactic Violations elicited an Anterior Negativity between 300 and 500 ms. This negativity was bilateral and had a frontal distribution. Over posterior sites the same Violations elicited a P600/SPS starting at about 600 ms. The Semantic Violations elicited an N400 effect. The topographic distribution of the AN was more frontal than the distribution of the classical N400 effect, indicating that the underlying generators of the AN and the N400 are, at least to a certain extent, non-overlapping. Experiment 2 partly replicated the design of Experiment 1, but with differences in rate of presentation and in the distribution of items over subjects, and without Semantic Violations. The word category Violations resulted in the same effects as were observed in Experiment 1, showing that they were independent of some of the specific parameters of Experiment 1. The discussion presents a tentative account of the functional differences in the triggering conditions of the AN and the P600/SPS.
Anthony J. Bailey - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Contextual integration the unusual way: a magnetoencephalographic study of responses to Semantic Violation in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
The European journal of neuroscience, 2008Co-Authors: Sven Braeutigam, Stephen Swithenby, Anthony J. BaileyAbstract:Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with deficits in language and social communication. Behavioural studies indicate abnormal Semantic organization in individuals with autism, but little is known about the neural mechanism underlying the processing of language in context. Magnetoencephalography was used to record neural responses in 11 able adults with autism spectrum disorders reading meaningful sentences and sentences ending with a Semantically incongruous word (e.g. 'He sent a photo to the trumpet'). Spatially extended evoked signals at 400 ms (N4) and 750 ms (LPC), as well as synchronized gamma-oscillations, provided clear evidence for specific neuronal processes sensitive to sentence context that differed in individuals with autism compared with typically developing individuals (11 healthy volunteers). Amongst other differences, N4 responses following incongruous words were weaker over left temporal cortices, whereas LPC responses to incongruous words and long-latency gamma-oscillations following congruous words were stronger over central and prefrontal regions in individuals with autism compared with the control group. Also, incongruous words elicited long-lasting gamma-oscillations above 40 Hz in the clinical group, but not in typically developing subjects. These findings may indicate unusual strategies for resolving Semantic ambiguity in autism. Moreover, the observed gamma-band responses provide evidence for sustained cortical synchronization across segregated areas in individuals with autism, contrary to claims that a general deficit in either temporal binding or long-range connectivity may explain autism.
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Phase-locked gamma band responses to Semantic Violation stimuli.
Brain research. Cognitive brain research, 2001Co-Authors: Sven Braeutigam, Anthony J. Bailey, Stephen SwithenbyAbstract:This paper addresses the role of γ-band activity in Semantic networks associated with the processing of words and sentences in humans. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to compare the responses of eleven normal volunteers to Semantically congruous and incongruous words at the end of syntactically correct sentences. The averaged low frequency responses evoked by the two word classes were clearly different within the latency range associated with N400 components. The oscillatory characteristics of the evoked responses were analysed using Gabor transform techniques in conjunction with statistical re-sampling. This revealed transient γ-oscillations (∼35 Hz) that were significantly phase-locked to both types of stimuli but preferentially present at intermediate (∼300 ms) and long (>500 ms) latencies for incongruous words. This stimulus dependent phase locked γ-activity occurred at latencies that were distinct from the short latency and evoked N400 components. The findings suggest that synchronised oscillations provide independent information about brain dynamics and that some Semantic processes may dissociate into distinct functional stages.