Are abstract action words embodied? An fMRI investigation at the interface between language and motor cognition

Abstract

The cognitive and neural representation of abstract words is still an open question for theories of embodied cognition. Generally, it is proposed that abstract words are grounded in the activation of sensorimotor or at least experiential properties, exactly as concrete words. Further behavioral theories propose multiple representations evoked by abstract and concrete words. We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to investigate the neural correlates of concrete and abstract multi-word expressions in an action context. Participants were required to read simple sentences which combined each concrete noun with an adequate concrete verb and an adequate abstract verb, as well as an adequate abstract noun with either kind of verbs previously used. Thus, our experimental design included a continuum from pure concreteness to mere abstractness. As expected, comprehension of both concrete and abstract language content activated the core areas of the sensorimotor neural network namely the left lateral (precentral gyrus) and medial (supplementary motor area) premotor cortex. While the purely concrete multi-word expressions elicited activations within the left inferior frontal gyrus (pars triangularis) and two foci within the left inferior parietal cortex, the purely abstract multi-word expressions were represented in the anterior part of left middle temporal gyrus that is part of the language processing system. Although the sensorimotor neural network is engaged in both concrete and abstract language contents, the present findings show that concrete multi-word processing relies more on the sensorimotor system, and abstract multi-word processing relies more on the linguistic system.

EEG beta-power changes reflect motor involvement in abstract action language processing

“…Our current findings are further in accordance with results of other studies proposing a gradual involvement of motor representations in abstract action language processing (Desai et al, 2011(Desai et al, , 2013Romero Lauro et al, 2013;Sakreida et al, 2013;Troyer, Curley, Miller, Saygin, & Bergen, 2014). Desai et al (2011) compared brain activation patterns in response to arm/hand related action verbs, which were embedded in literal and metaphoric contexts.…”

Primary motor cortex functionally contributes to language comprehension: An online rTMS study

“…On the basis of present data, it is impossible to exclude the possibility that our protocol induced activity in neighbouring premotor or prefrontal areas, known to be part of the linguistic system more broadly. Indeed, cortico-cortical disinhibition of adjacent network nodes, caused by interference with primary motor cortex, may account for the observed facilitation of abstract verb responses in our semantic task, since abstract verb processing has previously been linked to prefrontal brain activity Binder et al 2005Binder et al , 2009Sakreida et al 2013;Borghi and Zarcone 2016). Facilitation in responses due to release from intracortical inhibition is a well-known phenomenon, and made possible by the fact that brain systems operate in concert, balanced by mutual inhibitory and facilitative mechanisms through inter-and intracortical connections.…”

How do conceptual representations interact with processing demands: An fMRI study on action- and abstract-related words

“…By comparing simple action verbs (such as "greifen" [to grasp]) and complex abstract verbs (such as "begreifen" [to comprehend]), Rüsche-meyer et al showed that only the former triggered activity in the Pm cortex. Similarly, (Sakreida et al, 2013) reported sensorimotor cortex activation for silent reading of concrete words, while abstract words rely more on the linguistic system. These results are in contrast with another fMRI study in which abstract words referring to emotions (in addition to emotion words with links to sensorimotor actions) activated the precentral cortex .…”

“…Rodríguez-Ferreiro et al (2011) showed that abstract verbs including emotion verbs (e.g., amar, "to love"; molestar, "to annoy") elicited as compared to concrete verbs stronger activity in regions previously associated with semantic retrieval such as inferior frontal, anterior temporal, and posterior temporal regions. Other authors (Sakreida et al, 2013) showed that purely concrete phrases triggered activations within the left inferior frontal gyrus (pars triangularis) and the left inferior parietal cortex, whereas purely abstract phrases activated the anterior part of left middle temporal gyrus. They concluded that although the sensorimotor neural network was engaged in both concrete and abstract language contents, the abstract concept processing relies more on the linguistic system.…”